Scott O'Dell (1898–1989)

This was a favorite of mine when I was young, and I loved reading it with my daughter this month. As an adult, I was struck by how determined, resourceful, and brave Karana is. I also researched the true story behind the book a bit and was fascinated to learn more about the history. There are some dark moments, but it led to great discussions.

A kid just asked me for a book about the Iditarod and I immediately thought of this. I probably read it five times when I was eleven years old. I remember it being soooo good, but I'm a little afraid to reread it. It's so depressing when your childhood favorites don't measure up to your standards as an adult.

Native American, Historical, Survival