Hardcover. Hardcover reprint 1997 Scholastic. Glossy picture cover-- no dustjacket. 1 page corner creased; wear to cover corners. Very clean; no marks; pages bright; binding tight. 81 pages; great color illustrations by author's wife. Language: English. 'Paulsen is at the top of his form in this tribute to his sled dog Cookie, previously introduced in the adult title Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod. With the same rugged reverence for wilderness that underscores his classic Hatchet, Paulsen trains a sharp eye on the dogs and puppies he kenneled in his northern Minnesota home and trained as sled dogs until heart disease obliged his retirement from the sport. Elizabeth Marshall Thomas might envy his powers of observation as he reports on the dogs' behavior (including the dogs' conscious attempts to teach the pups various skills). The finest moments belong to Cookie, who more than once saved Paulsen's life. She emerges heroically, a formidable presence whose animal nature is unsoftened by any anthropomorphisms. ... [A] soulful and stirring tale, a love story every bit as much as an adventure story. Ages 10-up.'--Publishers Weekly, 1996.