In this redesigned edition of Scott O'Dell's classic novel, a young Eskimo girl encounters frightening obstacles when she takes her father's place ...
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Nov 22, 2009
Tara
rated it: 
I picked this up from the freebie shelf in the library. I must confess I was attracted to the cover. I love reading about women and their dogs. If there was an adult novel out there along these lines, I would pick it up. Nevertheless, this was a decent read and I learned a lot about the Iditarod race and dog sledding in general in the hour it took me to read it.
The novel is about Bright Dawn, a young Eskimo woman who has just graduated high school. The year I am uncertain of. H More...
The novel is about Bright Dawn, a young Eskimo woman who has just graduated high school. The year I am uncertain of. H More...
Dec 09, 2011
Melanie
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When I was a preteen/ young teenager I loved books like this- My Side of the Mountain, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Julie of the Wolves, etc. You name it, I read it. So I was surprised that I hadn't come across this book sooner. I had high hopes for it even though I'd seen reviews calling it short and boring. Honestly it would been a fantastic book if there had been more to it. You never really understand how the characters feel- just how they act. The relationship between Black Star and Bright
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Mar 10, 2011
Alan
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I read this with the kids. The author is more well known for Island of the Blue Dolphins, required reading for most grammar school kids in the US. Black Star, Bright Dawn is a terrific story about an Inuit girl coming of age in Alaska. She is asked to race the Iditarod after her father is hurt. The descriptions of the race itself are wonderful and I found myself wishing it were a longer book. More serious topics such as race, the role of women in traditional Inuit culture, and cultural identity
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Dec 23, 2009
Josiah
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I give Scott O'Dell a great deal of credit for writing juvenile novels that show young readers what life is like for kids of their own age that live in other times and cultures.
Black Star, Bright Dawn is an excellent book idea, even if the one hundred three pages in which it is contained seem a bit short to fully express that idea's potential. Scott O'Dell is such a smooth, consistent writer, though, that this book is an interesting one to read all the way, and treats the subject matter More...
Black Star, Bright Dawn is an excellent book idea, even if the one hundred three pages in which it is contained seem a bit short to fully express that idea's potential. Scott O'Dell is such a smooth, consistent writer, though, that this book is an interesting one to read all the way, and treats the subject matter More...
Mar 21, 2011
Nathaniel
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I thought it was clever that it was a female. I did not expect that or think that until the people came to see who was going to run the race because they had spent alot of money to get all the supplies for the race. When the dad said she is not running the race "my daughter is not going into the race." I also liked it that he didnt finish in first like all of the other movies or books when they have a big comeback. But she still won a award that is rare in the iditard.
Aug 02, 2011
Fille
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I read this in 4th grade and again in 6th grade with the same teacher. I really enjoyed it! I love how my teacher found a way for us to apply what we were reading to real life. We read this book in the winter when the Iditarod race was taking place in Alaska. My teacher allowed each of us to choose a musher to follow. My teacher would post statistics each morning as to which checkpoints our mushers had reached and their rank in the race. It was a lot of fun!
May 11, 2009
Destinee
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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.
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Feb 02, 2012
Delanie
rated it:
In this book, an Eskimo girl travels the snowy trails of the Iditarod Dog Sled race. You will see the many challenges she and her trusty team of huskies must face in the wilderness before touching the finish line, if they even make it that far.
I recommend this book to people of all ages who like thrilling adventure books.
I recommend this book to people of all ages who like thrilling adventure books.
Mar 03, 2009
Autumn
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One of my favorite books that I read growing up. I remember being so impressed anyone could endure the conditions on the long race through Alaska, even more amazing that someone so yound could do it on her own with very little experience. It is a very engaging story!
Sep 29, 2010
Amanda
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This was one of my favorite books as a child and I was eager to see how it would hold up now that I'm an adult. I think my only real complaint about it is that it's very quick. While it may be a novel meant for kids or even older kids, it really lacks in detail. It has the groundworks of great detail and Bright Dawn has the makings of a fantastic heroine, but I feel it falls flat overall. Despite this criticism I think it is a great quick read with lots of adventure and at the very least, a good
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Jan 16, 2010
Bill
rated it:
Lexile:670 "For ages 12-17"
This is a wonderful little story about an Eskimo girl who races the Iditarod for her father who is injured a few weeks before the race. Strong on plot, a little sparse on character but this really doesn't harm the experience.
This is a wonderful little story about an Eskimo girl who races the Iditarod for her father who is injured a few weeks before the race. Strong on plot, a little sparse on character but this really doesn't harm the experience.
Mar 13, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
It was a quick read. It was in the YA section but it could have been easily read by younger readers. Felt the identity conflict could have been expanded on a little more and it would have not seemed so shoved in at the end.
Apr 12, 2011
I am currently reading this book to my boys as a read a loud. It is a great book that totally compares and contrasts to Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Nov 11, 2010
A.H.
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For years I pretended to be an Iditarod sled racer. This book moved me so that even now, looking upon the word Iditarod, I feel a stir in my belly.
Apr 20, 2009
travelmel
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More of a 1.5 star book. Not memorable at all. I read it because I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins. But this book was pretty boring by comparison.
Jan 26, 2011
Rachel
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I enjoyed this book and one of the reasons was because she is a heroine that doesn't have everything work out perfectly for her.
Dec 07, 2009
Megan
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Required reading in Middle School. Don't remember too much about it, except that it's a about a girl and a dog race.
Oct 03, 2009
Sam
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It was a bit confusing, but who can resist a book about an Inuit living with 15 sled dogs in Womengo, AK?
Jan 23, 2010
Caitlyn
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The characters were brilliant. Black star deserved the win all the way but they lost.
Dec 16, 2010
Mckayla
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i absolutly positivly loved this book it very well could be my favorte
Nov 09, 2010
Firuza
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I thought that this book was a really good one ,and I recommend it to everyone.
Oct 31, 2009
greenivyk2
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Great story for older elementary students about the Iditarod race in Alaska.
Oct 24, 2011
Jessie
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this book was ok. i defiantly learned a lot about how the eskmos live their lives. I also lerned al lot about dog sledding and how it effects the eskmoes' life because it was a form of transpertation. over all the book was good but i thought is was a solw reader. this book relates my life because i almost lost my dad in a hilocoptor crash.
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Feb 18, 2009
Claire
rated it:
This was another of those very first books assigned to my daughter from school that I read as well. Very enjoyable. Got a few more of his after that, but they didn't make it in to her reading experience..
Apr 27, 2009
Lindsey
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This is another book I read to my 6th graders. I thought it was pretty good; the kids seemed to like it. I learned some Inuit words and learned a lot about dogsledding and the Iditarod. I've yet to find a classroom book that just blows me away, though. They all seem to be pretty anti-climatic.
Jun 09, 2011
Christine
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I enjoyed this book about an 18 year old Eskimo girl who unexpectedly finds herself racing in the Iditarod in Alaska. I like Scott O'Dell and I love books about capable young women.
