Trapped in Ice is a work of historical fiction book based on the real life events of the Arctic Expedition in 1913. The protagonist, Helen, and her little brother Michael accompany their mother works as a seamstress aboard the Karluk ship. Since the death of Helen and Michael's dad, their family has been tossed and turned. Healing is still in need. While a ship destined for arctic adventure is no place for two kids, they go board anyway, unaware of the turmoil that they will face. As they sail further north, conditions become more dangerous and drastic measures will have to be taken to ensure survival. Ultimately, the crew abandons ship when worse comes to worse. With the famous Captain Bartlett leading the trek through ice and snow to a safe haven, the crew will surely make it out. But Helen will come to know that the arctic is a harsher place than anticipated. After facing polar bears, missing sled dogs, and ice walls, Helen discovers a brave part of herself. After reading endless adventure books, it's now her time to live in one.

Trapped in Ice is not an intense novel, but it is suspenseful. Though I did not find it to be a page turner, I'm positive some would. To me, Trapped in Ice is, ironically, a warm-hearted book meant to be read for relaxation. Like in his other books, Eric Walters has made a protagonist who rises above challenges and learns about inner-strength. And though it is unlikely that many readers will have been to the Arctic, we can definitely visualize the place and time through the author’s choice of words. The novel was a simple and easy read. I do not recommend it to teens who want a more challenging book to expand their reading level. I'd recommend this book to others who have read books by Eric Walters and to those who love historical fiction.