Tomorrow I will return home to Long Island and spend two weeks with my ten-year-old Westie, Iggy. When he’s not sleeping, chewing, or barking, Iggy loves to read. No, I’m serious! Here he is doing his best impression of a New York City Public Library lion in my family’s library. In addition to packing the essentials (my e-reader, curling iron, and oversized scarves), I am bringing home three captivating books to delight my old furry friend and perhaps inspire him to learn some new tricks.
Byrd and Igloo: A Polar Adventure by Samantha Seiple
Ages 8-12, Scholastic Press
Byrd & Igloo is the first narrative nonfiction book for kids to tell the daring adventures of legendary polar explorer and aviator Richard Byrd and his lovable dog explorer, Igloo. Byrd is known for being the first to fly a plane over the North and South Poles, while Igloo is famous for being the only dog to explore both the North and South Poles. The adventures of Byrd and Igloo opened the door for science and research in the Antarctic.
The Dogs of Winter by Bobbie Pyron
Ages 10-14, Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic
The Dogs of Winter is a heart-pounding novel based on a true story of an abandoned boy who finds help in an unexpected form. Ivan is adopted by a pack of dogs, and the dogs quickly become more than just his street companions: they become his family. Soon Ivan, who used to love reading fairytales, is practically living in one, as he and his pack roam the city and countryside, using their wits to find food and shelter, dodging danger, begging for coins.
Mush! Sled Dogs of the Iditarod by Joe Funk
Ages 8-12, Scholastic Paperbacks
2013 was the 40th anniversary of the Iditarod, known as the "Last Great Race on Earth.” Spanning over 1,150 miles of the roughest terrain in the world, this race crosses jagged mountain ranges, frozen rivers, forest, tundra, and miles of windswept coast. A race this rugged would not even be possible for the human competitors (or "mushers") without their sled dogs. This gripping non-fiction book teaches young readers about the Iditarod, the mushers, and the dogs whose history dates back to the famous Balto.
OOM readers, what are your favorite winter reads?
