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Iditarod and Mushing Fiction

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.

Baldy of Nome

by Esther Birdsall Darling

Pages: 75

Publisher: Penn Publishing Co., Philadelphia (1916)

Intended Audience: Grades 6 and up

First of a series of stories about Alaskan dogs and mushing by the author stretching into the 1940s, also including Boris Grandson of Baldy (1936), Boris Son of Baldy (1944), Luck of the Trail (1933), Navarre of the North (1930), The Break-Up (1940), and No Boundary Line (1940). All out of print, but may be available through used-book dealers or lurking in libraries.

Sixteen in Nome

by Max Brand

Pages: 216

Publisher: Five Star, Thorndike, ME (1930)

ISBN: 0786205091

Intended Audience: Grades 6 and up

Here's something different--a reissue in novel format of a 1930-vintage magazine serial adventure story about a boy who grows up in a hurry on a dogsled journey across Alaska and Canada. Some kids will likely be fascinated by the old-time writing style and different perspective on life in general (as will some adults).

Murder on the Iditarod Trail

by Sue Henry

Pages: 256

Publisher: Avon, New York (1996)

ISBN: 0380717581

Intended Audience: Grades 6 and up

Sue Henry's award-winning tale of intrigue and murder on the Iditarod Trail was a best-seller and has even been turned into a made-for-TV movie. A classic murder mystery with Alaska State Trooper Alex Jensen as the hero, set against the backdrop of the Last Great Race. As with all her books, Sue Henry researched the race at length before writing, and her settings and details are accurate (although a few things have changed since the book came out)

To See the Moon

by Ethel Bacon
Illustrated by David Ray

Pages: 32

Publisher: Bridgewater Books, (1996)

ISBN: 0931866855

Intended Audience: Grades 2-4

Picture story book. Kimo is the runt of the litter, but Diane is determined to make him into a sled dog for the one-dog race. The moon is the backdrop of many of the illustrations as she trains Kimo. Their relationship grows stronger and stronger until they finally run the race they've been training for.

Akiak: A Tale from the Iditarod

by Robert J. Blake
Illustrated by Robert J. Blake

Pages: 32

Publisher: Philomel Books, New York (1997)

ISBN: 03992227989

Intended Audience: Grades 2-4

Large-format picture story book. Akiak, the veteran leader, is running her last Iditarod. She's never led her team to victory, and this will be her last chance. She is dropped with a sore paw after four days, but escapes and follows her team up the trail. Good artwork and easy to follow, dog's-view story line will capture kids' interest immediately. Definitely above average.

The Iditarod: The Greatest Win Ever

by Monica Devine

Pages: 56

Publisher: Perfection, Logan, IA (1997)

ISBN: 07899119552

Intended Audience: Grades 3-6

A young girl runs the Iditarod in a story that is oriented toward classroom teaching, with vocabulary and glossary, plus color photos.

Stone Fox

by John Reynolds Gardiner
Illustrated by Marcia Sewell

Pages: 81

Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books, New York (1980)

ISBN: 0064401324

Intended Audience: Grades 2-5

Little Willie's heroic race against the seemingly unbeatable champion musher Stone Fox has become an enduring kids' classic. The story actually has some basis in a Rocky Mountain legend. This book will definitely engage young readers and keep their attention.

Kiana's Iditarod

by Shelley Gill
Illustrations by Shannon Cartwright

Pages: 60

Publisher: Paws IV Publishing, Wasilla, AK (1984)

ISBN: 0934007004

Intended Audience: Grades 1-3

Large-format picture story book, softcover, color. Shelley Gill and Shannon Cartwright constitute one of the best teams at work on children's books in Alaska. Kiana is a sled dog in the Iditarod and the story is a sort of epic poem for children, done in easy verse, told from the dog's viewpoint. This might be considered Robert Service for young people, with Kiana and her teammates as the heroes. Good follow-on to Mary Shields' Happy Dog Trilogy.

Where's the Boss - A Sleddog's tale from Alaska's Iditarod Trail

by Lois Harter
Illustrated by Dave Totten

Pages: 32

Publisher: Publication Consultants, Anchorage, AK (1999)

ISBN: 1888125632

Intended Audience: Grades 3-6

An Iditarod musher's dogs will go anywhere for their "boss"--their musher. But when The Boss has problems on the trail, what can the team do? This new book, by a long-time staffer at the Iditarod Trail Committee and powerfully illustrated by one of Alaska's premier wildlife and sled dog artists, is an ultimately satisfying "tale from the trail" told from the dogs' viewpoint. Kids should be engrossed from beginning to end.

Black Star, Bright Dawn

by Scott O'Dell

Pages: 134

Publisher: Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston, MA (1988)

ISBN: 0395477786

Intended Audience: Grades 3 and up

Chapter book. A young Eskimo girl and her leader Black Star must substitute for her father in the Iditarod. The story is getting a bit dated and some details have become inaccurate as the race has changed over the last decade, but this has become an Iditarod classic and the basic story is still good. It begins to touch on some of the social issues centering around Native Alaska, but not deeply. This is a fine, fast-paced read and a sure-fire favorite.

Dogsong

by Gary Paulsen

Pages: 177

Publisher: Bradbury Press, New York (1985)

ISBN: 0027701808

Intended Audience: Grades 5 and up

Paulsen has used his intimate knowledge of dogs and unmatched storytelling ability to weave a captivating fable about Inupiat teenager Russell Suskitt, who takes his dog team on a voyage of self-discovery in the Alaskan Arctic. Touches on Eskimo social problems and efforts to rediscover their heritage as a guide to the future.

Silver

by Gloria Whelan
Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi

Pages: 59

Publisher: Random House, New York (1988)

ISBN: 0394996619

Intended Audience: Grades 2-5

Silver is the runt of the litter, but young Rachel believes he will become a champion leader. When her father finishes the Iditarod, she discovers Silver is missing and embarks on a search to find him. Ultimately satisfying and lots of good mushing and Alaskan atmosphere.

Foxy's Tale: The True Story of a Champion Alaskan Sled Dog

by Ed White
Donna Freedman

Pages: 77

Publisher: Whitehouse, Anchorage (1995)

ISBN: 0964417103

Intended Audience: Grades 3-6

Foxy is a sled dog in Chugiak (just north of Anchorage) who proves to be a champion. Told by Foxy--good story for kids.