Discovering the explorers highlighted in Huang's action-packed compendium is sure to inspire intrepid readers. Even better, the inspiration is multinational and multicultural, and covers not only early men and women of note but also contemporary adventurers such as African American explorer Barbara Hillary, who began her barrier-breaking career with a trip to the North Pole at age 75. Huang's mini-biographies, typically spread across two pages, are exceptionally illustrated by Hawke, who makes each one unique through painted colors, borders, and portraits, as well as photos of artifacts specific to the subject's work. In Sylvia Earle's section, the action takes place in the sea, with painted schools of yellow fish and layered coral reefs framing photos of Earle as she meets a moray eel and collects algae. Meant for dipping into over and over again, the book introduces readers to many new explorers Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk; Esteban Dorantes, a Moroccan slave; and Namira Salim, a present-day Pakistani woman; among others along with familiar names, though Huang includes ideas not often present in older biographies. The point is made that much exploration harmed indigenous populations, that discovery was relative, as natives were already familiar with their homelands, and that people like the Nepali-Indian mountaineer Tenzing Norgay should be celebrated alongside more famous counterparts like Edmund Hillary. A great and necessary addition to all libraries.--Karen Cruze Copyright 2019 Booklist