Iditarod & Dog-Sledding Books

The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs And Men in a Race Against an Epidemic

Gay Salisbury, Laney Salisbury

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 By: W. W. Norton & Company Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $4.25

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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> 20th Century -> General
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> State & Local -> Alaska
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Wonderful book! 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Do we really need another book about the great dog-sled rescue team racing serum to Nome to save the town from a diphtheria epidemic? Why, yes, actually, we do indeed. This thrilling book recounts not only the canine and human heroes of the rescue team but tells us about the heroes in Nome, e.g., the doctor who had to play god and how he did it. Also, the Balto myth is debunked.

Editorial Review:

In 1925, a deadly diphtheria epidemic swept through icebound Nome, Alaska. The life-saving serum was a thousand miles away, and a blizzard was brewing. Airplanes could not fly in such conditions: only the dogs could do it. Racing against death, twenty dog teams relayed the serum across the Alaskan wilderness as newspapers nationwide headlined the drama, enthralling an entire generation. The heroic dash to Nome inspired the annual Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska and immortalized Balto, the lead dog whose arrival in Nome over a snow-blown trail was an American legend in the making. His bronze statue still stands in New York City's Central Park, in dedication to the "Endurance, Fidelity and Intelligence" of the dogs that saved Nome. This is their story, the greatest dog story never fully told, until now. 2 maps, 48 illustrations.

Woodsong

Gary Paulsen

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Aladdin Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $2.68

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 90 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

One of Paulsens best! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Woodsong
By
Gary Paulsen

Woodsong is a story about the author's adventure in Alaska. He writes
about running dogs and racing in the Iditarod.
This story begins in Anchorage, Alaska in the 1980s. Paulsen runs the
dogs which means hitching a dog team to a sled and taking them for a
run.
One time while running the dogs, they saw a glowing light in the
woods. It seemed to be person walking in the dark with a lantern.
Paulsen also thought it was a ghost. It turned out to be a dead tree
with a glowing mushroom on it. He walked up to it and hit his head on
the dead tree. He felt the glowing light and realized it was a glowing
mushroom.
On another adventure, he was running his dogs in a snow storm. Paulsen
was headed for the edge of a cliff. He told the dog team to go straight
and straight would take them off the edge of the cliff. Paulsen did not
know because he was in a snow storm and he could not see. The dogs
knew they were about to go off the cliff. They tried to turn away but
Paulsen told them to go off the edge. They flew right off the edge of
the cliff. The sled and some of the dogs fell on him. He had a broken
rib. He got the dogs and the sled off of him and got the sled in to
shape. He got on the sled and the dogs knew the way and pulled him home.
The last part of the book is about the Iditarod race. The Iditarod
is an annual dog sled race in Alaska, where mushers and teams of dogs
cover about 1,150 miles in eight to fifteen days. Paulsen had a long
and hard race but he finished in about thirteen days.
I would recommend this book to someone who is a adventure seeker.
I liked it because it was a true story.

Editorial Review:

A LIFE AS EXCITING AS FICTION

Gary Paulsen, three-time Newbery Honor author, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod -- the grueling, 1,180-mile dogsled race -- hallucinating from lack of sleep, but he determined to finish.

Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his award-winning writing.

A School Library Journal Best Book

A Booklist Editors' Choice

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

Libby Riddles, Tim Jones

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Stackpole Books Amazon Marketplace: 77 new & used starting at $2.97

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A page turning adventure for all ages! 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Libby Riddles is the first woman to win the Iditarod, which is the Alaskan dog-sled race that covers over 1,000 miles.

As I'm not very familiar with Alaska, I had never heard of Libby Riddles, or the Iditarod for that matter. However, my boss, who is from Alaska, brought me an autographed copy of the book as a souvenir from one of her trips home. I immediately started reading the book and was quickly engrossed in Libby's adventure.

The book is written in journal style. I felt as if I were right there on the trail with Libby throughout her grueling race to the finish. Interspersed throughout the pages are interesting Iditarod facts that help the reader to better understand the life of a musher as well as the ins and outs of the race.

Libby, as well as all the mushers, show an amazing amount of courage and strength. From start to finish, many mushers don't get to shower and exist on an hour or so of sleep every 15-24 hours! Imagine that kind of schedule, coupled with the intense physical endurance they're also experiencing. It was simply mind boggling, but very admirable.

I found this a fascinating read; my only complaint is that I wish it were longer! I wanted the story to continue a little bit after Libby crossed the finish line in Nome!

Editorial Review:

Libby Riddles wanted an adventure. At the age of 16 she left home for the snowy frontiers of Alaska, the Last Frontier. There her love of animals drew her to the sport of sled dog racing. When she entered the Iditarod, the famous marathon from Anchorage to Nome, she was just another Iditarod Nobody. Twelve hundred miles later, having conquered blizzards, extreme cold, and exhaustion, she and her dogs crossed the final stretch of sea ice, miles ahead of the nearest competitor...and suddenly she realised: I will be the first woman to win the Iditarod. This is the story of a courageous woman and her heroic dogs. This is the story of Libby Riddles's adventure.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart: Alaskan Adventures of an Iditarod Champion

Jeff King

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Husky Homestead Press Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $15.39

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

"A promise made is a debt unpaid." Robert Service/Jeff King 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is an amazing book that grabs your attention right from the beginning and even leaves you wanting more at the end. How does one put into a couple of hundred pages, the experiences of someone, who for over 30 years has srtiven to fulfill his dreams, and in fact, becomes a World Champion at the one thing he loves to do more than anything else.Not only that,he seems to retain his personality and never allows it to go to his head.
Well it is impossible to cover everything ,King invites us into his life and world ,with some extremely personal glimpses. And what stories and experiences he has to tell;and one can only imagine how many others there must be.
Most people know very little about Dogsleding and the Iditarod;but it's hard to imagine anyone who loves life and the joys and struggles that go with becoming the "best of the best";that come out in this book; than would not thoroughly enyoy it.
One thing that I found particularly apparent in this world of competive Dogsled racing ,in a hostile enviroment,was that true sportsmanship is ingrained in it ;where in every sport that I can think of;sportsmanship takes a backseat to winning at all costs. King doesn't even dwell on it;and just mentions it as if to even think otherwise must never even be a consideration to them. I can only imagine the jubliation at the end of one of these races ;and I am sure everyone is full of joy in congratulating the winners;and the moaning and lamenting among losers in other sports;would be so out of place in this "world" Boy;what lessons to be learned from this sport. The rigors and sacrifices are far beyond what we see in other sports and you get the feeling ;that while everyone strives to win;in the end all are winners and none are losers.
The book is very well written and profusely illustrated with great artwiork by King's wife Donna.In addition,the book has nearly 40 pages of photographs which bring everything to life.
No doubt anyone who reads this would enjoy visiting Alaska,and maybe even be there to see these races;to those who are not able;thanks Kings for sharing it all with us and giving us the enjoyment of dreaming about it anyway.

Editorial Review:

Known as the Winningest Musher in the World, Jeff King remains one of the top mushers in the history of sled dog sports. Since his first race in 1979, King and his well-trained teams of Alaska huskies have racked up many thousands of training miles and trail hours. The result: win after win after win, crossing the finish line first in more than a dozen major races, including the two internationally known giants: the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. In the process, King has also racked up thirty years of first-person stories that offer a glimpse into the heart of a champion, the rugged Alaskan lifestyle, and the charismatic world of dogs.

The Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail

Debbie S. Miller

Amazon Price: $8.95 List Price: $8.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Walker Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $2.96

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Ride shotgun with the heroic mushers whose bravery inspired the Iditarod.

In the winter of 1925, Nome, Alaska, was hit by an unexpected and deadly outbreak of diphtheria. Officials immediately quarantined the town, but the only cure for the community of more than 1,400 people was antitoxin serum and the nearest supply was in Anchorage—hundreds of miles of snowbound wilderness away. The only way to get it to Nome was by dogsled.

Twenty teams braved subzero temperatures and blizzard conditions to run over 600 miles in six days in a desperate relay race that saved the people of Nome. Several of the dogs, including Togo and Balto, became national heroes. Today their efforts, and those of the courageous mushers, are commemorated every March by the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Jon Van Zyle’s stunning oil paintings capture the brutal conditions, pristine wilderness, and sheer guts and determination demonstrated by the heroic mushers and dogs.

Backstage Iditarod

June Price

Amazon Price: $15.25 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Sunhusky Productions Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $15.25

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

BACKSTAGE IDITAROD is for the fan who wants more than to just watch a team take off from the start line. A collection of stories both new and old, it's a guide for those who yearn to know what it's really like on 4th Avenue; what they would see, hear and touch. It's for those who want to volunteer at Race Headquarters or maybe bid to be an Idita-Rider. It's for the dreamers who wonder what goes on at the musher banquets, both in Anchorage and in Nome. It's for arm chair mushers who simply want to immerse themselves in everything Iditarod. "All (Iditarod books) are interesting, but none focus on an overall view of the activities that go on before, during and after the race to make it happen. None break down the cost of running this race for you. None take you to Iditarod HQ to watch organized chaos as race preparations evolve. None follow the logistics involved in preparing checkpoint drop bags. None agonize over vet checks and deciding a final team. And none put you in the middle of the action at the start line in Anchorage and the restart, wherever it may be." Donna Quante, producer of video "Pretty Sled Dogs" "You're in for a real treat with this book! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and by the time I was finished proofing the pages I had a lump in my throat and was practically wishing for snow on the ground! I'll be going into the '08 race with a whole new understanding of how things work, because June's book truly is the equivalent of a backstage pass to the whole awesome show!" --Helen Hegener, author/publisher/editor and present at some of the initial organizational meetings for the Iditarod when it was still known as "Joe's race".

Dogs of the Iditarod

Jeff Schultz

Amazon Price: $10.85 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 11 to 13 days By: Sasquatch Books Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $10.35

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great for anyone who loves sled dogs 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Being partial to sled dogs myself (I am owned by two) I very much enjoyed leafing through this book. I actually bought it as a gift for my brother who adopted an Alaskan Husky last year, but I may have to buy another copy for myself!

Good portraits of the various types of dogs which nowadays run this intense and challenging race. The photos and text give you a glimpse into the world of sled dog racing, yet the book also shows the "gentler" and "calmer" side of these magnificent animals (lets enjoy the quiet times, as we know, calm or slow is not really an important part of their vocabulary!).

If you love sled dogs, get this book, it is worth it.

Editorial Review:

Dogs of the Iditarod showcases the athleticism of Alaska’s sled dogs, animals capable of maintaining speeds of 12 miles per hour over the 1,100-mile Iditarod trail. The 75 memorable images from renowned photographer Jeff Schultz highlight a number of champion lead dogs and capture the beloved creatures at work, at rest, and at play.

Iditarod Fact Book: A Complete Guide to the Last Great Race

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Just the facts Ma'am. 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

If you're a facts junkie this is the book for you. Every race, every racer. Great reference or bet settler. Greg

Good basic info on Iditarod. 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is good for beginners, but don't be fooled it is packed with history a good information.

Editorial Review:

The IDITAROD FACT BOOK is jam-packed with fascinating facts and figures about the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Updated following the 2006 race, this handy guide includes facts on race champions, volunteers, sleds and gear, checkpoints, mushers’ clothing, the expense of running the race, inherent dangers on the trail, entry requirements, food for the dogs and drivers, race history, pronunciations, mandatory layovers, love for the dogs, mountain passes and weather, strategies, vet care, full text of the official rules, and more.

Included are 20 b&w photos by official Iditarod photographer Jeff Schultz and many illustrations by official Iditarod artist Jon Van Zyle, a member of the Iditarod Hall of Fame.

Iditarod Classics

Lew Freedman

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Epicenter Press Amazon Marketplace: 63 new & used starting at $2.39

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A great read 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Thanks for the quick delivery. The book arrived well within the time stated. The topics are for an older age group than I had thought, so I have enjoyed it - and put it away for the grandchildren to be more discerning.

Editorial Review:

The 1,049-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race "RM" is a marathon run against the nation's most forbidding, demanding territory.

Storm Run: The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race

Libby Riddles

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A highly recommended story of fulfilling one's dreams. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Libby Riddles' Storm Run is a picturebook of the exciting true story of the first woman to win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Storm Run is the story of fulfilling one's dream, daring freezing treasures and bonding with loyal sled dogs. Wonderfully illustrated by Shannon Cartwright with soft, full-color artwork, Storm Run is an especially recommended giftbook for young girls nurturing their own dreams.

Wonderful teaching tool for all ages 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My grandchildren and my ESL students are collecting state quarters, and the next one to be issued honors Alaska. The final selection was of a grizzly bear catching a salmon at Denali Park. However, among the finalists was a drawing of a musher, mushing along his dog-sled team. My foreign students had never seen this part of Alaskan culture, so I looked for a book on the subject, preferably with pictures, for my hour-long classes fly by quickly. Storm Run" proved to be the perfect vehicle for my purpose, since I was able to match new vocabulary with beautiful pictures.

Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the 1,100-mile race, is also a wonderful role model for young girls. The pictures are inviting. "Storm Run" should be included in everyone's birthday or Christmas lists.

Editorial Review:

In 1985, Libby Riddles made history by becoming the first woman to win the 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. This brand-new edition of Riddles’s timeless adventure story is complete with updated narrative details, sidebars on all aspects of the race, photographs, and all-new illustrations by beloved illustrator Shannon Cartwright. An inspiration to children and adults everywhere, this is a compelling first-hand account of the arctic storms, freezing temperatures, loyal sled dogs, and utter determination that defined Riddles’s Iditarod victory.