Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod

Winterdance

• Genre: Nonfiction; memoir; adventure
• Originally Published: 1994
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1060L; grades 9-12; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 21 chapters; approximately 272 pages; approximately 6 hours, 56 minutes on audio
• Central Concern: Winterdance is Gary Paulsen’s account of his experiences preparing for and competing in the Iditarod, a grueling 1,000-mile dogsled race across the Alaskan wilderness. With no prior experience in dogsled racing, Paulsen recounts his journey from a naïve beginner to a passionate musher, facing extreme cold, exhaustion, and the unpredictable challenges of the wild. The book describes the bond between Paulsen and his team of dogs, the beauty and brutality of the Alaskan landscape, and the challenge of undertaking such a demanding adventure.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Descriptions of harsh wilderness conditions; dangers of sled dog racing; personal risk and physical challenges; animal care in extreme conditions; violence and death involving animals (dog fights; dog death); human violence against animals including the intentional violent killing of a dog

Gary Paulsen, Author

• Bio: Born 1939; died 2021; American author known for his young adult literature, particularly his coming-of-age stories set in the wilderness; prolific writer of over 200 books, many of which draw on his own life experiences and adventures
• Other Works: Dogsong (1985); Hatchet (1987); The River (1991); Brian’s Winter (1996)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Nature as Challenger and Comforter
• Humanizing the Animals
• Cross-Species Relationships: The Good and Bad

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the literary and cultural history of Alaskan wilderness writing and Gary Paulsen’s contribution to the adventure genre.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of Nature as Challenger and Comforter, Humanizing the Animals, and Cross-Species Relationships: The Good and Bad.
• Research a modern-day musher and their dog team and craft a piece of creative writing told from the perspective of a sled dog using details and examples from Winterdance.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the human-like characteristics of Paulsen’s dogs, Paulsen’s complex relationship to the natural world, and other topics.