Mush! (Pb) [Paperback]

Patricia Seibert (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

A report on the Iditarod Trail race tells how it began, how dogs and mushers train for it, the problems they face on the thousand-plus-mile course, and the thrill of completing the run across some of Alaska's harshest terrain.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-- A heavily illustrated, easy-to-read explanation of the Iditarod Sled-Dog Race. Through spare text and stylized illustration, basic information is given about the dogs, the history of the race, the environment in which it is run, and some of the rules. (The recent change not to allow mushers to stay in private homes is not included.) The watercolor illustrations are whimsical and give the book charm. Attractive borders add visual interest to some pages; however, the Eskimo sun glasses found in one of them are not identified as such and are apt to cause confusion. The oversimplified text and illustrations mislead readers into thinking that Eskimo cultures are the only ones on the trail, while three-quarters of the race goes through Athapaskan Indian villages. The overall effect of the book, however, is a positive portrayal of an unusual sport. Mush! will be useful in primary-grade classrooms involved in Alaska studies, and for those junior armchair adventurers who long for the romance of the frigid North and the ``Last Great Race.'' --Mollie Bynum, Chester Valley Elementary School, Anchorage, AK
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Beautiful pencil and watercolor illustrations help tell the story of the Iditarod. Seibert tells the history of the sled dogs and the sleds that were originally built and used by the Inuit, and then adopted by the settlers who came to Alaska. As modern transportation replaced the dogsled, one man, Joe Redington, wanted people to remember the heroic dogs who brought the medicine to Nome in 1925. Thus, the Iditarod was establish in 1973. The text describes the training and some of the difficulties faced by the intrepid racers and their dogs. A good choice for younger readers. -- MARILYN COURTOT - CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Gr. 2-4 Children often assume that all dogs are pets. But the sled dogs that run in the annual 1,000-plus-mile Iditarod race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, are work dogs, just as their ancestors were. The race was organized...in 1973 as a tribute to the sled dogs that delivered lifesaving diphtheria medicine to Nome in 1925. This striking volume...begins with a history of the relationship between the Eskimos, or Inuits, and their dogs....The smooth text is sprinkled with fascinating details....The dogs wear hand-sewn booties for protection, and a driver may need as many as 1,000 for a single race. Attractive watercolor paintings portray the strong, handsome animals and starkly beautiful landscape, and delicate, distinctive border scenes embellish many of the pages of text. An unusual volume that celebrates a unique vision of survival and courage along icy paths of triumph. -- BOOKLIST; September 15, 1992

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (October 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562947052
• ISBN-13: 978-1562947057
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,379,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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