Product Description
Author John Firth provides the reader with a very intimate view of the Yukon Quest dog sled race which runs between Whitehorse, Yukon and Fairbanks, Alaska. By telling the story of one race in detail, Firth follows the teams as they travel on the fractured ice of the Yukon River, through rugged, northern wilderness, over windswept mountains, in blizzards and bone-chilling cold.

"Yukon Quest" shows in vivid detail the enormous commitment involved in caring for up to 14 dogs in a team.

The book also includes anecdotes from all the races and a list of all the mushers who have ever participated, along with race results. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is where mans best friend really shows himself.
The Yukon Quest is a 1000 mile dog sled race through the Yukon and Alaska that pits man and is best friend against the worst Mother Nature has to offer. In this book John Firth takes the reader through each stage of the 1998 Yukon Quest. Also filled within the pages are anecdotes from all the races between 1984 to 1997. The stories are personal, they are real, they will make you laugh, they will make you cry, but most of all they will make you see the bond that the mushers have with their dogs. There is a relationship between the musher and his/her dog team that goes beyond that of a pet. There is trust, love, and the enjoyment of being together.The interactions between the mushers can be comical at times but it can also turn serious when necessary. Frith has many stories from the mushers that will show you both sides. The best thing about all the mushers is that no matter what, if someone needs help everyone will stop to help and forget about the race until everybody is safe. The must rely on each other, they are the only people around for hundereds of miles. It is not easy to cross 1000 miles of frozen land and water. They must help each other if they can. The book also gives a history of the race such as route changes and political problems encountered. The 1998 official race rules are included as are the results and awards from 1984 to 1998. ... Read more

Product Description
DeeDee Jonrowe loves dogs, and her consuming passion is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Winter and summer, virtually day and night (even in her dreams!), she and her huskies prepare for the annual race across Alaska. IDITAROD DREAMS is an absorbing, personal account of a year in the life of this remarkable woman living on the edge of the wilderness with her husband, Mike, and enough howling huskies to populate a small town. It is about the special bond between a woman and her dogs and about the astonishing measure of skill and stamina required to compete in the Iditarod. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

She Lives Her Dream
How many of us are able to say that we are living our dream?I believe Dee Dee Jonrowe is doing just that!My opinion of an athlete is not one who wins an important event, but the one who is consistent time after time, year in and year out.Dee Dee Jonrowe and her dogs exemplify this.She has a passion for her dogs, racing, and life.Her story is extraordinary, and I believe after reading this book, that she is as well.I hope she continues to race and promote her passion for this sport.Congratulations to Dee Dee Jonrowe(Miss Consistency)for your fourth place finish in the 2006 Iditarod!!!

A one-eye opener into suffering of dogs in Iditarod
Although the book is an eye opener about the Iditarod, Jonrowe should have told us more about the suffering the dogs endure. She does tell us that mushers sleep on their sled while the dogs race. And, during the race DeeDee says numerous accidents happen-- mushers hit trees and bounce off rocks. But she doesn't give enough details. The reader is never told that dogs die in the race, that they develop ulcers, lung damage, anemia, rupture discs, paralyis,pneumonia and viral diseases.

Great book, very inspiring...
I have read this book, found it most inspiring, and learned so much from DeeDee Jonrowe.. This book has been an example in 'endurance' for me for every day living.... There should be more books like this one..DeeDee is a special person who loves her dogs.Once you open the cover, it's impossible to lay it down till you read the last page.... Worth reading, and learning from... how she cares for the dogs, loves them, as they ARE her best friends..And after traveling to Alaska and visiting in Denali Nat. Park, seeing the dogs there, I realized just how MUCH the dogs love to run. It's their life.. a life they love.There is so much to learn from the dogs and the 'mushers'.And this book takes you to the 'real experience' of running with the dogs. Quite inspiring. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know the truth, and how it 'really is'.. An excellent book.!!!

DeeDee Jonrowe's tale of her passion... sleddogs
I have had the pleasure of meeting DeeDee on many occasions and I can say without hesitation she is one of the most respected women in mushing and in her community.Her book is all about her passion, her sleddogs, her best friends, and her adventure with them... her love for these wonderful dogs, her committment to them, and to mushing.She is one of the most amazing, strong, honest and intelligent women I have ever met... read this book, it's worth much more than it's cost.You will feel as if you have just taken a trip down the Iditarod trail with your own team of amazing huskies... what a pleasure to be able to share this through DeeDee.I can't say enough about her or her book... just trust this and other reviews and don't miss this book...

A Testament to the Partnership Between a Musher and her Dogs
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the incredible relationship between mushers and their dogs.Many animal lovers dream of a job where you can really spend time with your pets, mushers live that every day.As a person interested in animal welfare, I am familiar with the concerns that have been raised about the Iditarod.However, I've actually seen the race myself, and it is crystal clear that what makes those dogs run is the love of the sport itself, and an incredible devotion to the "Lead Dog" who just happens to be human.It is also clear that a love for the dogs is the primary motivation for the mushers.The life of an Iditarod musher is not easy, in fact, it appears that the "dog's life" is the easy one here!I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about sled dog racing or life in Alaska. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A vacation turned Lisa Frederic’s life upside down. She and her husband traveled as tourists to Nome, Alaska to see the end of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. At an age when her life felt fairly settled, suddenly she found herself obsessed with a whole new world. The Iditarod and sled dogs had been vague concepts before the vacation, but very quickly dog mushing and a dream to run the Big One, became both a goal and a frightening commitment. Never described as graceful, learning to drive a team of huskies at forty years old was sometimes funny, but more often terrifying.

The puppy team she trained went on to become champions – winning the 2006 Iditarod with Jeff King – but they were champions long before they won trophies. A tale of unconditional puppy love, this is also an inspiring story about setting goals, facing fears, and accepting challenges. Lisa's self-effacing account will speak to all those who have ever followed their heart and found that the dream realized is even bigger than the one they imagined. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Heart-warming tale of the Iditarod.
I really enjoyed reading Lisa Frederic's Running With Champions. I picked the book up in a souvenir shop while in Alaska. I thought: I like huskies, I like Alaska, why not see what the Iditarod is about. I didn't have much knowledge of the race before, but after reading Lisa's tale I can't wait to plan a trip to see the finishers cross the finish line after the race. This book was an easy to read and exciting story about Lisa's journey to becoming a dog-sledder. She covers all the ins and outs of what such an endeavor requires - both mentally and physically - for the humans and the dogs involved. Lisa tells her tale and allows all the emotion to shine through. If you're looking for a serious manual on the trials and tribulations of the trail itself - this may not be the book for you. If you're and animal lover looking for an entertaining story and a wonderful ending, this is a must read.

Hysterical midlife adventure
Lisa is a fun writer and even better tour guide in Denali National Park.After going on one of her wonderful tours, we sought out this book and weren't disappointed.It helped feed my appetite to learn more about mushing.I laughed all the way through, but was very proud of Lisa for hanging in there through some really tough times.BUY THIS BOOK.

Too Sappy For Me
As a new fan to Iditarod sled dog racing, I let my enthusiasm over rule my better judgement in selecting books to read about the subject. This particular book is a woman's diary filled with emotion. Too much emotion for me. I didn't count but she was crying, on the brink of crying, hiding tears or bawling her eyes out about a hundred times.

If you are looking for more of a story of the history and technical side of the Iditarod, then look elsewhere. This book had me subtracting the page number of the page I was reading from the last page number so I'd know how much more of it I had to read before I was finished. I knew the end of her Iditarod was coming but the finish was anticlimactic to say the least.

If you want to read about a middle aged woman's fears, worries, insecurities, and eating disorder, then this might be for you. For Iditarod fans, it will probably leave you searching for another book or two on the subject.

Must read for Iditarod fans
What a wonderful, wonderful book !

This book tells the story of Lisa Frederic who comes to racing relatively late in her life.She volunteers for the Iditarod and gets hooked on the sport.Within 5 years, she is running in the Iditarod herself at the age of 42.Not only is the story inspiring, it is well written and interesting.She spends the first half of the book describing the process she went through to be able to run in the Iditarod (cleaning the dog yard, trainig the dogs, etc.)and the second half of the book talks about the race itself.

Lisa conveys both the thrill and heartbreak of running dogs and you come away understanding just how tough this really is to do.For a 46-year-old mom from Indiana, all I can say is "WOW!".While running in the Iditarod is not something I want to do, I love reading about people who have done it.This book is an absolute must read for anyone who is interested in dogs, the Iditarod or taking chances and doing somethind different with your life.

Other good books on this subject:"Winterdance" by Gary Paulson and "Race Across Alaska" by Libby Riddles.

Captivating, well written and inspirational
After a tour through Danali National Park in June, 2008, one of the people told us that our driver, Lisa Frederic, had written a book.As we had been totally captivated by her as our tour driver, we bought the book when we returned home.Having met this charming, lovely woman in person it is totally fascinating to read about this amazing phase of her life.This is a book that totally pulls you in right from the beginning and never lets go.You feel the the love, pain, struggle, and the joy that permeates this book.After reading what Lisa went through to achieve her dream, and feeling as if you were in some way experiencing it with her, you truly have a sense of what it means to not give up and to do whatever is necessary to reach your goal.I hope there are more books in her future and that life is very good to her and her husband, David, who must also be a very special person. ... Read more

Product Description
Shahan presents the history and background of the Junior Iditarod, an unusual dogsled race in Alaska that trains young mushers in distance racing. Full-color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I have read this book and find the photographs to be fantast
The photographs are fantastic to show what all is being described in this book. I found the material to be factual and presented in an interesting manner for an elementary student who wishes to write a report on sled dogsor sledogging as a sport. It would also be a good book to learn about sleddogs and their sport. I live in Alaska and follow sled dog activity. I havealso written a children's book about a sled dog. The photographs set thisbook apart from all the others I am familiar with. ... Read more

Product Description
Rhythm's experience in a dog-sled race in Alaska shows him that God does not expect you to win every time, as long as you do your best. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in paperback, the acclaimed story of a family's struggle to complete the world's most grueling dogsled race.Amazon.com Review
Alaska is more than just the largest state in the Union; it'salso a state of mind, as Ann Mariah Cook found out. Together with herhusband, 3-year-old daughter, and 32 purebred Siberian huskies, shemoved there from New Hampshire in order to train for the legendaryYukon Quest, the most rigorous sled-dog race in the world. Her tough,thoughtful memoir, Running North, chronicles the ordeals aswell as the rewards of their mushers' life. In the course of theirtransformation from cheechakos, or greenhorns, tosourdoughs, or seasoned Alaskans, Cook and her husband learnedto defend themselves and their dogs from extreme weather, adapted tomushing in Alaskan conditions, and even absorbed the niceties of Yukonsocial customs (hint: always put on a pot of coffee for visitors). Thebook ends with a harrowing account of the race, complete with packs ofwolves, howling blizzards, minus-60-degree temperatures, and a fewnarrow escapes. But this is as much Ann's story as it is herhusband's, and as a result it goes far beyond the confines of a simpleadventure story. Full of intriguing glimpses into sled-dog (andmusher) psychology as well as lyrical observations about the beauty ofthe Yukon landscape, Running North is as much concerned withthe who and why of adventure as with its how andwhen. Leaving behind the comfort and security of Cook's New Englandlife required a multitude of adjustments, from the design of the dogs'booties to a new appreciation of interior decorating, Alaska-style. Inthe end, however, it was going home that proved hard: "Returning toNew Hampshire, I saw my life as a stranger might view it. I could notget used to so many houses, so many neighbors, so many socialdemands. Everything in my life had been redefined in only seven and ahalf months." --Mary Park ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Author portrays weak female character
I was intrigued by the story, but sad to hear the author assume a stereotypical weak female role.Her story was only a tale of a rich couple learning to live without their accustomed wealth.If you're interested in being shocked and awed over the "way Alaskans live" this will be the book for you.If you're looking for a good book on the Yukon Quest...keep looking.

A very well written account of a true adventure.
An excellent read. I would not hesitate to read another book written by this author. I am at the last 400 miles of the race. I love the book. I lovee the characters. I love the dogs.So well written. The author makes you feel you are there in the Yukon at the finish line.I can't say enough about the true story. Should be read by all who like adventure and cherish the truth about a God given situation. Bravo@!

Excellent book!
Running North is an excellent book for anyone interested in Alaska or mushing.Ann Mariah Cook captures the feel for Alaska and dog sledding perfectly.Even if you have no true interest in the subject you will find your self swept into the wonderful world of dog sledding.Cook clearly brings to life the people they met, friends they made, and the hazards that tried to stop them from running the Yukon Quest.One of the most grueling races in the world.I found I learned a great deal from this book without it ever becoming boring or slowing down.And most importantly she tells about the dogs, the wonderful creatures who work so willingly for us.Sometimes heartbreaking sometime funny, this book is an interesting, exciting read for anyone.

A family who followed their dream one special winter
Subtitled, "A Yukon Adventure," Ann Mariah Cook's fascinating 1998 memoir chronicles the time in 1992 that she, her husband George and three-year old daughter moved to Alaska to participate in the Yukon Quest, the toughest sled dog race in the world.It was George who ran the race;Ann was the one who drove the truck, carried the gear, took care of their daughter and gave him moral support through the long months of training, and eventually through the grueling event.

I've read other books about dog mushing, but this one had the unique point of view of a woman who, while not actually on the sled during the race, experienced her own Yukon Quest experience.She writes clearly and honestly, not shying away from the disagreement that she had with the young woman they brought with them to act as the official "handler" of the dogs. She writes about George's experience on the trail, his frostbite, fatigue, narrow escapes and indomitable spirit as he pitted himself against natural forces over which he had little control.She writes about the dogs, their personalities and backgrounds and about the tough choices she and George had to make when it came time to pick the actual team of 12 out of their much larger group.She writes about the people they meet along the way, her Alaskan neighbors, fisherman, storekeepers and the other mushers.And she writes about Alaska itself, making me yearn to experience its beauty and majesty.

There was one small line drawing of the Yukon Quest trail and I kept returning to it again and again as the book moved along and the tension mounted.There is also a photo of Ms. Cook and one of her dogs on the back cover.I wish there were more photos, but I didn't really need them because her descriptions were so clear. Recommended.

awesome
This book was one of the greatest ones I have ever read. I race sled dogs, and I found it so interesting...I could and have felt everything they go through. Also my grandmother who bought the book for me said she started reading it one night and read it the whole thing that night, and she has never raced and knows nothing about it, and she LOVED it. So it is a good book for anyone to read!! ... Read more

Product Description
The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is one of the most challenging sporting events in the world. Every February, a handful of hardy souls spends over two weeks racing sleds pulled by fourteen dogs over 1,023 miles of frozen rivers, icy mountain passes, and spruce forests as big as entire states, facing temperatures that drop to forty degrees below zero on nights that are seventeen hours long.

Why would anyone want to enter this race? John Balzar-who moved to Alaska and lived on the trail-treats us to a vivid account of the grueling race itself, offering an insightful look at the men and women who have moved to this rugged and beautiful place. Readers will also be fascinated by Balzar's account of what goes into the training and care of the majestic dogs who pull the sleds and whose courage, strength, and devotion make them the true heroes of this story.
Amazon.com Review
Twelve dogs, a sled, and your wits versus 1,023 miles of danger, snow, ice, and wilderness. The Yukon Quest is possibly the toughest race on earth. Held earlier, farther inland, and at a more northerly latitude than its famous cousin, the Iditarod, mushers on the Yukon Quest routinely experience temperatures dropping to 40 below zero, with 50 below not uncommon. Winning isn't everything; just finishing is an achievement in itself. John Balzar tells the story of the Quest, the dogs, and the mushers in Yukon Alone.

Balzar, a roving correspondent for The Los Angeles Times, volunteered to act as the press liaison for the 1998 Yukon Quest. As such, he traveled the length of the trail, sharing cabin floors with resting mushers, shivering as temperatures dropped to 50 below, and becoming somewhat delirious from sleep deprivation. Balzar does an excellent job of capturing the frozen feel of the race:

The visibility worsens and now Bruce cannot see his leaders in the swirling merger of snowpack and wind. He searches anxiously for a glimpse of a wooden stake that will tell him that his dogs have not wandered off the trail, perhaps to the edge of a cliff. Bruce is not conscious of time or of distance, but only of the wind in his face. The dogs appear to be moving forward, but there is no way to measure progress.

He also paints warm portraits of the mushers--men and women like Mike King, a 37-year-old biker with a Harley-Davidson patch on his sled bag and a tattoo of the Quest trail covering one third of his back; William Kleedehn, who finished seventh in the 1998 race despite his prosthetic leg; Aliy Zirkle, a rookie musher who recovered from losing a dog to finish the race.

Balzar describes the Quest as "a mixture of celebration and ordeal"; Yukon Alone will inspire a mixture of envy, admiration, and relief. Envy of the free-spirited mushers, admiration of their strength and dedication, and relief that they're the ones fighting their way up American Summit in a blizzard with a 70-below wind chill. A gripping read. Mush on! --Sunny Delaney ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Great Book
For a used book, it was in excellent condition. It was also delivered in days after ordering. Great Service!

The Call of the North
John Balzar is a roving correspondent for the LA Times and as such won the Scripps Howard Foundation Prize for human interest stories.Even so he had an enormously difficult task facing him in writing about the Yukon Quest, the longest, loneliest and most dangerous arctic race of them all.
The true measure of a book like this is how well the author holds up as a companion, introducing people to a world and to people totally outside their experience.
"To spend time with sleigh dogs, and the men and women who dedicate their lives to them is to witness a relationship so primary and so ineffable that the temptation is to reduce oneself to murmurs and tears.John Balzar fights this temptation and tells this story of the Far North and of the unbelievable characters he found there gracefully and with all the humor, honor and slack jawed wonder it deserves."
- Pam Houston
His book becomes an outstanding tale of adventure, one of the books which, hard to put down, will be reread many times, being a skilled and enormously well written eyewitness narrative of a tale of wild adventure in what is probably the most remote and inhospitable land on earth.
"...a wholly true tale that's more suspenseful, riveting and memorable than any fiction."
-David Petersen
And yet Balzar avoids the dreamy metaphors that spoil most writing about the North, displaying a gritty reality in his writing as he describes the race, the country, the incredible charracters who live on the adge of desperation to compete in this race, and above all the real athletes, the dogs.
As Jeff Greenwald said about a similar book, HONEST DOGS by Brian O'Donoghue ( a racer who's the only dog driver to finish both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest by coming in last} "I'd love to try this myself." and "This guy's out of his damn mind."
With this book, as O'Donoghue once told me, you can relive the race without the pain.

Dawson Gratrix

Patting his own back!!!
This writer is so self-absorbed and busy patting himself on the back that he doesn't even come close to giving an accurate report on this race.Having a LOT of experience with this race, I can truly say, this is the worst account of this race I have ever read.If you want to learn about what it takes to run this race, or what it's like to go through the training, the work, the effort, what the dogs are like, what the north is like.. then read Running North by Ann Mariah Cook.Now THAT is a good book.I have also met John and found him to be arrogant and self-serving while writing this book.He defeats the entire purpose of this book by spending more time trying to sound like an expert, or a "local", trying to sound like he fit in here, but no matter how hard one tries, sometimes they can NOT succeed... and he wondered why people wouldn't talk to him.This is the worst book on this topic I have ever read.It was tough for me to get through it but I did it because I was there during the race that year.I wanted to see what he was going to write next that wasn't accurate...seems he was more infatuated with Aliy Zirkle than the race itself, or getting to see his girlfriend, or pretending that he was one of the mushers himself.Just his account of his "mushing" experience (disaster) was so unbelievable, it made me laugh.I am an experienced musher and I can tell you, that was the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.... the entire book is just a bunch of garbage... but then again, he didn't do his homework, his research, and it shows... horribly!!!Don't bother with it. If this is the only exposure you have to mushing or the dog world, then you will be most misinformed... best to spend your time and money on a different book.DeeDee Jonrowe's book Iditarod Dreams is excellent.Tracks Across Alaska is also excellent, but this... a sad waste!!!

Not bad, not great...
Absorbing book, probably a good recommendation for anyone interested in the far north and outdoor adventure. John Balzar writes an interesting account of the Yukon Quest,the second-best-known dog-sled race in Alaska after the Iditarod, and the result is an entertaining story covering both the `mushers', their dogs, and the environment surrounding the competition.

Having said that, with a book like this, I found it difficult not to compare John Balzar (perhaps unfairly) with other `Adventure' writers, and this is where the Yukon Alone fell a little short for me. Admittedly, I was hoping for something a little more `deep', a la Sebastian Junger or John Krakauer, both of whom do a much better job of bringing in related historical material to place current events in context, and both of whom also seem a little more willing to go the extra mile in regards to research. Not that I found fault with the details of Balzar's book, but I would have liked to hear more about how the far north was settled, for example, or more stories and anecdotes dealing with the inherent dangers of the extreme cold in that part of the world. The `Bigger Picture" material seems to consist of skimpy, slightly politically correct inserts on commercial sponsorship, animal abuse (a valid issue but not fleshed-out too well here) and some thoughts on topics like whether or not it's ok to call the natives `Eskimos'. These points don't make Yukon Alone a bad book, but they, for me at least, kept it from being great.

What I did find directly annoying was Balzar's self-absorbed tangents into his own private life, and his obvious desire to be seen as an Insider; everyone seems to be his best friend, or described as "the best musher" or "best bush-pilot". After a while I couldn't help but wonder whether he had the knowledge to make these claims or if he was just trying to buddy-up to the people who were actually participating as opposed to just watching, as he essentially was. Too many times Balzar can't decide whether he wants to view the events as a neutral journalist or a rough-and-tough `local' (a label it becomes glaringly obvious he doesn't merit), and ends up looking a little pretentious. I guess this is what they call `a writer getting in the way of the material': If, as a writer, your own contributions to the narrative include describing, for example, your not-very-interesting love-life, you should probably consider leaving it out.

All in all a good read, but could have benefited from a tougher editor.


(I'm not sure why the `cursing' has become such an issue in these reviews; there isn't much of it, probably a lot less than there actually could have been considering the setting, and if you can't deal with the F-word quoted once in a while in what is a journalistic piece, then stick to Reader's Digest or some other inoffensive publication. Strange what some people focus on...)

A look into the Great White North
What a great book.After reading, and now re-reading, this book I wanted nothing more than to pack up, quit my city job, and move to the Far North in search of a life dominated by weather, dogs, and the will to survive.John Balzar does a great job describing a life dependant on dogs and neigbors (even though they may be 50-100 miles away) in the huge landscape of the Yukon and Alaska.Although the book mostly focuses on the Yukon Quest dog-sled race, it gives the reader an intriguing look into the culture of the people in and around the dog-sledding culture and the Quest itself.Definately worth the read! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from New York Times Upfront, published by Scholastic, Inc. on March 5, 2001. The length of the article is 603 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Is the Iditarod Fair To Dogs?(opposing views on Alaska's 1,160-mile dogsled race)(Brief Article)
Author: Danny Seavey
Publication: New York Times Upfront (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 5, 2001
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 133Issue: 13Page: 26

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Takes readers into the exciting world of dogsled racing, revealing what it takes to be the leader of the pack. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Alaska Business Monthly, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2007. The length of the article is 746 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Going to the dogs: not all of the business from The Last Great Race is on the trail.
Author: Ben Grenn
Publication: Alaska Business Monthly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 23Issue: 3Page: 65(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This book takes the reader on Alaska's exciting International Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which is considered one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Bibliography, index. Iditarod winners list--1973-1992. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Racing the Iditarod
I follow the Iditarod and live in Alaska. I found the information in this book to be factual. I would recommend this book for older students needing to write a report. It would be a good reference. It is also a good sourceof general information on the Iditarod, that is enhanced with coloredphotographs. One area I especially liked was concerning the role of LeonardSeppala and his dog Togo in the diptheria serum relay to Nome. The WarnerBrothers cartoon movie about Balto, has given children a somewhat erroneousidea of who the real hero was in this serum run and the true details of allthat went on. Someone wanting to write an authoritive research report onthis subject should definitely want to have the correct information thatthis book contains. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (26)

Great book for all children
We ordered this book because we like the Iditarod, but it is a great book for any child.

A very good book
This book was a good book but I think it didn't really tell that much about the Iditarod. It was about a musher and the dogs. She's doing the Iditarod and she goes around mountains and peaks. I would recommend this book because it has good illustrations and is about a lead dog.

Chris at Ashley River EL.
I liked this book because it has excitement.I also liked this book because of the colorful pictures.I liked the part when they were in the iditarod near the finish line.

AddieatAshley River El.
Ilike thisbook. Thisbook remindsmeofsnow. Thisisacoolbook. Ilikeyou. Thisisveryvery interesting

Virginia@Ashley River El.
I loved this book!If you want a cool {get it? She lives in Alaska} author to come to your scool,get Shelley Gill!I loved Kiana's Iditarod because it told me a lot of things. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a rich selection of engaging non-fiction, grouped into five themes: Incredible Animals, Fascinating Places, Remarkable People, Exciting Activities, and Amazing Science: One hundred individual readers, graded into eight levels - from Pre-Intermediate to Advanced - and ranging from 800 to 3,000 headwords; Carefully-controlled grammar syllabus that covers the most typically taught structures in coursebooks; Audio programme containing the full text of each reader; and Teacher support materials, including Teacher's Manuals and ExamView[registered] Pro Assessment CD-ROM. The Teacher's Book available for every level, includes: a step-by-step lesson planner for each title; photocopiable worksheets that provide complete teaching instructions, answer keys, a grammar presentation, and additional research and communicative activities; and, photocopiable quizzes. ExamView[registered] Pro CD-ROM is also available for every level. ... Read more

Product Description
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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Gee (Right) On, Libby!
Libby Riddles is the first woman to win the Iditarod sled dog race in 1985.This is her race autobiography.Thru her retelling of the tale, readers learn about the race, the dogs, the weather, and all the little hardships that go along with the Iditarod trail.From an old washing machine in the middle of the trail, moose carcasses, negative 52 degree weather, broken sleds, doggy frostbite, dogs in heat, and even bootie piracy(I mean dog booties), Libby experiences a lot of bad luck and not only lives to tell, but crosses the finish line first, two and a half hours before anyone else.

It was actually her braving a nasty storm and the Northern Winds that got her ahead.She was the only one to dare it and it worked.Wow.Pretty amazing.Libby gives most of the credit to her dogs tho.I really liked learning about the dogs and their different personalities and how she determined who goes where in the line up.

It fails to hit the five star mark due to layout issues more than writing.It is done in a "newspaper" column like format and most of the time, half the page (the inner column) is a complete blank.It makes the book appear twice as long as it is.I wouldn't have minded so much if they had filled in the blank spaces with pictures.Preferrably dog pictures or the pictures that Libby says she took.(Where are the waterfall pictures???)

Nevertheless, a fun and educational read.Gee (Right) on, Libby!

Race Across Alaska
Really interesting book for those who love real life adventures and/or animals. The reader really gets a feel for what the racers go through while on the trail. I actually had a chance to meet the author last year. She had plenty of great stories to tell about her life with her dogs in Alaska.

Exciting and Hysterical Read
I loved this book!Every chapter being the description of one leg of the Iditarod Race, Libby Riddles brings the reader along for a roller coaster ride of excitement, emotion, and a love of dogs.After every chapter I would have to describe in detail what happened to my own dogs' grandparents and relay the anecdotes of her endearing (yet sometimes wild) sled dogs (we have two huskies as well, so I could relate tremendously).The book was really an insider's guide to the Iditarod and sled dog racing culture.I was in awe of how helpful and hospitable the residents of Alaska were towards the racers and their dogs, as well as how helpful the racers were to one another.As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again! (And probably will within a year)

an inspiring book
i found this book an amazing story about a womens courage to do something not many women did. do the iditerod. i think that her courage shows through and shows men that girls are just as powerful as they are. even today the world see's women as delicte people who need to be taken care of. but no we are we are strong and powerful and when i read this book i read that message loud and clear.
miss riddles stood out in my mind. i was truly sad to hear of her death. it would have been my dream to meet her and her dogs. when she realized she was going to win i felt excited for her victory and her strentgh. when she died the world lost one amazing women. may she rest in peace.

Race Across Alaska: First Woman to Win he Iditarod
Libby Riddlesbrings you on the Iditarod trail with her.You will feel her cold, her fatigue and the fur of her dogs whom she loves above all.This is the ultimate armchair adventure. It's incredible top believe that people actually put themselves through this.A bonus feature of this book is the informaive sidebars.I recommend it with five stars. ... Read more

Product Description
Blow by blow accounts of one young man's two Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race runs. Takes the reader down the trail through the author's eyes, ears, legs, and hands. Primary focus tries to stay on the incredible Alaskan Husky sled dogs who pull the author across the wild breadth of Alaska. As handler for his uncle, four time Iditarod champion Martin Buser, Chapoton goes from rookie to Iditarod finisher, then does it again the following year. Dog lovers and adventure fans will enjoy this fast paced easy read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good read
My son ran the Iditarod twice, in 1993 and 1994.This is the story of his adventures, told in his words.Folks who have known him and read it say that it's like having him talking to you.It's a view of the Iditarod not seen from the polished views of veterans. ... Read more