A book to accompany a new 7 part landmark NHU series which tells the story of the Antarctic and the Arctic Ocean. From the Great Melt in Spring to the 24 summer, the beginning of the Big Freeze and the long dark winter, it follows the emotional life stories of the animals which live near the two poles. A follow-up to the TV series "Planet Earth".

Alastair Fothergill studied zoology at the University of Durham and made his first film, on the Okavango, while still a student. Alastair joined the BBC Natural History Unit in 1983, working on The Really Wild Show, Wildlife on One and the series The Trials of Life. He was appointed head of the unit in 1992, and during his tenure he produced the award-winning series Life in the Freezer. In June 1998 he stood down to concentrate on his role as producer of The Blue Planet and of course the acclaimed Planet Earth. He has also presented several television programmes, including The Abyss, and is the author of four books. Vanessa Berlowitz studied human sciences at the University of Oxford, where she took up photography and made her first films.She joined the Natural History Unit in 1991 and went on to become a multiple award-winning director and producer. Vanessa has also contributed to a number of books and written about wildlife and conservation for magazines.