To the Top of the World: Barbara Hillary, the First Black Woman to Reach the North and South Poles -- Deborah Blumenthal, Hardcover

Go exploring with Barbara Hillary, the first Black woman to set foot on both the North and South Poles in this thrilling and inspiring picture book biography about perseverance, imagination, and following your dreams.

As a young girl, Barbara Hillary imagined a life of adventure. Despite facing hardships in her childhood and illness as an adult, she never gave up on her dream: to travel the world and explore hard-to-reach places. So, at age seventy-five, she became the first Black woman to set foot on the North Pole. Less than four years later, she did the same at the South Pole.

Barbara loved everything the world has to offer. During her travels, she discovered that the remote places she cared so much about were threatened by climate change. From then on, she dedicated herself to saving the planet for future generations. She never let her age--or anything else--stop her until she stood at the top of the world!

Author: Deborah Blumenthal
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 10/21/2025
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Size: 10.00h x 10.00w x 0.13d
ISBN: 9781665927734
Audience: Ages 9-12

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 08/11/2025

About the Author
Deborah Blumenthal is an award-winning journalist and nutritionist who has written many books for children and adults. She was a regular contributor to The New York Times and a home design columnist for Long Island News. Her health, fitness, beauty, travel, and feature stories have appeared widely in many other newspapers and national magazines including Daily News (New York), The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Woman's Day, Family Circle, Self, and Vogue. Visit her at DeborahBlumenthal.com.

Anastasia Magloire Williams is an illustrator, writer, and graphic designer with a lifelong passion for storytelling. Using various styles and vibrant colors, her mission is to elevate unsung histories that reflect the beautiful, diverse world we all share. When she is not tapping away at her tablet, she enjoys gaming with her husband, fantasy novels, tending to her plants, and ice in all her drinks. Visit her at AnaDraws.com.