Black Star, Bright Dawn
by
Scott O'Dell
by
Scott O'Dell
Bright Dawn is a young Eskimo girl who joined the Iditarod dogsled race in Alaska. When she was going to Kaltag to check in at the station, Black Star, her lead dog, stopped on the ice because he sensed danger. Bright Dawn went out to see what was the matter. She tied a rope to her side so she wouldn't get lost. She could see a little bit so when she saw some water she went back to the dogs so she could turn around. When she tried to turn around she saw open water. Bright Dawn was stranded on a floating piece of ice. She was stuck on the ice island for three days. Then her father came to her rescue in a skiff (which was his small boat.) Bright Dawn was happy to be back in the race, but she was a little upset because now she was behind. Bright Dawn was the last musher to cross the finish line in Nome. She won the red lantern because she came in last, and she got her $2,000 for reaching Iditarod first. She also got an extra $2,500 for good sportsmanship. Racing in the Iditarod was an experience that Bright Dawn would never forget.
