Recently I decided to read a book for a change. The book was Winter Dance by Gary Paulsen, a well-known author. You may think reading a book might be boring when you could be playing, but give me a chance! Picture yourself on a journey across the north Alaskan sled dog race known as the Iditarod. Suddenly a male moose the size of a pick-up truck jumps into your path and tramples your sled. Realizing you are looking at him, he decides to charge. Before you can even begin to panic and look to hide, you find yourself hurling up into the frosty Alaskan air and the only thing between you and the ground is a tree!

Winter Dance is filled with exciting, action-packed events and several unexpected tragedies. The author finds himself followed by an Iditarod rookie after he has taken a wrong turn. All of the rookie's dogs are killed by a rampaging bear and the author's dogs refuse to move on. The descriptions of the frigid weather and the stark landscape give the reader intensely realistic impressions. If you think it's hard to live in the Chicago area in the winter, try living in a climate where the average temperature is 50 below zero for over two months.

This true story is told by one of the most courageous and determined men in the world. He finds, after completing this incredibly arduous journey, that he had a bad heart condition. I can almost guarantee that once you start reading this book you won't want put it down