Are you looking for literature to support classroom instruction about the Iditarod? Check out Our Editors’ Choices for titles recommended by the Education World team. Then it's your turn to share books that you enjoy or use in your classroom in the Our Readers’ Voices section below. With your help, we will build the best list on the Web of Best Books for teaching about the Iditarod.
Storm Run: The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
by Libby Riddles (2001)
In 1985, Libby Riddles made history by becoming the first woman to win the 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Riddles' timeless adventure story includes narrative details, sidebars on all aspects of the race, photographs, and 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' Iditarod victory.
Akiak: A Tale from the Iditarod
by Robert J. Blake (1997)
It is Iditarod day. Fifty-six dog teams will race through 1,151 miles of rugged Alaskan terrain from Anchorage to Nome. Akiak knows these miles well. As lead dog, she has raced the incredible trail before, but never won. She is ten years old: if she is going to win, it must be now. Robert J. Blake's majestic snowscapes will lead you through this unforgettable tale of a dog with a hero's heart, a dog who will not give up. Akiak will leave you cheering.
Now It's Your Turn!
We've shared a few Editors' Choices for teaching about this theme. Now it's your turn to contribute to the Readers' Voices section below. Do you have a book related to this theme that you and your students enjoy? Just click here to share it!
Don't miss our Editors’ Choices for Teachers and for Parents. We're waiting for you to add your Readers' Voices there too.
The Mystery on Alaska's Iditarod Trail
by Carole Marsh (2003)
Four real kids head north to Alaska just in time for the Iditarod Trail dogsled race and find themselves in the cold about a mystery that takes digging through Gold Rush history to solve. They make new friends as they look for a missing musher and his team and learn about dogsledding. One of the series of Carole Marsh Mysteries.
Iditarod Dream: Dusty and His Sled Dogs Compete in Alaska's Jr. Iditarod
by Ted Wood (2002)
Wood follows 15-year-old Dusty Whittemore, winner of the 1995 Jr. Iditarod, from his log cabin home (shared with parents and their 17 sled dogs) to his school (he is the only boy in the six-student high school in his tiny Alaskan town), then watches him enter and run the race with his 10 trusty dogs. Large color photographs capture workaday paraphernalia. Shots of the race and dogs give a sense of the physical obstacles and convey Dusty's rapport with the dogs. Dusty's stamina, courage, and sportsmanship shine through. (Excerpted from Publishers Weekly) TEXT
Kiana's Iditarod
by Shelley Gill (2002)
This thrilling children's story about Alaska's 1,049 mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome is told through the eyes of lead dog, Kiana. The story is a sort of epic poem for children, told in easy verse with Kiana and her teammates as the heroes. Shelley Gill and Shannon Cartwright constitute one of the best teams at work on children's picture books in Alaska.
The Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail
by Debbie S. Miller (2006) (School Library Journal)
Miller offers a complete telling of the history of the Iditarod, beginning with the first dying children and including all the details of carrying the serum from Anchorage, 1000 miles from its destination. The conditions were terrible as dog teams and mushers dealt with all sorts of problems. Much of the story focuses on Leonhard Seppala, the musher who owned Togo, Balto, and many other sled dogs. Included are a list of the mushers who participated in the relay, additional information on the dogs that ran, brief information on the Iditarod, a trail map, and photographs of Seppala and Togo. (School Library Journal)
Add your voice to our list of books for teaching about the Iditarod!
The Education World Editors’ Choices above represent just a handful of the fine books that might be used to support classroom instruction about the Iditarod. Now we’re waiting for you to add to our list! Simply send us your review of a favorite book in 100 words or fewer and we will add it to the Readers’ Choices below.
The Mystery on Alaska's Iditarod Trail
