byIrisDineenCover:AlaskaStockLLC/Alamy;3,JeffSchultz/AlaskaStock;4AlLorenz;5JeffSchultz/AlaskaStock;6PaulSouders/Corbis;7,8JeffSchultz/AlaskaStock;9TroyWayrynen/NewSport/Corbis;10TomStillo/IndexStockImagery;11,12,13JeffSchultz/AlaskaStock;14Photo/AlGrillo.Copyright©byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.RequestsforpermissiontomakecopiesofanypartoftheworkshouldbeaddressedtoSchoolPermissionsandCopyrights,Harcourt,Inc.,6277SeaHarborDrive,Orlando,Florida32887-6777.Fax:407-345-2418.HARCOURTandtheHarcourtLogoaretrademarksofHarcourt,Inc.,registeredintheUnitedStatesofAmericaand/orotherjurisdictions.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaISBN10:0-15-350575-3ISBN13:978-0-15-350575-1OrderingOptionsISBN10:0-15-350336-X(Grade6Below-LevelCollection)ISBN13:978-0-15-350336-8(Grade6Below-LevelCollection)ISBN10:0-15-357582-4(packageof5)ISBN13:978-0-15-357582-2(packageof5)Ifyouhavereceivedthesematerialsasexaminationcopiesfreeofcharge,HarcourtSchoolPublishersretainstitletothematerialsandtheymaynotberesold.Resaleofexaminationcopiesisstrictlyprohibitedandisillegal.Possessionofthispublicationinprintformatdoesnotentitleuserstoconvertthispublication,oranyportionofit,intoelectronicformat.1234567891017912111009080706byIrisDineenTheairiscoldandcrispthisAlaskanwintermorningin2003.Theyoungdogsledmushers,orracers,waitatthestartinglinefortheirnumberstobecalled.Soontheywillbeoff.Thesleddogswillracedownthesnow-coveredtrail,theirmushersshoutingoutcommandstoguidethem.Eachsledmighthaveasmanyastendogspullingit.Theseyoungmushersareboysandgirlsbetweentheagesoffourteenandseventeen.Theyareabouttocompeteinajuniorversionofthemostfamousdogsledraceintheworld—theIditarod.34TherealIditarodisadogsledracebetweenAnchorageandNome,Alaska.Theracetrailcoversoverathousandmiles(1,609km).Ithastakenplaceeveryyearsince1973.Th...