Elementary Book List
(updated 3-3-11)
This information has been formatted by grade level and some books have been added to the original list. The original source for this information is John Sardella, a school teacher in New York, who compiled and published it on the web in 1999. Mr. Sardella's website is no longer available.
Any great resource for An Alaskan booklist is the Iditarod Education website. Do you know of any good Iditarod or Alaskan books to add to this list? If so, please email sally.javier@ideafamilies.org.
| Grade(s) |
Book Title - Author - Description |
| K-3+ | Dogteam - Paulsen, Gary. Illustrated by Ruth Wright Paulsen. New York: Delacourt, 1993. ISBN: 0-385-30550-8. Grades K-3+. Large-format picture story book, softcover. Ruth Paulsen is as much in love with mushing as her husband. His spare and lyrical story line and her remarkably evocative illustrations effectively conjure the special magic of running dogs at night. Even adults will want to sneak a read of this book. Only dedicated mushers with first-hand experience could have made this book work the way it does. |
| K-4 | Danger the Dog Yard Cat - Gill, Shelley and Libby Riddles. Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright. Homer, AK: Paws IV Publishing, 1987. ISBN: 0-934007-08-X (soft); 0-934007-09-8 (cloth). Grades K-4. Large-format picture story book. Strictly for fun! Danger was a real cat who lived around Libby Riddles' dog lot. With a little imagination, Danger becomes a feline Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer for Libby's dog team. Includes a cassette of songs written by Libby and Hobo Jim Varsos. (Hobo Jim wrote "Iditarod Trail", which includes the immortal line, "I did I did I did the Iditarod Trail!" Practically all of the schoolkids in Alaska--and most of the grownups-- know all three verses of this foot-stomping unofficial Iditarod anthem by heart.) |
| K-5 | Mush: Across Alaska in the World's Longest Sled-Dog Race - Seibert, Patricia. Illustrated by Jan Davey Ellis. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook, 1994. 32 pp. ISBN: 0-395-64537-9. Grades K-5. A good book to give children their first overview of the Iditarod. Fine illustrations with a brief history of Alaska. [Also IDITAROD IN GENERAL] |
| 1-3 | Kiana's Iditarod - Gill, Shelley. Illustrations by Shannon Cartwright. Wasilla, AK: Paws IV Publishing, 1984. 60 pp. ISBN: 0-934007-00-4. 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. [Also HERO DOGS, FICTION] |
| 1-3 | The Bravest Dog Ever--The True Story of Balto - Standiford, Natalie. Illustrated by Donald Cook. New York: Random House, 1989. 48 pp. ISBN: 0-394-99695-X. Grades 1-3. (Step Into Reading series, Step 2). Large-format paperback, color. This Step Into Reading book will grab kids and hold them--plenty of drama. Good for kids who aren't ready for Ungermann's book. [Also HERO DOGS, HISTORY] |
| 2-6 | Iditarod Dreams: Dusty and His Sled Dogs Compete in Alaska's Junior Iditarod - Wood, Ted. New York: Walker, 1996. 48 pp. ISBN: 0-9027-8406-2. Grades 2-6. Fourteen-year-old Dusty Whittemore is from Cantwell, near Denali Park. His father ran the Iditarod, and Dusty aims to win the Junior Iditarod. Excellent photography. A real-life story that will give kids a peer figure with whom to identify. (Dusty plans to run the Iditarod himself, possibly in 2000.) [Also PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 2-4 | To See the- Moon - Bacon, Ethel. Illustrated by David Ray. Bridgewater Books, 1996. 32 pp. ISBN: 0-931866-85-5. 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. [Also HERO DOGS, FICTION] |
| 2-4 | Akiak: A Tale from the Iditarod - Blake, Robert J. Illustrated by the author. New York: Philomel Books, 1997. 32 pp. ISBN: 0-399-222798-9. 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. [Also HERO DOGS, FICTION] |
| 2-4 | Happy Dog Trilogy Shields, Mary. Fairbanks: Pyrola Publishing, 1991-1993. All books 32 pp. (Book 1: Can Dogs Talk?, ISBN: 0-961-8348-1-1; Book 2: Secret Messages--Training a Happy Dog, ISBN 0-961-8348-6-2; Book 3: Loving a Happy Dog, ISBN 0-961-8348-3-8) Grades 2-4. Mary Shields is a veteran musher (the first woman to finish the Iditarod, among other accomplishments), as well as a teacher and author. These books aren't about the Iditarod, but are perfect to get younger students to comprehend sled dogs as more than pets and to understand the responsibilities of owning and training dogs. They are fast reads--well illustrated with good story lines to keep interest. [Also MUSHING IN GENERAL] |
| 2-5 | Stone Fox - Gardiner, John Reynolds. Illustrated by Marcia Sewell. New York: Harper Collins Children's Books, 1980. 81 pp. ISBN: 0-06-440132-4. 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. [Also FICTION] |
| 2-5 | Elim--The Determined Athlete - Jackson, Joan. Illustrated by Robert S. Gilmore. Anchorage: Publication Consultants, 1998. 32 pp. ISBN: 1888125322. Grades 2-5. Picture story book. Elim was a real-life puppy who followed Jeff King's team out of the Elim checkpoint in the 1996 race. King eventually asked for and kept the pup, who eventually grew into a sled dog. Joan Jackson's version is told from Elim's point of view and should keep kids' attention from start to finish. [Also HERO DOGS] |
| 2-5 | Adventure in Alaska - Kramer, S.A. New York: Random House, 1993. 96 pp. ISBN: 0-679-84511-9. Grades 2-5. Kids' version of Libby Riddles' excellent Race Across Alaska, the story of her epochal 1985 Iditarod victory. [Also PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 2-5 | Silver - Whelan, Gloria. Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi. New York: Random House, 1988. 59 pp. ISBN: 0-394-99661-9. 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. [Also FICTION, HERO DOGS] |
| 2-6 | Racing Sled Dogs: An Original North American - Cooper, Michael.Sport. Clarion, 1988. 73 pp. ISBN: 0-9999199-499-0. Grades 2-6. An overview of sled dog racing, covering history, breeding, training, and running, illustrated with excellent photographs. [Also MUSHING IN GENERAL] |
| 2 and up | The Race to Nome - Ungermann, Kenneth A. New York: Harper & Row, 1963 (reprinted 1993). 171 pp. Grades 2 and up. Softcover chapter book. One of the "oldies but goodies", this is probably still the most factual and unbiased account for younger readers of the 1925 Serum Run from Nenana to Nome, the inspiration for the modern Iditarod. The book is well written and is a good read for student and teacher alike. If nothing else, it will undo some of the damage caused by recent animated treatments and associated books centering on Balto. [Also HERO DOGS, HISTORY] |
| 3-5 | Balto--Sled Dog of Alaska - Anderson, LaVere. . Illustrated by Herman B. Vestal. Champaign, IL: Garrard, 1976. 48 pp. ISBN: 0-8116-4859-1. Grades 3-5. Famous Animal Stories Series. The text is reasonably factual and fairly well written, but some of the illustrations have glaring errors. Togo, the other famous Serum Run leader, is mentioned in the proper context. [Also HISTORY] |
| 3-6 | Susan Butcher: Sled Dog Racer - Wadsworth, Ginger. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1994. 64 pp. ISBN: 0-937708-21-6. Grades 3-6. Good information but not very good presentation. This is a straightforward biography of Susan Butcher, done without her cooperation. Useful as a backup reference, but probably won't entice kids to read it on their own. [Also PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 3-6 | Dashing Through the Snow: The Story of the Junior Iditarod - Shahan, Sherry. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook, 1997. 48 pp. ISBN: 0-7613-0208-5. Grades 3-6. A look at the Junior Iditarod with photos. Good background and reference. [Also IDITAROD IN GENERAL] |
| 3-6 | The Iditarod: The Greatest Win Ever - Devine, Monica. Logan, IA: Perfection, 1997. 56 pp. ISBN: 0-78991-1955-2. 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. [Also FICTION, PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 3-6 | Foxy's Tale: The True Story of a Champion Alaskan Sled Dog. White, Ed and Donna Freedman. Anchorage: Whitehouse, 1995. 77 pp. ISBN: 0-9644171-0-3. 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. [Also FICTION, HERO DOGS] |
| 3-6 | Where's the Boss - A Sleddog's tale from Alaska's Iditarod Trail. - Harter, Lois. Illustrated by Dave Totten. Anchorage, AK: Publication Consultants, 1999. 32 pp. No ISBN (to be published fall 1999). Grades 3 to 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. [Also HERO DOGS, FICTION] |
| 3 and up | Black Star, Bright Dawn - O'Dell, Scott. Boston, MA: Houghton-Mifflin Co., 1988. 134 pp. ISBN: 0-395-47778-6. 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. [Also FICTION, PERSONAL QUEST, HERO DOGS] |
| 4-6 | Storm Run. *Riddles, Libby. Illustrations by Shannon Cartwright. Homer: Paws IV, 1996. ISBN: 0-934007-31-4. Grades 4-6. Libby Riddles tells her own story of her 1985 Iditarod victory in picture-book format. Well done with Shannon Cartwright's fine illustrations--and a good adventure read for kids. [Also PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 4-8 | Susan Butcher and the Iditarod Trail - Dolan, Ellen M. New York: Walker, 1993. 103 pp. ISBN: 0-8027-8211-6. Grades 4-8. This is a reasonably good biography of Susan Butcher, five-time Iditarod champion. It includes a brief history of the Iditarod Trail and the 1925 Serum Run. Good background on training and caring for dogs (and Susan is among the best). [Also PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 4-8 | Racing the Iditarod Trail. - Crisman, Ruth. New York: Dillon, 1993. ISBN: 0-87518-523-1. Grades 4-8. Using the 1991 race as a backdrop, the author covers many aspects of the Iditarod, from the trail to the checkpoints to the terrain and people involved, in a start-to-finish format with color photos. [Also IDITAROD IN GENERAL] |
| 4 and up | The Call of the Wild. - London, Jack. Illustrated by Philippe Munch. New York: Viking, 1903, 1996. 126 pp. ISBN: 0-670-86796-9. Grades 4 and up. The Whole Story Series. This new rendition of London's classic may well be the best so far, for both kids and adults. All of the original text is included, but Philippe Munch has added hundreds of period photos, drawings, and maps, as well as special illustrations for the story line itself. Informative captions and sidebar notes by Philippe Jacquin complete the tour de force. The illustrations and notes answer almost every question the reader may have, from history of the Klondike Gold Rush to how to hook up a sled dog. Kids (and adults) will be instantly hooked on this book. Highly recommended. [Also HISTORY] |
| 4 and up | White Fang - London, Jack. Illustrated by Philippe Munch, notes by Philippe Jacquin. New York: Viking, 1903, 1998. 240 pp. ISBN: 0-670-88480-4. Grades 4 and up. The Whole Story Series. If you liked the Viking Whole Story version of Call of the Wild, you'll love this innovative treatment of London's other Klondike classic. This is more of the same, and maybe even better. The entire unabridged original text is there, of course, but Munch and Jacquin have teamed up to provide an accompanying feast for the eye and the inquiring mind, whether young or old. Surprisingly, there seems to be no significant duplication of photos or information between the two Klondike-oriented books. Lots of information on dogs and mushing. Enjoy! [Also HISTORY] |
| 4 and up | Woodsong - Paulsen, Gary. New York: Bradbury Press, 1990. 132 pp. ISBN: 0-140-3405. Young-adult chapter book, grades 4 and up. Paperback. In many ways this is the young-adult version of Paulsen's Winterdance, his account of preparing for and running the 1983 Iditarod. Paulsen has "been there, done that," and it shows. What really shows through is Paulsen's love for his dogs and appreciation of what he's doing. A few graphic scenes, but young readers are usually hooked quickly, and for the duration. Excellent preparation for studying the race. (Great for read-aloud, but beware of a couple of emotional sections that match anything in Where the Red Fern Grows!) [Also PERSONAL QUEST] |
| 4 and up | Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers: Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs - Paulsen, Gary. Illustrated by Ruth Wright Paulsen. New York: Delacorte, 1996. 81 pp. ISBN: 0-38532585-1. Grades 4 and up. If you were to ask Gary Paulsen for the name of the first dog who came to his mind, it would be that of his faithful leader Cookie, who saved his life and who shared many thousands of miles on the trail with him. This is Paulsen's loving, respectful, humorous, and often emotional look at Cookie and her litter and how they matured into a true team of sled dogs. [Also HERO DOGS, MUSHING IN GENERAL] |
| 4 and up | My Life in Dog Years - Paulsen, Gary. New York: Delacorte, 1998. 138 pp. ISBN: 0-385-32570-3. Grades 4 and up. Once again, Paulsen wears his heart on his sleeve for the dogs who have shared his life. Vintage Paulsen, reflective and funny and well worth reading. (Little about Alaska or the Iditarod, but that's not important in this case.) [Also HERO DOGS, MUSHING IN GENERAL] |
|
4 and up |
Diamond Willow - Helen Frost. Ages 8 and
up but ideal for middle school. Twelve-year-old Willow would
rather blend in than stick out. But she still wants to be seen for who she
is. She wants her parents to notice that she is growing up. She wants her
best friend to like her better than she likes a certain boy. She wants, more
than anything, to mush the dogs out to her grandparents’ house, by
herself, with Roxy in the lead. But sometimes when it’s just you, one
mistake can have frightening consequences . . . And when Willow stumbles, it
takes a surprising group of friends to help her make things right again. Using diamond-shaped poems inspired by forms found in polished diamond willow sticks, Helen Frost tells the moving story of Willow and her family. Hidden messages within each diamond carry the reader further, into feelings Willow doesn’t reveal even to herself. (Recommended by parent Donna K) |
| 5 and up | Dogsong - Paulsen, Gary. New York: Bradbury Press, 1985. 177 pp. ISBN: 0-02-770180-8. 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. [Also FICTION] |
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