Winterdance by Gary Paulsen is an incredible story of a man training and running a race called Iditarod, a 1,180-mile north Alaskan dog race. As your reading the story, you feel like you’re actually there with Gary and can picture everything he sees. The story has many hardships a true musher (sled dog race driver) has within them. Winterdance is a sensational, breathtaking story with unexpected tragic adventures. The author faces a race that has changed his life around. During his training and running the Iditarod, Gary finds himself not just him and fifteen dogs running a deep race, but a team taking a journey of a life time. Gary’s perseverance has pushed Gary and his dogs in the great Iditarod race and presents to people to never give up when things get difficult. Throughout his run, Gary feels as if he acts like a dog himself, brings out his care and bonding with his dogs.

During his training, Gary gets minor to major injuries. But he never gives up even though he has been beaten many times throughout their practice runs. Gary is a very committed, determined man and will work hard to train the dogs even though it means to be almost abused at every practice. The race had taken Gary to penetrating weather, vigorous areas, and even death defining events.

My favorite character in the book is Cookie, the lead dog of Gary’s dog team. Cookie is the only girl dog out of the team. Out of all the dogs; she is the one that can lead the team through the dangerous journey in the Alaskan trail. She has the closest relationship to Gary and shows a meaningful bond between each other that brings trust and worthiness.

After the race, a visit from the doctor occurred that had changed Gary’s life around which caused Gary to no longer run the Iditarod race. This trembles Gary’s choices to live back to Minnesota with his wife and son, or have him and his family live in a quiet place in Alaska. Gary’s choice surprises the readers as they finish the last remaining pages of his story.

I recommend this book to dog lovers because it demonstrates the bond between dogs and their human masters. Gary’s quest with his fifteen dogs in the race created a strong friendship and showed what it truly means to be a man’s best friend.