Storm Run: The Story of the First Woman to Win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race

My grandchildren and my ESL students are collecting state quarters, and the next one to be issued honors Alaska. The final selection was of a grizzly bear catching a salmon at Denali Park. However, among the finalists was a drawing of a musher, mushing along his dog-sled team. My foreign students had never seen this part of Alaskan culture, so I looked for a book on the subject, preferably with pictures, for my hour-long classes fly by quickly. Storm Run" proved to be the perfect vehicle for my purpose, since I was able to match new vocabulary with beautiful pictures. Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the 1,100-mile race, is also a wonderful role model for young girls. The pictures are inviting. "Storm Run" should be included in everyone's birthday or Christmas lists.

In 1985, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a grueling 1,100+ mile test of stamina and spirit. When an unusually severe snowstorm stopped all the other mushers in their tracks, Riddles pushed on. It was only her second time running the Iditarod, but her courage and determination brought her into Nome, Alaska ahead of the pack. In this book she recalls her experiences, briefly recounting her childhood and early life, and then describing the famous race. The writing is simple and fast-paced, but still captures the feeling of her adventure. You can feel the cutting sharpness of the wind-driven snow or see the northern lights dancing overhead. The book is also beautifully illustrated with simple but vibrant colored pencil drawings by Shannon Cartwright. This is an excellent Iditarod story for any young reader and I'd definitely recommend it.

Once I started reading Libby's STORM RUN, I could't put it down! Even though I've lived in Alaska for 33 years, Libby's dog mushing background and Iditerod experience kept me spellbound until the end.I can't wait to read it to my second graders. It will be a terrific geography lesson as well as learning about dog mushing.Libby definitely has 'true grit'.

Libby Riddles' Storm Run is a picturebook of the exciting true story of the first woman to win the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Storm Run is the story of fulfilling one's dream, daring freezing treasures and bonding with loyal sled dogs. Wonderfully illustrated by Shannon Cartwright with soft, full-color artwork, Storm Run is an especially recommended giftbook for young girls nurturing their own dreams.