I’d like to invite Sherry Shahan to Best Dog Books for Kids to share some information about her book, ICE ISLAND published by Random House/Yearling, 2013). Welcome Sherry!

Best Dog Books for Kids: Who is your key dog character in ICE ISLAND? 

Bandit is a mixed breed Alaskan husky retired from the famed 1,049-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What is ICE ISLAND about? 

What begins as a training run with sled dogs turns into a race against time for Tatum and her new friend, a Siberian Yupik boy named Cole. When a freak blizzard hits this remote island off the coast of Alaska, the duo seeks shelter overnight in a dilapidated hunting cabin.

Their harrowing ordeal goes from bad to worse when wind-driven snow forces them to risk an alternate route. Stranded five days in the untamed wilderness, the pair must rely on each other — as well as their faithful huskies — to survive sub-zero temperatures and bone-numbing exhaustion. Worse still, their food supply is running dangerously low.

The most daunting decision comes when the strongest dog runs away. One person will have to go for help. But one will have to stay behind. Either way, they’ll both be alone in the wild for an uncertain amount of time.

Reviews of your Dog Book

Here are some reviews of ICE ISLAND:

Kirkus: “Riveting and atmospheric, this is a tale of teenage Tatum, who becomes lost and separated from her friend on an Alaskan island with only a team of dogs, a few supplies and her instincts to keep her alive. As a race for survival, this is also an exhilarating sprint through the pages. . . . ”

School Library Journal: “Shahan knows her territory well and vividly describes the landscape’s stark beauty and Tatum’s sense of isolation. Heroic dogs, danger, and an accessible writing style add cross-gender appeal.”

Booklist: “. . . readers attuned to the call of the wild will gobble it down like the frozen caribou strips and turkey-skin treats that keep Tatum’s dogs running.”

The Inspiration for Your Dog Book

Best Dog Books for Kids: What inspired you to write ICE ISLAND?

I was inspired to write Ice Island after visiting St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. This remote island lies west of the mainland of Alaska in the Bering Sea — about 230 miles southwest of Nome. Yet it’s less than 40 miles from Russia. I was startled by the sight of polar bear hides drying on racks, and amused by children playing with large chunks of ice, stacking them like blocks. I remember thinking, Some day I’ll use these details in a story.

Writing Tips

Best Dog Books for Kids: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was deciding what historical facts about the Iditarod to include in the novel, and which ones to leave out. Fortunately, I have an astute editor who helped me with these very difficult decisions.

Other Stories

Best Dog Books for Kids: What other YA/MG books have you written? Do any of them feature a key dog character? If so, which ones? 

DEATH MOUNTAIN (Peachtree) is an adventure novel based on a terrifying near-death experience. My backpacking group was caught in a deadly electrical storm on an exposed ridge. What sets this story apart from other adventure novels is that the two main characters are teen girls. They’re forced to face the challenges of being lost in the untamed wilderness with grit and resourcefulness.  Their dog is a loveable Australian Shepherd named Sequoia.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what is it about?

I just signed a contract with Whitman for a YA novel set in an eating disorders unit of a hospital. SKIN AND BONES is scheduled for Spring 2014.

About the Author

Best Dog Books for Kids: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

I’m a longtime photographer and travel writer. Adventures have put me inside a dog sled for the first part of the 1,049 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska, on horseback in Africa’s Maasailand, hiking a leech-infested rain forest in Australia, snorkeling with penguins in the Galapagos and more.

Best Dog Books for Kids: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? And why?

When my two daughters were reading Judy Blume’s books I thought I’d like to try writing for children. Up until then, I’d been writing for adults.

If you’d like to learn more about Sherry Shahan, her books and her adventures, please click here.

Thank you for taking time with us at Best Dog Books, Sherry Shahan. We look forward to reading your next book.

Dog Book Resources

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our writing contests.

Today I welcome Helen Frost to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults. Helen is here to talk about Blue Daisy which is a middle grade novel illustrated by Rob Shepperson and published by Holiday House/ Margaret Ferguson Books for kids aged 7-10. Congratulations on your book launch!

Since this interview first posted, Blue Daisy has won the 2020 Best Dog Book Medal. Congratulations, Helen and Rob!

Best Dog Books for Kids: Who is your key dog character?

A stray dog comes into town, and remains nameless for the first part of the book. Eventually she earns the name Blue Daisy.

Best Dog Books for Kids: Tell us about your story.

The story is in the classic tradition of “A stranger comes to town.” When the skinny homeless dog shows up, she becomes a catalyst for four children (a set of twins, and two friends) to re-think the way they interact with each other. Who are the mean kids? Who are the nice ones? Why doesn’t the dog trust the nice kids? It’s not at all heavy-handed, but it gives young readers a way of thinking through the ways they may pre-judge people, and, equally important, animals.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What inspired you to write this story?

The story has deep roots, and has been through so many revisions, that it is no longer possible for me to say what the original inspiration was. There is a childhood memory at its core, and friendships, some that have occasionally been difficult to maintain, in the body of the story.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

There is a scene in the book where Katie’s mother accuses her of being mean, which makes Katie cry. That scene arose from a difficult situation during the writing of the story where a friend accused me of not caring about dogs—because how could I write about something awful happening to a dog, and risk giving children such a terrible idea? I set the book aside for a while as I considered what my friend had said, worried because it seemed that I needed to choose between the friendship and the book. In the end, facing the accusation made the story stronger, and both the book and the friendship became stronger because of it. I was very lucky to have an editor, Margaret Ferguson, who stood by me through this self-questioning and offered thoughtful support as the story found its way.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What kind of story can we expect next from you?

I have a picture book coming out in 2022, titled enticingly, Wait—and See. I’m not sure what my next novel will be, but I’d like to mention an earlier novel about a dog. Diamond Willow is set in Alaska, and features a relationship between a 12-year-old dog musher named Willow and her sled dog, Roxy. It’s an adventure story, a dog-story, a novel-in-poems for readers just a little older than the readers who are enjoying Blue Daisy.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

I have never met Blue Daisy’s illustrator, Rob Shepperson, but I love what he brought to the book. His lively illustrations add depth to the story and bring the characters to life in a delightful way.

Photo credit: Tim Andersen, Bel Air Photography

Best Dog Books for Kids: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? Why?

I do remember an emotional impact of a book my older sister read to me when I was 4 and she was 11. The book was Sonny Elephant (by Madge Bigham, published by Little, Brown and Company, 1939) and there was a horrible character called “Man” who mistreated the elephant family. About halfway through the book I realized that “Man” meant people. We were Man. Writing this now, I am aware that something similar is going on in Blue Daisy, as Sam and Katie come to recognize that there’s not such a big difference between them and the mean kids.

Best Dog Books for Kids: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Go for it! Writing has a lot of value in itself, whether or not your writing is immediately published. As for publication, it is hard, but not impossible. And of course, throughout this journey, enjoy the richness of reading.

If you’d like to learn more about Helen Frost, you can check out the author’s website or follow the author on facebook or instagram. You can find book reviews and awards for Helen’s books by following links on her website.

Thank you Helen for joining us at Best Dog Books. We look forward to reading your book!

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors with dog books, check out the rules for the Best Dog Book Medal.

Thank you, Rob Shepperson for the lovely illustration of Blue daisy accepting her award, the 2020 Best Dog Book Medal.

From the publisher:

One morning in May five little dachshunds are born. They grow up the way puppies do, and at first they all look exactly alike. But after nine weeks Pretzel starts growing – and growing – and growing! Fully grown, Pretzel is the longest dachshund in all the world. He easily wins a blue ribbon at the dog show and is admired by everyone – everyone but Greta, the little dachshund across the street, who doesn’t care for long dogs. Pretzel is unable to win Greta’s heart until the day she needs rescuing, when the only dog who can save her must be very, very long. This classic story of puppy love will win the hearts of both old and new Pretzel fans. How can you go wrong with a story that begins and ends with puppies?

Just launched on March 31, 2020!

From the publisher:

A daring dog takes a whirlwind tour of Rome in search of freedom in new picture book from beloved storyteller Mac Barnett and masterful illustrator Claire Keane

Paolo the dachshund is trapped. Though he lives in Rome, a city filled with history and adventure, he is confined to a hair salon. Paolo dreams of the sweet life—la dolce vita—in the Eternal City. And then, one day, he escapes! Paolo throws himself into the city, finding adventure at every turn. Join our hero as he discovers the wonders of Rome: the ruins, the food, the art, the opera, and—of course—the cats. Readers will cheer the daring of this bighearted dog, whose story shows that even the smallest among us can achieve great things.

Check out a reading of PAOLO by the author, Mac Barnett. Click here.

For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.

For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our writing contests.

Today I welcome Tania Romanov to World Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a story set outside of the United States.

Tania Romanov has published One Hundred Years of Exile: A Romanov’s Search for her Father’s Russia by Travelers’ Tales which is a historic memoir set in Russia for readers interested in memoirs.

Congratulations on your recent Oct 2020 book launch!! I bought a copy and devoured it in a few readings. I’ve read over 150 books since Christmas and this one kept me engaged and turning the page. If you look like historical memoirs, One Hundred Years of Exile will not disappoint. I could not put it down!

If you don’t believe me, here are some other reviews:

“This book stirred such powerful emotions that I had to occasionally just put it down and let them sweep through me.”

—Marina Romanov, grandniece of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia

“A gripping family account, historically rigourous and ultimately moving … that couples cinematic drama with both tragedy and triumph.”

—Kirkus Reviews

What is One Hundred Years of Exile about?

One Hundred Years of Exile is the true story of one woman’s journey through 100 years of history to find peace with her father. Tania Romanov Amochaev and her father were both exiled from their homelands as infants; both knew life in refugee camps. Their shared fate does not lead to mutual understanding.

The family’s immigration to San Francisco heralded a promising new future—but while Tania just wanted to be an American, her father could not trust that this was his final asylum. His fears and his resistance to assimilation leave Tania with deep resentment toward him and her Russian heritage. Decades later, his unexpected death exposes Tania’s open wounds and a host of unanswered questions about her father and his story.

A serendipitous meeting with a last surviving member of the Russian royal family, followed by a baffling error that miraculously connects her with unknown relatives, catapults Tania on a quest for answers in her father’s homeland.

Tania’s story proves inseparable from Russia’s, featuring Cossacks who fled revolution, a family who survived Stalin, and royal exiles, culminating in a meeting between princess and peasant. One Hundred Years of Exile is a moving story of how revisiting the past can bring not only forgiveness and redemption, but something far more powerful.

The author and her family visiting the last home (in Crimea) her grand parents stayed before leaving Russia forever.

What inspired you to write One Hundred Years of Exile?

One Hundred Years of Exile is my story of reconnecting with my father and making peace with him. I never understood his fears when I was young, but writing this book led me to reconnect with him. It was an act of atonement that has led to enormous peace for me.

How are you connected to the setting of your story?

My family was exiled from Russia in 1920, and I grew up in San Francisco. But it may as well have been in the heart of old Russia. I went to Russian school, prayed in Russian churches, was a Russian Girl Scout, and had Russians as my best friends. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union overtook Russia, and Stalin killed all memories of that old life. My traveling back to Russia, I was able to reconnect those two worlds. It was a gift I will savor for the rest of my life.

What was the biggest challenge you had writing One Hundred Years of Exile? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge in writing the story lay in heading back to Russia to understand the country my grandparents left. I had to go to Crimea, which the US State Department told me was extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. But I couldn’t wait for our countries to resolve these challenges. November 13, 2020 was exactly 100 years after my grandparents fled Russia. In the end, I sat at the abandoned old pier where their flight on a battleship initiated. It was worth everything it took to make the trip.

The author and her family in Russia

What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it set outside of the United States? If so, where? And what is it about?

I travel around the world and write tales of the people I connect with. Covid is not leading to much travel, but you can read my stories in my book, Never a Stranger, by Tania Romanov. As Covid roared in, I was supposed to be trekking across northern Kenya supported by camels. It broke my heart to see that trip canceled, but I hope to take it next year, and share the tale.

Can you remember the first book set outside of the United States that made an impact on you? And why?

Black Lamb and Gray Falcon by Rebecca West, written in 1941, was a book I read as a young woman and will never forget. It was not just that she was walking through Yugoslavia, the homeland my mother had been forced to abandon, but that she reached out to local people and learned about their lives. I have been following her traces around the world since then.

My book about my mother’s family and their forced exiles from that same land was enriched by my travel there. The book is Mother Tongue: A Saga of Three Generations of Balkan Women.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Don’t wait for the right moment, write a little bit every day. Eventually, magic will appear before your eyes. Trust me.

Tania Romanov Amochaev is the author of Mother Tongue: A Saga of Three Generations of Balkan Women and Never a Stranger, a collection of travel essays. Born in the former Yugoslavia, she fled and spent her childhood in a refugee camp in Trieste, Italy, before immigrating to the United States. A graduate of San Francisco public schools, she went on to serve as CEO of three technology companies.

You can learn more about Tania and her books by checking our her website.

Thank you, Tania Romanov for joining us at World Books!

We look forward to reading more of your stories.