Robert Michael Ballantyne (1825–1894) was a Scottish writer. For some time he worked in Canada, in the Hudson's Bay Company, participated in operations against local Indians. Upon returning to his homeland, he tried himself in many professions, and in 1842, Life in the Wilds of North America appeared, an autobiographical book where the author describes his adventures in Canada. After that, Ballantyne devotes himself entirely to literary work. His first books describe life in Canada, later - adventures in England, Africa and other places.Two of Ballantyne's works are published in this volume. In the novel The World of Ice, a young sailor named Fred Ellis, in search of his missing father, becomes a member of the crew of a whaling ship sailing to the polar latitudes. The Dolphin team will have to overcome the icy hell in order to reach the desired goal. Coral Island is Ballantyne's most famous book. It describes the adventures of three English boys shipwrecked off the coast of an island in the Pacific Ocean | their life is full of dangerous adventures, and the victory of will and fortitude over seemingly insurmountable difficulties.