Susan Butcher, Sled Dog Racer (Achievers) [Library Binding]

Ginger Wadsworth (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-Despite limitations in the format (large print but cramped pages, small black-and-white photos, no index), this series entry does a good job of bringing to life the four-time Iditarod winner and her dogs' courage and resourcefulness in facing the rigors of Alaska's great race. The text is drawn from existing print and media sources. Following a short description of Butcher's life and the mentors who led her to her first Iditarod in 1978, Wadsworth provides dramatic descriptions of the races, interspersed with short information on how the woman raises and trains her dogs, her kennel business, and her marriage. Complete through her fourth-place finish in 1993, this is a shorter treatment than Ellen Dolan's Susan Butcher and the Iditarod Trail (Walker, 1993). Readers wanting to know more about the history and running of the race should choose Ruth Crisman's Racing the Iditarod Trail (Macmillan, 1993), which includes full-color photos, a much better map of the trail, and a list for further reading. As in Crisman's book, Wadsworth includes a table of Iditarod statistics but she adds one that shows Butcher's statistics for her 16 races. The book's short length and colorful cover may attract older reluctant readers.
Sally Bates Goodroe, Houston Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 63 pages
• Publisher: Lerner Pub Group (L) (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822528789
• ISBN-13: 978-0822528784
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,618,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I thrive in my world of books, reading, research, and writing award-winning nonfiction titles. Biographies, natural history and American history are my main focus. Each of my books is for young readers ... and the young at heart! I have a reputation for being a research junkie and in my house, that means tiptoeing around boxes (my style of file cabinets) in my office, stacks of "very important" papers, and teetering towers of reference books that don't fit into my floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Despite my predilection for research, I have managed to publish 25 nonfiction books, and many others are still waiting to find that perfect home.

I come from a creative family and we all love the natural world. My father made his living writing westerns and then adventure novels for young readers. His father also wrote western novels and for the "Big Slicks." My mother was an artist and her father was director of the San Diego Natural History Museum. I have one brother who is a professional photographer and another who, along with his wife, are the publishers of many award-winning natural history books (Cachuma Press).

When I'm not working in my office, I often like to garden or head to the hills behind my house. I take my "writing buddies," Willa and Scout (my golden retrievers), and carry a pair of binoculars. While I hike, I like to think about my books. Sometimes I go further and visit our national parks. Many of my ideas come together after one of these "explores."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dog Racers, April 9, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Susan Butcher, Sled Dog Racer (Achievers) (Library Binding)

Susan Butcher is a sled dog racer. She was born the after Christmas in 1954. Her dad's name is Charlie and her mom's name is Agnes. She had a sister named Kate. when Susan was 15, Kate moved out. Susan's aunt gave her a big husky. Her mom didn';t want two dogs in the house so Susan took off with them. She met a woman who trained sled dogs so shed helped Susan train. She learned how to control a sled. She started entering races. I liked this book because it was interesting and cool.