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Mushing in General

The Iditarod is set against the (much) bigger backdrop of Alaska. This category includes some selected general-purpose reference works to assist non-Alaskans (or even for Alaskans who are not quite familiar with their home state) to better understand the Last Frontier.

Dogs of the North - Vol 14, No. 1

by Alaska Geographic Society

Pages: 120

Publisher: Alaska Geographic, Anchorage (1987)

ISBN: 0882401807

Intended Audience: Grades 3 and up

An excellent reference work covering Alaskan working dogs and their rich history. Many photos and quick biographies of famous dogs and drivers.

Attla Training and Racing Sled Dogs

by Bella Levorson
George Attla

Publisher: Arner Pubns, (1974)

ISBN: 0914124021

Mushing legend George Attla outlines his techniques and philosophy of training and running sled dogs

The Cheechako’s Guide to the Art of Dog Mushing

by Lavon Barve

Pages: 86

Publisher: Northern Adventure Publishing, Wasilla (2000)

Intended Audience: Grades 7 and up

Mushing stories of the trail by a musher with over 50,000 miles on a dog sled; tips on mushing; how to train a lead dog and how to prepare for the Iditarod & Yukon Quest.

Born to Pull

by Bob Cary
Illustrated by Gail de Marcken

Pages: 96

Publisher: Pfeifer-Hamilton, Duluth, MN (1999)

ISBN: 1570251460

Intended Audience: Grades 4 and up

Large-format hardback, color. This is probably the best new dog mushing information book with potential use in the classroom. It includes the Iditarod but provides a much broader background about sled dogs, not only in Alaska but elsewhere. It is richly illustrated and well organized. This is a superb reference for both students and teachers, and an excellent read besides.

Dog Driver: A Guide for the Serious Musher

by Miki and Julie Collins

Pages: 351

Publisher: Alpine, Loveland, CO (1991)

ISBN: 0931866480

Intended Audience: Middle school and up

Miki and Julie Collins are twin sisters who live at Minchumina, deep in the Bush northwest of Denali. They routinely make dog sled trips that most people only dream about. During the 1999 Iditarod, for instance, they drove their teams to the Rohn checkpoint for a visit, breaking much of their own trail through howling wilderness. This book is exactly what it says--the Collins twins know what they're doing.

Running North: A Yukon Adventure

by Ann Mariah Cook

Pages: 312

Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, (1998)

ISBN: 15651202135

Intended Audience: Middle school and up

A husband and his wife and young daughter moved to Alaska to run the Yukon Quest. The wife (the author) eventually drove the dog truck for several thousand miles while handling for her husband in the race.

Yukon Quest: The 1,000-Mile Dog Sled Race Through the Yukon and Alaska

by John Firth

Pages: 278

Publisher: Lost Moose, the Yukon Publishers, Whitehorse, Yukon (1998)

ISBN: 1896758037

Intended Audience: Middle school and up

This is the story of the Yukon Quest, the only other sled dog race that approaches the Iditarod in distance and difficulty. Run between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon, it is second only to the Iditarod in importance and interest in the long-distance mushing world. Many Iditarod mushers have run the Quest and vice versa, but the fundamental concepts of the two races are different, in that the Quest focuses more on traditional, very long runs between formal checkpoints, while the Iditarod is known for its incredible variety of conditions and terrain. (Originally published in 1990 as Yukon Challenge.)

The Joy of Running Sled Dogs: A Step by Step Guide

by Noel K. Flanders

Pages: 108

Publisher: Alpine, Loveland, CO (1989)

ISBN: 0931866391

Intended Audience: Grades 5 and up

A good book for beginning mushers with clear explanations of the basics. Non-mushers will also find this book interesting.

Alaskan Malemutes

by Bill LeKernec

Pages: 128

Publisher: T.H.F., (1991)

ISBN: 0940808595

Intended Audience: Grades 3 and up

Malemutes were some of the original sled dogs in Alaska. Bred over hundreds of years by Natives on the Bering Sea coast, they were (and are) legendary for their toughness and strength and ability to pull heavy loads and survive under unbelievable conditions. Although purebred Malemutes aren't used much for racing anymore, their bloodlines are widespread in Alaskan sled dogs to a greater or lesser extent. The book is written more from the viewpoint of having a malemute for a pet, and covers all aspects of owning one and has some interesting history.

Winning Strategies for Long Distance Mushers

by Joe Runyan

Pages: 152

Publisher: Joe Runyan, Gila, NM (1997)

ISBN: 0965665100

Intended Audience: Grades 6 and up

Former Iditarod champion Joe Runyan's book has become a standard among distance mushers. For non-mushers, an interesting look at what goes on in the contender's minds, as well as an insight into the countless factors all drivers must take into account even to finish.

The Secrets of Long Distance Training and Racing

by Rick Swenson
Steve Chamberlain

Pages: 128

Publisher: L & B Color Printing, (1987)

Intended Audience: Middle school and up

This book contains five-time Iditarod champion Rick Swenson's thoughts on how to be a winning long-distance musher.

The Speed Mushing Manual: How To Train Racing Sled Dogs

by Jim Welch

Pages: 128

Publisher: Sirius Publishing, Eagle River, AK (1989)

ISBN: 0962364304

Intended Audience: Grades 5 and up

Black and white illustrations. This is arguably the most popular book on training sled dogs for racing. It's the rare musher who doesn't have a copy somewhere around the house.

Alaska Dog Mushing Guide: Facts, Legends, and Oddities

by Ron Wendt

Pages: 68

Publisher: Goldstream Publications, Wasilla, AK (1996)

ISBN: 1886574057

Intended Audience: Grades 5 and up

This slim book is an interesting collection of "stuff" about mushing in Alaska. Everything in here can probably be found somewhere else, but it's widely scattered.

Lessons My Sled Dog Taught Me--Humor and Heartwarming Tails from Alaska's Mushers

by Tricia Brown
Illustrated by Amanda Brannon

Pages: 160

Publisher: Epicenter, Seattle (1998)

ISBN: 094539769

Intended Audience: Grades 3 and up

small (almost pocket-sized) hardback contains a huge supply of short bits of wisdom from mushers across Alaska. Lots of fun and some memorable quotes.

Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win the Iditarod Tells Her Story

by Libby Riddles
Tim Jones

Pages: 239

Publisher: Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA (1988)

ISBN: 0811722538

Intended Audience: Grades 5 and up

One of the first and still one of the best accounts of a winning run in the Iditarod, along with everything that goes into making it happen. Well written with tons of background information in sidebars on every page.

Racing Sled Dogs: An Original North American Sport

by Michael Cooper

Pages: 73

Publisher: Clarion, (1988)

ISBN: 099991994990

Intended Audience: Grades 2-6

An overview of sled dog racing, covering history, breeding, training, and running, illustrated with excellent photographs.

My Life in Dog Years

by Gary Paulsen

Pages: 138

Publisher: Delacorte, New York (1998)

ISBN: 0385325703

Intended Audience: Grades 4 and up

Once again, Paulsen wears his heart on his sleeve for the dogs who have shared his life. Vintage Paulsen, reflective and funny and well worth reading. (Little about Alaska or the Iditarod, but that's not important in this case.)

Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers: Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs

by Gary Paulsen
Illustrated by Ruth Wright Paulsen

Pages: 81

Publisher: Delacorte, New York (1996)

ISBN: 0385325851

Intended Audience: Grades 4 and up

If you were to ask Gary Paulsen for the name of the first dog who came to his mind, it would be that of his faithful leader Cookie, who saved his life and who shared many thousands of miles on the trail with him. This is Paulsen's loving, respectful, humorous, and often emotional look at Cookie and her litter and how they matured into a true team of sled dogs.

Loving a Happy Dog (Happy Dog Trilogy from Alaska Series, Vol 3)

by Mary Sheilds

Pages: 32

Publisher: Pyrola Publishing, Fairbanks (1991)

ISBN: 0961834838

Intended Audience: Grades 2-4

Mary Shields is a veteran musher (the first woman to finish the Iditarod, among other accomplishments), as well as a teacher and author. These books aren't about the Iditarod, but are perfect to get younger students to comprehend sled dogs as more than pets and to understand the responsibilities of owning and training dogs. They are fast reads--well illustrated with good story lines to keep interest.

Secret Messages--Training a Happy Dog (Happy Dog Trilogy from Alaska Series, Vol 2)

by Mary Sheilds

Pages: 32

Publisher: Pyrola Publishing, Fairbanks (1991)

ISBN: 0961834862

Intended Audience: Grades 2-4

Mary Shields is a veteran musher (the first woman to finish the Iditarod, among other accomplishments), as well as a teacher and author. These books aren't about the Iditarod, but are perfect to get younger students to comprehend sled dogs as more than pets and to understand the responsibilities of owning and training dogs. They are fast reads--well illustrated with good story lines to keep interest.

Can Dogs Talk? (Happy Dog Trilogy from Alaska Series, Vol 1)

by Mary Shields

Pages: 32

Publisher: Pyrola Publishing, Fairbanks (1991)

ISBN: 0961834811

Intended Audience: Grades 2-4

Mary Shields is a veteran musher (the first woman to finish the Iditarod, among other accomplishments), as well as a teacher and author. These books aren't about the Iditarod, but are perfect to get younger students to comprehend sled dogs as more than pets and to understand the responsibilities of owning and training dogs. They are fast reads--well illustrated with good story lines to keep interest.