Ready. Set. Mush! 7 Stories About the Alaskan Iditarod

Togo, by Robert J. Blake
While many have heard of the famous Iditarod race, how many know its history? In 1925, a diphtheria outbreak tore through Nome, Alaska. The nearest serum could be transported from Anchorage (1000 miles away) but only as far as the nearest train station, which was nowhere near the remote town of Nome.  20 drivers and 150 dogs participated in a “mission of mercy,” transporting the serum for the train station to the town. The most famous sled dog, Balto,  led the final leg of the mission. But it was Togo and his team, led by musher Leonhard Seppala, that ran the longest leg, and a total of over 300 miles, in just a few days. In Togo, we follow this fuzzy hero from frisky puppy to one of the unsung heroes of Alaskan history. (Ages 4-8)

Storm Run: The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Libby Riddles and Shannon Cartwright
You can’t beat a first-hand account, right? In 1985, almost 20 years after its inception, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod. In Storm Run, Riddles tells of the brutal conditions, the living-off-the-land, and the final victory of the race itself. But she also speaks to the endless hours of training, her relationship with her dogs, and her determination to persevere. Longtime Alaska resident Shannon Cartwright’s illustrations mix with Riddle’s own photographs to create a total package for kids who dare to dream big. (Ages 4-8)

Kiana’s Iditarod, by Shelley Gill and Shannon Cartwright
Told in verse, this is the story of lead dog Kiana, and her 1,049 mile race. Storms, rugged terrain, rival dog teams, moose, and wolves are just a few obstacles Kiana’s team meets along the way. This may be a fictionalized account, but the author knows her stuff: She was the fifth woman to complete the Iditarod. (Ages 4-8)

Balto and the Great Race, by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel and Nora Koerber
For independent readers looking for something a little more detailed, but still nicely summarized, here’s a book about Alaska’s most famous dog. Balto led his team on the final leg of the Great Serum Race, bringing the necessary medicine to the villagers of Nome, Alaska. This reads like an adventure story, but also contains a brief history of diptheria, Alaskan geography, and the evolution of sled-racing. (Ages 7-10)

Iditarod Dream: Dusty and His Sled Dogs Compete in Alaska’s Jr. Iditarod, by Ted Wood
Like any other athletic event, before the race there’s training. Years of it. In this photo-essay, readers meet Dusty Whittemore, the 15-year-old winner of the 1995 Jr. Iditarod. No small feat itself, the Jr. Iditarod is a 158 mile, 2-day race that covers a section of the traditional Iditarod trail. While some components of this story may seem strange to the average reader (Dusty is the only male in his tiny six student high school), what they will relate to is his passion for his sport, and the sheer joy he has being with his dogs. (Ages 8-12)

Woodsong, by Gary Paulsen
Yet another firsthand Iditarod account (are you sensing a theme here? This is just one of those things you can’t write about unless you’ve lived it!), this time by three-time Newbery Honor author Gary Paulsen. Paulsen is no stranger to wilderness adventure stories. Perhaps you’ve heard of Hatchet, the first in his Brian’s Saga series? If you’re looking for brutal, rugged, raw adventure stories, Paulsen’s your guy. So of course he’s run the Iditarod. And of course he’s written a book that brings the reader right into the heart of the race in the most heart-thundering, jaw-clenching way. You wouldn’t expect anything less from this master storyteller. (Ages 10-14)

Black Star, Bright Dawn, by Scott O’Dell
Speaking of master storytellers, you might also recognize Scott O’Dell. He wrote a little book called Island of the Blue Dolphins. Lesser known is this story of Bright Dawn, a young Eskimo girl whose father is injured while training for the Iditarod. In a very Mulan-esque moment, Bright Dawn decides to run in his place. Not only that, but she chooses as her lead a dog named Black Star, one her father distrusts. Like other Iditarod stories, the descriptions of the race itself are full of danger. But Black Star, Bright Dawn  is also a story about a daughter’s love for her father, infused with threads of Eskimo folklore. (Ages 10-14)
Mushers…take your marks!