“Iditarod Country” by Tricia Brown; photography by Jeff Schultz.
Epicenter Press, Alaska, 1998, 64 pages, Grades 5-7.
When the snow begins piling up, travel becomes very difficult. In the lower 48 states, paved roads take people most places they want to go. While winter sports such as skiing require mountains, other sports such as dog sledding only require snow and can be done in most northern states. Dog sledding, or “mushing” as it is sometimes called, has become somewhat famous in recent years due to a grueling race named the Iditarod.
Situated in Alaska, the Iditarod is easily the most famous dog race in the world. Started in the early 1970s, the Iditarod recalls the magnificent journey of mushers (sled drivers) in 1925 to bring vital diphtheria serum to the town of Nome.
A savage outbreak of diphtheria was killing numerous children and adults during the winter of 1925 in Nome. The only supply of serum was in Anchorage. The few airplanes available in Alaska were being repaired and unable to fly the brutal 1,000 or so miles to the besieged city. The governor ordered a relief expedition and a train carried the serum for part of the 1,000 miles.
With no railway left, teams of courageous mushers then wrapped up the serum and took the precious medicine over mountains, frozen rivers, ice packed lakes and through brutal winds. A few days later, they delivered the serum and saved the city. It is one of the most remarkable events in Alaskan history.
The Iditarod Race is a recreation of this historic event, minus the diphtheria epidemic of course. Tricia Brown and Jeff Schultz have given readers a distinct feel for the race in this comprehensive book, “Iditarod Country.”
Dozens of dog sled teams line up in Anchorage, to begin the frozen 1,100-mile trek to the city of Nome. The dogs are eager and jump about in the harnesses. Most people are bundled up in layers of clothes and warm hats. Some of the mushers themselves have fur hats that resemble those of mountain men in the early 1800s.
The race begins with a countdown and then the dog teams lunge forward. The trail leads all the dog teams through rural Alaska and past rest areas. At these rest areas, sometimes only a cabin and a barn, the dogs and mushers can rest. The people living along the trail will frequently have large spaghetti dinners for the mushers, and will sometimes cook Thanksgiving meals for the participants.
The further the teams go into the hinterland, the bleaker and more brutal are the weather conditions. Hundreds of miles from nowhere, the mushers and their dog teams can get into serious trouble. If the dogs get hurt, drivers can leave them at way stations to be flown to veterinarian hospitals. Mushers can also be assisted if they are injured. Whereas the dog teams usually start with about 16 dogs, it is not unusual to finish with only eight.
Finally, Nome is close and the dog teams make a dash for the finish line. The city erupts as the teams cross the finish line.
The pictures and text in the book give readers a real sense of the Iditarod. We see all the Alaskan people at the way stations helping the sled teams throughout their journey. Brown accurately describes the pride that Alaskan people of all ethnic groups take in the race. This is an excellent book for middle school students to learn about Alaskan geography and the sport of dog sledding. I enjoyed the book and think your children will as well. Wrap up; it is cold out there!
