Winter Sports Books

I read this book a few years ago, and it practically had me rolling on the floor laughing at times. Finally got it for myself to own, and it's still every bit as good. Gary Paulsen has a wonderful way with words, and is an excellent storyteller. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone.

One of the most entertaining books I have ever read. After reading one of the other reviews where the criticism was the authors lack of writing skills, for-gedda-bout-it. This book wasn't meant for your English Lit class. It's about one crazy dude's journey. It's funny, it's gritty, it's real, and if you're a dog lover, it's both happy and sad. I give it 10 thumbs up (ok, so I'm "all thumbs").

Very disappointing book. Boring, lots of padding. Poor and repetative story line. Not well written. Couldn't even read it to the end which I'm sad about as I love books and don't give up easily.

This book is outstanding.

Some of it is written in the manner of a tall tale, so I had moments when I doubted the narrator's credibility. But then I thought about it. Who cares! It's funny, heartbreaking, and uplifting. "Fine madness" is the point, after all.

Some people may think this is a stretch, but I see this book as a healthy mixture of Hemingway's prose, Faulkner's yarns, and an enthusiasm for animals

This book is going to stay with me for a long time, and for that reason, I recommend it to a broad range of readers.

You will enjoy this book.

Very interesting account of Gary Paulsen's experience preparing for and running the Iditarod. Although it identifies some of the colder sides of nature, it is a warm wonderful book with an excellent sense of humor...one that makes you laugh out loud as you read. This hard to put down book will leave you looking at life in a different way.

I loved this book! If you want a cool {get it? She lives in Alaska} author to come to your scool,get Shelley Gill! I loved Kiana's Iditarod because it told me a lot of things.

I like this book because it is funny and makes me learn about dogs and cool places and how to do it in a dog race.I did not know you had 13 dogs. How can you feed them. I wish I had won the dog race but that would not happen.

I like this book. This book reminds me of snow. This is a cool book. I like you. This is very very interesting

I liked this book because it has excitement.I also liked this book because of the colorful pictures.I liked the part when they were in the iditarod near the finish line.

This book was a good book but I think it didn't really tell that much about the Iditarod. It was about a musher and the dogs. She's doing the Iditarod and she goes around mountains and peaks. I would recommend this book because it has good illustrations and is about a lead dog.

My Special Education class loved this book. The pictures are delightful and the story is fun and exciting for my Kindergarten/First Grade Class. This book was selected by my department as a suggested book for use in my class.

The warmth and openness that the authors convey in this book makes you feel like you live in that neighborhood yourself. Cute story; beautiful artwork. Children as young as 2 are drawn in and fascinated by the magical storyline. Great read-aloud book!

This imaginative little fantasy is sure to bring a smile to the lips of the smallest children and start a playful exchange of ideas. This is beginning imagination at its coolest. However be sure that you playfully talk to them about the book and get their ideas on what happens to snowmen during the night. Do not leave them with thre impression that snowmen are animated.

Even though we live in Florida and don't have snow my 3 year old son enjoys this book. It has good rhythm and cute story. This book was one of his preschool teachers favorites so we bought it. I am glad we did.

I've received this book & given it as a gift several times. It is good for young childrem, simple to read & the illustrations are beautiful. It is a great gift for new parents or grandparents. Also the the other book Snowmen at
Christmas is just as great.

I have not actually read this book, but today I listened to the author present the story in person while showing some of the pictures that she took during the journey. It is nothing short of remarkable to witness the sheer determination that made her success possible.

Of course, determination was less than half the battle. Thayer explained that it took her two years of meticulous planning and rigorous training to prepare for every possible contingency she might encounter on the journey. Clearly she could not have hoped to succeed without such detailed and thoughtful preparation.

This story certainly inspired my respect and admiration, not only for the power of the mind to carry us beyond perceived limitations, but also in response to the human-canine connection which was pivotal to the successful completion of the journey. It is heartwarming to hear of the bond that developed between Thayer and Charlie as one sustained the other through the various hardships they encountered.

A great book! It is so exciting that it is very difficult to put it down! After reading it, I ordered a total of 10 copies as presents for relatives and friends.

Great book. Helen Thayer set off in her 50s to walk to the magnetic North Pole. She did it only with Charlie, the polar bear wonder dog, given (sold) to her by the Inuit who were sure she wouldn't survive without a dog team who knew how to fend off polar bears. She finally agreed to taking one dog, who became her true partner in the journey (and afterward). The story is an outstanding tale of what she learned about herself and how she and Charlie so totally bonded, mutually dependent on each other. Helen prepared well and clearly fully respects Nature in all senses. It is also a wonderful tale about Charlie--about the intelligence of dogs we people would see more often if we just give them a chance to be themselves. This is an outstanding book for anyone of any age and hopefully will help more people understand the criticality and fragility of Nature, and the importance of treating animals (in this case, dogs) with true respect, care, compassion, and love. The book clearly shows the intelligence not just of Charlie, but also of the various polar bears Helena encountered (and successfully avoided attack from, without killing them). It also is an excellent book to get people thinking about themselves and their thoughts. Some of the lessons Helen learned, for example, included early on learning to say "no" as well as the importance of remaining positive and in control even when Nature seemed to be in control via a strong storm whirling around her for several days at a time. She includes photos from her journey, which also are amazing. An exciting, excellent book. I highly recommend this for everyone.

I am a big fan of stories of artic adventure, and this is one of the best. In this day of snow mobiles and ATVs, we have a woman at 50 -- author Helen Thayer -- setting out to walk to the magnectic north pole, pulling her own sled and accompanied by an Inuit dog she had only known for a couple of days. On her first day out, she suffers such terrible frostbite of her fingers they become almost useless. (I would have called it quits right there.) Then come polar bears -- one the world's most deadliest creatures. And they keep on coming. Some curious, some life-threatening. But, she continues on her amazing journey, not for fame or fortune, but for scientific information for her program Adventure Classroom. There are some fantastic photos included and very helpful maps. Her writing style is breezy and compelling. It's trimph of the human spirit and the bonding of a dog and companion. What a terrific book.

An extraordinary true story of courage, determination and fortitude. Every chapter not only contains the wow factor but is an illustration of what the human spirit is capable of. Thayer is an accomplished writer who keeps the reader wanting more. An incredible story of a woman and her faithful dog Charlie, as they endure the hardships of polar travel on foot together with no dog teams or snowmobiles or resupply.
Sue White
Edmonton, Canada

As I read this book, I felt like I was with Pam as she crossed Alaska. A truly well written book which gives the reader a wonderful insight into the beauty of Alaska and most of all into the human emotions of such an arduous journey. It is a book of truimph, beating all the odds!

Excellent true story, well told with many explanations so the reader understands what is going on.

This is a great book that will inspire you to be a stronger, more adventursome person than you might otherwise be. I like the way the author incorporates diary entries from her expedition, and also the text inserts including helpful background information that might otherwise have bogged down the flow of the story. I bought both this (the version for adults or teens) and the companion book, Big Enough Anna, which tells the same story in a manner appropriate for young children. Both are fantastic, and I plan to give copies to friends as gifts. Way to go, Pam Flowers!!!

Dear Pam,
I am from Burton Valley Elementry and in third grade.You did an amazing show!I loved it!I have one of your books .I have 'Big Enough ,Anna.Ihope to get more of your books.You have amazing and incredible adventures!I am a BIG fan of your work.Can we buy another copy of Big Enough, Anna and have it signed by you? (...).Thank You for your great books and presentations!

Thank you,
Iris Wagner

I needed something to read during the benchmarks, so I ran to the library during passing time and grabbed the first book I could find on mushing (I'm an addicted musher). I had a hard time putting it down. The pictures were wonderful, and the story was great. It was a pretty fast read, I finished it that day, but I enjoyed it. I've reread it twice since I bought my own copy.

This book is amazing. It gives great instructions for many fun games. The instructions are brief,but fun,and give enough information to make the games easy to implement. I have used the book twice for a group of kids, ranging in age from 9-14, and they have loved the activities! I've purchased a couple other similar books that were not nearly as fun and well-put-together as this one.

I bought this book to use to teach a drama class in my homeschool co-op, and I'm so pleased with the fun games and ideas for teaching basic drama concepts. The kids are loving all the games and I think that the games and exercises really spark their creativity.

I never take the time to write reviews for books but I had to for this one! EVERY activity is great--you don't have to search through picking and choosing. I know this will be an invaluable source for me in teaching drama to both elementary and high school students. Thanks to the author for such a great resource!

I purchased this book before I started teaching creative dramatics in Recreation deprtments teaching K-8. It was wonderful. I loved it. I would reccommend it to every teacher (theatre or not) it has wonderful classroom activities.

I love how all of the different skills are addressed in separate sections of the book. There are many, many games and tasks included in each so the variety never ends. I use this book as a warm up during the first couple of drama sessions and then as a filler when I think that the kids have had enough "serious" rehearsal time and need to let loose. Pair up this book with a play or set of plays and you are set to go with any group.

This book offers very practical advice in making the transition to free heel skiing. It is very well written.

In spite of all the ridiculous pictures (or because of them?) I've found this small book provides a lot of helpful reminders on how to ski on teles. It's a complex turn to learn, but the book does a good job of showing the beginning tele-skier what might be going on. Take this with you to the slopes and stash it with your things, it could help you puzzle out why your turn isn't working. I'm definitely bringing it with me this season.

I have been telemark skiing for probably 15 years. If you can get the tips in this book into your head you will telemark ski well. Each of the tips are laid out well with great illustrations and humor worthy of Mad magazine. Whether you are an advanced skier seeking improvement or a beginner I doubt there will ever be a better book to help you out to master telemark skiing.

This is the classic comic book version of a telemark skiing text book: brief, clear narrative accompanying excellent cartoon drawings. The book shows both old style (knee down) and new style (no deep dips, feet never widely separated front to back) telemark techniques without really distinguishing between the two but, if you follow the exercises and advice, your skiing will improve. An enjoyable read, an attractive style and price.

You really need Parker's book to understand the tips of this juvenile book. But once you've read Parker's book you immediately realise that this book is just collection of tips from Parker drafted in comics. Without explanations of course. I don't do anything unless I believe the tip is sound and this book does not convince me. Yeah, it's funny for a while but it does not supply the enthusiast the facts really needed to improve in free heels stuff.

this is a fantastic read, if you have ever climbed any mountain this would probably interest you

I'm not sure, but I may have been one of the pilots on the C-130 that helped to coordinate the rescue of the team off of Mt. McKinley. Rescue 489 sounds like one of the 17th Troop Carrier Squadron's aircraft. And, I recall dropping (parachuting) a couple of radios on the emergency frequency to a climbing team that we helped rescue. The aircraft commander and I are discussing this particular rescue as "I speak."

As I recall, the person from the expedition that was talking to me was very very reluctant to leave the climb, finally asking what it would cost. When the team was assured that there would be "no cost," things did change... :-)

On the rescue that I'm describing, perhaps the one covered in this book, the Army Huey helicopter had difficulty landing at such a high elevation, and carrying out such a load. I watched as the helicopter lifted off, and it had to dive down toward the base of the mountain to get into more dense air, and to gain associated lift. On the way back to the airport, we slowed the C-130 down, and lowered the flaps, so the Huey helicopters could fly on each wing tip...

I loved how suspenseful it is when they are trapped in the snow cave for a week. I would definetly recommend this book to anyone about the age of 12. It is kind of challenging.

this was an awesome book. it was so suspensful i couldnt put it down it was like my fingers and eyes were glued to the book.i had a great time reading it.the people in this book went through alot of bad luck.im not going to describe it though for those of you review readers who havent read the book.this book was the complete oppisite of a waste of time and i highly recommend reading it because there is so many bad things happening like death, frostbite, and wind speeds i didnt even know were possible that its amazing anyone could have survived a adventure such as that.this was a good book i highly recommened it for anyone looking for a good time , or anyone who hasnt read a good book lately, or ,OH THE HELL WITH IT! I recommened this book to anyone, anywhere, anytime!

This book is incredible. You cannot put it down. A great gripping TRUE story!

This was a great background read for the preparations that go into the Iditarod. It's a fun and engaging read--even for long-time fans of the race. There's lots of interesting background info included. Thanks June!

This is a fun behind the scenes look at staging and preparing for the Iditarod. A nice blend of Who, What, Where, When, How and Why that the level of detail never gets dull. Avid sled dog fans will enjoy this along with those newly discovering the sport.

Reading June's book is just like experiencing all the excitement and activity of being at the Iditarod. I've been at Anchorage for the ceremonial start and then at Skwentna to help the mushers, and reading June's book, I relived my experience. I pictured myself right there again, seeing, hearing and experiencing the Iditarod through June's descriptions. This is a must read for all who would go to Iditarod, and all those who have been, and everyone else, too! Thanks, June!

This book is a fun read for those who have been to the Iditarod and those who wish they could go. Taking you thru all the steps leading up to the race, you'll think you are actually there. I've been to the race 3 times and helped a couple Iditarod mushers before the race. This book helps me relive those memories. I think you'll enjoy it very much!

June Price does an excellent job of bringing you right there through it all.... if you really want to know what these mushers do, go through, and provide for their dogs, how much a part of the team they are, then read this book. It's a very well done account of the true happenings surrounding this great race. June has spent many years with these very people, researching, learning, and beautifully putting to paper, the extraordinary Iditarod, it's participants, and the dogs... Everyone who loves to gather more information about the inside of the race should put this on their MUST READ list. She takes you there, keeps you there, and gets you to the finish line... without even getting cold! :-) Thanks for a wonderful book, June.

I laughed. I learned. I loved Open Net.

Plimpton summarizes (page 254) his experience with the Bruins to Junior Achievers in Edmonton, "I described some of my brief forays into sports as a participatory journalist, and what it was like, and how I envied the athletes their skills and the fellowship, but how I had always left their camps with a faint twinge of relief that I was returning to my own world..."

Plimpton is the vanguardist for creative-nonfiction/participatory journalism, and Open Net is the standard by which other hockey books should be measured. I envy not his weak ankles, for they're as instable as his writing is strong, but rather his wit and way of balancing humor and enlightenment.

I didn't grow up in New England, but I suspect those that have will still enjoy the way Plimpton brings back to life the boldness and brashness, the grit and the glory, of the Big Bad Bruins.

From Plimpton's interaction with the likes of "Grapes" and "Taz" and with goalies "Seaweed," and "Cheesy" to our hero's own moment in the crease, you'll want to stand up and cheer!

If you enjoy Ice Hockey, especially from a historical perspective, this is the book to read. Fans of Don Cherry will love this book.

THIS IS ONE OF PLIMPTON'S BEST. I REALLY ENJOYED HIS STORY PLAYING GOAL FOR THE BRUINS. HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS PLAYERS AND COACHES ARE EXCELLENT. HIS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EVENTS MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE RIGHT THERE ON THE ICE WITH HIM. PLIMPTON DOESN'T WASTE TOO MUCH TIME DESCRIBING HIS SURROUNDINGS LIKE HE DOES IN OTHER BOOKS. HE GOES STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. SOME HIGHLIGHTS ARE DESCRIBING HOW HE PUTS HIS UNIFORM ON IN A DETAILED ORDER, OLD STORIES ABOUT EDDIE SHORE, AND HIS ACTUAL TIME ON THE ICE PLAYING GOAL DURING A COUPLE OF EXHIBITION GAMES MAKE THIS A GREAT READ.

As a big hockey fan, and a goaltender, this was just required reading. Yet, it turned out to be more. This well written, quick read was a gas to enjoy and quote. I will be glad to read others by George Plimpton, and I'm already on the hunt for PAPER LION.
I guess thats my ringing endorcement. If I'm looking to read a book on football, the author must be wonderful. Quick, funny, well written, and vastly enjoyable, you wont regret buying this book, no matter what the price.

George Plimpton once again dons a uniform and plays a game. This time he tackles hockey while training with the Boston Bruins.
Plimpton does a wonderful job of painting a realistic view of life as a goalie. He uses the voices of other players to help the story along, rather than as just filler from big names. He also tells his tale without a lot of false excitement. You can tell he totally loves the experience, yet at times, you can see the effort does drain him (naturally).
His comments about and conversations with the likes of 'Seaweed' Pettie, Garry Cheevers and Don Cheery really add a lot of depth to the book. In conversations I have had with some of these men, I clearly got the point that they enjoyed this as much as Plimpton did and as much as I did as a reader.
This is a great read for the unfulfilled athlete in all of us.