Did you know the United States discovered Antarctica? Charting a huge patch of Antarctica's shoreline while dodging ice bergs is only a part of the adventures of the Exploring Expedition of 1828-1842. The Ex Ex charted much of the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River; the charts are still being used today. They battled storms and hostile local populations. It is quite a fascinating chapter in US history, well worth reading.

During intense fighting in Fallujah the Lava Company, a battalion of Marines from Hawaii, rescue a 5 week old stray pup they name Lava. The little fur ball quickly takes firm possession of their hearts. Lt Col Kopelman's heart is fair game for the puppy too. The military does not make it easy to rescue a small pup, but the Marines have good hearts and they wanted to save Lava. I want my Marines to have the humanity to care about life, even the life of a small pup, and they do. Rescuing Lava is a a hair raising adventure. Eventually it involves a battalion of Marines, the staff of NPR, an Iraqi citizen, and bomb sniffing dogs. Ultimately this is a book about caring and saving our humanity. It is also a wonderful story about a plucky little dog named Lava.