Yesterday, I shared my Ultimate List of Iditarod Unit Study Resources. I offered suggestions and ideas for creating a unit study for your kids. I shared a few books over in that post, but there are many I didn’t share. Here is an Iditarod book list for readers of all ages – young and old. Enjoy!
The Ultimate Iditarod Book List
Stone Fox – {Gr. 3-6} **This is not a story about the Iditarod. But, it is a must-read with any Alaska and/or sled dog-themed study!** Based on a Rocky Mountain legend, Stone Fox tells the story of Little Willy, who lives with his grandfather in Wyoming. When Grandfather falls ill, he is no longer able to work the farm, which is in danger of foreclosure. Little Willy is determined to win the National Dogsled Race—the prize money would save the farm and his grandfather. But he isn’t the only one who desperately wants to win. Willy and his brave dog Searchlight must face off against experienced racers, including a Native American man named Stone Fox, who has never lost a race.
Dog Diaries: Togo – {Gr. 2-5} When a diptheria epidemic breaks out in isolated Nome, Alaska, in January 1925, the only way to get life-saving serum to the town is by using dog-sled relay teams. Twenty teams participate, and the dog who inevitably gets credit for saving the town is Balto, lead dog on the final team which delivered the serum. But few people have ever heard of 12-year-old Togo and his musher Leonard Seppala, who carried the serum for almost double the length of any other team, and twice violated warnings to avoid perilous Norton Sound and instead ran straight over the frozen ice!
The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic – {high school} When a deadly diphtheria epidemic swept through Nome, Alaska, in 1925, the local doctor knew that without a fresh batch of antitoxin, his patients would die. The lifesaving serum was a thousand miles away, the port was icebound, and planes couldn’t fly in blizzard conditions―only the dogs could make it. The heroic dash of dog teams across the Alaskan wilderness to Nome inspired the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and immortalized Balto, the lead dog of the last team whose bronze statue still stands in New York City’s Central Park.
Mush! Sled Dogs of the Iditarod – {Gr. 3+} The Iditarod has been called the “Last Great Race on Earth.” Spanning over 1,150 miles of the roughest terrain in the world, this race crosses jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, forest, tundra, and miles of windswept coast. Add to that the below-zero temperatures, winds that cause complete loss of visibility, long hours of darkness, treacherous climbs, and you know this nickname is no joke.
Alaska’s Dog Heroes – {Gr. 1-4} In Alaska, dogs really are a person’s best friend. These true canine stories from the last frontier describe remarkable acts of intelligence, stamina, loyalty, and heroism by Balto, Togo, Tekla, Stickeen, and more of Alaska’s famous dogs. From traversing mountains in winter with deliveries of life- saving medicine to fighting off bears and finding lost children, each beautifully illustrated and exciting story comes from the pages of Alaska’s history.
Painter and Ugly – {Gr. 1-4} Painter and Ugly are best friends. They run together, they swim together, they eat out of the same dinner bowls. When one calls out, “Yip,” the other answers back. They are inseparable! That is, until they are forced apart and put on two different teams for the junior Iditarod. But nothing can keep them apart. When during the race Painter finds a boy musher alone, stranded on the trail, he calls out, “Yip!” and Ugly answers his call. These old friends team up to finish the race, together again, side by side.
Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers – {Gr. 5-7} An experienced Iditarod racer, Gary Paulsen celebrates his lead dog and longtime companion, Cookie, in this intimate essay. Paulsen takes readers inside the kennel as Cookie’s last litter of pups grow and learn to pull sleds across the snowy frontier.
Kiana’s Iditarod – {PreK-3} Kiana is no ordinary dog. Born and bred to race, she leads her team of huskies on a journey unlike any other. The Iditarod – known traditionally as Alaska’s ‘Last Great Race’ – spans 1,049 icy miles from Anchorage to Nome. From the treacherous terrain to the bitter, blowing winds, the trail is full of obstacles Kiana and her team must overcome in order to reach the finish line. Along the way, they encounter packs of wild wolves, a mighty moose, and other dog-sled teams fighting for first place. Can Kiana summon the strength of her team and lead them to victory?
Balto of the Blue Dawn – {Gr. 2-5} The magic tree house has returned and it’s taking Jack and Annie back in time to Alaska, 1925. There they meet Balto, a jet-black Siberian husky destined to save victims of the diphtheria epidemic. But the trail isn’t easy, and Balto is going to need Jack and Annie’s help!
The Mystery on Alaska’s Iditarod Trail – {Gr. 3-6} 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!
Togo – {Gr. K-3} Togo wasn’t meant to be a sled dog. He was too feisty and independent to make a good team member, let alone a leader. But Togo is determined, and when his trainer, Leonhard Seppala, gives him a chance, he soon becomes one of the fastest sled dogs in history! His skills are put to the ultimate test, though, when Seppala and his team are called on to make the now-famous run across the frozen Arctic to deliver the serum that will save Alaska from a life-threatening outbreak of diphtheria.
The Great Serum Race – {Gr. 3+} 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.
The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto – {Gr. 1-3} It is one of the worst storms ever – the snow has not stopped for days and it is 30 degrees below zero. But somehow Balto must get through. He is the lead dog of his sled team. And he is carrying medicine to sick children miles away in Nome, Alaska. He is their only hope. Can Balto find his way through the terrible storm?
Akiak – {Gr. K-3} When she hurts her paw on the fourth day of the race, Akiak can no longer compete in the Iditarod?the famed dogsledding race through 1,151 miles of Alaskan terrain. Her musher has no choice but to leave her behind. The rules say once a dog is dropped from the race, it may not rejoin the team. But ten-year-old lead dog Akiak doesn?t know the rules, and nothing will stop her from catching up to her team. Akiak has never won the race before. Will she be able to help her team win this time?
Born to Pull: The Glory of Sled Dogs – {Gr. 3+} Born to Pull is a celebration of sled dogs who love to run in cold and snowy Minnesota, including lively stories from veteran mushers, insider information on dog care and training, and breathtaking watercolor illustrations that make the dogs come to life on the page.
Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod – {for high school/teens} Children’s book author, Gary Paulsen, and his team of dogs endured snowstorms, frostbite, dogfights, moose attacks, sleeplessness, and hallucinations in the relentless push to go on.
Now, let’s get on to this week’s What to Read Wednesday link-up! Last week’s most clicked post was 50 Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words at Our Unschooling Journey. This week, I’m featuring the following posts that were linked-up last week:
Encouraging the Reluctant Reader in 5 Simple Steps at Simply Knowledge Homeschool
Black History Month Activities at Our Home of Many Blessings
25 Books About Teeth and the Tooth Fairy at Homeschool Preschool
Children’s Books About Mammals at Every Star is Different
10 Great Chapter Books to Use When Teaching Kids the Plot Elements of a Story at As We Walk Along the Road
Celebrate with “The Legend of the Easter Robin” at Tiger Strypes
If you have a children’s literature or other family-friendly post you’d like to share, please link up with us. Share what you’ve been reading with your kiddos. Do you have a fun book-based activity or printable? Share it with us. You may find yourself featured next week!
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