by Gary Paulsen
First published 1998
Russel takes the reins of his dogsled team and heads into the vast Alaskan wilderness. The fourteen-year-old Eskimo boy faces bitter cold, treacherous ice, and the constant threat of starvation as he pushes deeper into the frozen landscape. His dogs struggle through blizzards and across dangerous terrain while Russel learns to read the subtle signs of weather and wildlife that mean the difference between survival and death. The grueling expedition tests every skill his elders taught him about living in the harsh Arctic environment. As miles pass beneath the sled runners, Russel discovers something unexpected about his own strength and identity. The journey becomes more than just a trek across ice and snow. It transforms into a passage toward understanding who he truly is.
Genres: fiction, survival, adventure, coming-of-age
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, survival
Setting: Alaska
Period: 20th-century
Paperback · Aladdin