5 Best Husky Stories and Book Highlight: Akea - The Power of Destiny
I'm excited to start an every-once-in-a-while book highlight on mythreereaders.com! And for this article, before I list some other beloved husky and wolf fictional books, I'd like to introduce you to a children / teen's book called Akea - The Power of Destiny, a book starring a young husky-wolf by the name of Akea, written by author Elizabeth Jade, of North Yorkshire.
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A summary of Akea: "This husky, wolf story is a new addition to the great animal fiction tradition of Jack London and Erin Hunter, where the story is told through the eyes of the animals.
Elizabeth Jade has created a captivating coming of age story which also teaches children about friendship and loyalty, and that being different doesn't mean you can't belong.
It is a captivating chapter book for eight to twelve year-olds. Akea is born into a family of sled dogs and a life that follows a predictable path, but from the day she first sees the lone wolf, Kazakh, Akea knows her future lies beyond the safety of her home.
Kazakh is well aware of Akea's destiny and the pack laws he will break to help her reach it. Regardless of the challenges ahead, he must make sure this young husky will be ready, even if it means his life."
Something else to set apart this book is the young talented author, Elizabeth Jade. Elizabeth was born in 1988 in North Yorkshire and moved with her family to Somerset when she was quite young.
Her early schooling did not go smoothly, and she was homeschooled from the age of seven. But it wasn't until Elizabeth was eighteen that she realized her struggles in school had been due to Aspergers.
She stumbled into writing at the age of fourteen when she began to struggle with depression and anxiety, and quickly found her story ideas pouring out faster than she could get them onto paper.
Akea - The Power of Destiny was published in 2017, and is the first in the series of wolf/husky stories told through the eyes of the animals. It's a story of self-discovery, loyalty, and hope - a story which proves that being different doesn't mean you can't belong.
Elizabeth has included her autism and mental health struggle in her author bio in the hope that it will inspire others.
Akea is a great book to add to your home library, especially if you love books about huskies and wolves. After you purchase and read the book, be sure to go to Amazon to leave a review for Elizabeth Jade!
And now for other great and well-loved huskie books you may not have read yet:
9 Sled dogs books - fiction
1. The Call of the Wild
The Call of the Wild is a novel by Jack London published in 1903. The story is set in the Yukon during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush—a period when strong sled dogs were in high demand.
The novel's central character is a dog named Buck, a domesticated dog living at a ranch in the Santa Clara valley of California as the story opens. Stolen from his home and sold into the brutal existence of an Alaskan sled dog, he reverts to atavistic traits.
Buck is forced to adjust to, and survive, cruel treatments and fight to dominate other dogs in a harsh climate. Eventually he sheds the veneer of civilization, relying on primordial instincts and lessons he learns, to emerge as a leader in the wild.
2. Dogsong
Something is bothering Russel Susskit. He hates waking up to the sound of his father's coughing, the smell of diesel oil, the noise of snow machines starting up.
Only Oogruk, the shaman who owns the last team of dogs in the village, understands Russel's longing for the old ways and the songs that celebrated them.
But Oogruk cannot give Russel the answers he seeks; the old man can only prepare him for what he must do alone. Driven by a strange, powerful dream of a long-ago self and by a burning desire to find his own song, Russel takes Oogruk's dogs on an epic journey of self-discovery that will change his life forever.
3. Stone Fox
Based on a Rocky Mountain legend, Stone Fox tells the story of Little Willy, who lives with his grandfather in Wyoming.
When Grandfather falls ill, he is no longer able to work the farm, which is in danger of foreclosure. Little Willy is determined to win the National Dogsled Race—the prize money would save the farm and his grandfather.
But he isn't the only one who desperately wants to win. Willy and his brave dog Searchlight must face off against experienced racers, including a Native American man named Stone Fox, who has never lost a race.
Exciting and heartwarming, this novel has sold millions of copies and was named a New York Times Outstanding Children's Book.
4. Woodsong
Gary Paulsen, three-time Newbery Honor author, is no stranger to adventure. He has flown off the back of a dogsled and down a frozen waterfall to near disaster, and waited for a giant bear to seal his fate with one slap of a claw. He has led a team of sled dogs toward the Alaskan Mountain Range in an Iditarod -- the grueling, 1,180-mile dogsled race -- hallucinating from lack of sleep, but he determined to finish.
Here, in vivid detail, Paulsen recounts several of the remarkable experiences that shaped his life and inspired his award-winning writing.
5. Balto
It is one of the worst storms ever - the snow has not stopped for days and it is 30 degrees below zero. But somehow Balto must get through.
He is the lead dog of his sled team. And he is carrying medicine to sick children miles away in Nome, Alaska. He is their only hope. Can Balto find his way through the terrible storm? Find out in this exciting true story!
6. Akiak a Tale from the Iditarod
When she hurts her paw on the fourth day of the race, Akiak can no longer compete in the Iditarod, the famed dogsledding race through 1,151 miles of Alaskan terrain.
Her musher has no choice but to leave her behind. The rules say once a dog is dropped from the race, it may not rejoin the team. But ten-year-old lead dog Akiak doesn't know the rules, and nothing will stop her from catching up to her team. Akiak has never won the race before. Will she be able to help her team win this time?
7. Winterdance: the Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod
(This is the only non-fiction on the list.) This book recounts the author's ambitious quest to run the Iditarod, an 1,180-mile trek of snow and deep cold, and his seventeen-day journey with a team of dogs during which he endured blinding wind, snowstorms, frostbite, moose attacks, and hallucinations.
Map and color photographs.
8. Sled Dog School
Eleven-year-old Matt is struggling in school and he has to set up his own business to save his failing math grade. But what is he even good at? The only thing he truly loves is his team of dogs, and so Matt’s Sled Dog School is born. Teaching dogsledding should be easy, right?
But people, just like dogs, can be unpredictable. And sometimes the bravest thing a person can do is admit they need help. Like Terry Lynn Johnson’s popular Ice Dogs, Sled Dog School is about overcoming adversity, finding your strengths, and your friends, and following your passions.
9. Douggie - the Playful Pup Who Became a Sled Dog Hero
From the beginning one puppy was different from the rest. He was big and black, his brother and sisters small and gray. While the others lay quietly snuggled against their mother, this puppy squirmed and wiggled constantly.
So begins the inspiring true story of a puppy whose boundless energy almost got the best of him. Douggie: The Playful Puppy Who Became a Sled Dog Hero is Pam Flowers' tribute to the pup who seemed destined to remain the class clown.
But Pam saw potential in this exuberant youngster, and Douggie's intelligence and persistence ultimately earned him the position of lead dog for a dangerous 325-mile expedition to the Magnetic North Pole.
As the lead dog, Douggie lead the sled dog team on this exciting adventure traveling across the frozen sea of the far Canadian north for 18 days, surviving many challenges and returning home safely. Douggie went on to become a top lead dog and lead a subsequent trip of 2,500 miles.
Even more about sled dogs!
Sled dog movies
There are some truly great sled dog movies, many of which are based on the books listed above. Check out these movies below on Amazon. Some are even free for Prime members. And many you could probably borrow from your local public library.
Iditarod - Definition and History
According to Wikipedia: The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome, entirely within the US state of Alaska. Mushers and a team of 14 dogs, of which at least 5 must be on the towline at the finish line, cover the distance in 8–15 days or more.
The Iditarod began in 1973 as an event to test the best sled dog mushers and teams but evolved into today's highly competitive race.
For more great information about the Iditarod, head over to Iditarod.com .
Books about wolves (fiction and nonfiction)
If you love huskies, consider looking into books about wolves as well. The Akea book highlighted above is a great example of a fictional book about wolves. And there are many other great ones to choose from:
If you are a lover of huskies and wolves, I hope you have found something in this article to enjoy!
