Gr 6-10 When her father is injured during a training run, 18-year-old Bright Dawn must take over his position as the village's dog racer in the Iditarod, a 1179-mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome. She is befriended by Oteg, an older Eskimo who gives advice and reminds her of the folklore and wisdom of her people. But this headstrong girl does not always listen, and while she is first at the halfway point, she is last at the finish line. O'Dell portrays the frozen landscape and encounters with moose and wolves vividly, as well as reveals the planning needed for adequate shelter and food. Bright Dawn does not race to beat the others, but only to do her best, and does win the sportsmanship prize for helping other competitors. Paulsen's Dogsong (Bradbury, 1985) portrayed a more rugged, introspective, and mystical dogsled journey, which is not O'Dell's intention. However, it is surprising that in a race requiring a great deal of endurance and strength, the sheer exhaustion and physical deprivation does not come through in this narrative. The telling here is sparse and for the most part emotionless, even during scenes of personal danger, despite the use of a first-person voice. Susan Schuller, Milwaukee Public Library