Arctic Storm

by Frieda Wishinsky

  “I’m going to wrap Moon Dog’s leg and see if he can still walk,” said John.

  “I thought sled dogs had more sense than to trip,” said Rob.

  “It was an accident. He couldn’t see the dip in the ground,” said Emily. “See how good he is about getting bandaged?”

  It was true. Moon Dog didn’t bark or wiggle. He stood there patiently, waiting for John to finish.

  “Moon Dog knows that we’re trying to help him,” said Matt. “And he knows we need his help, too.”

  “Okay. I admit it, kids. That dog may not have a clue where he’s going, but he’s not a whiner,” said Rob.

  “Let’s see if he can walk,” said John.

  Everyone watched as Moon Dog took a wobbly step. Then another and another. After taking a few more uncertain steps, he sprinted toward Arthur and licked his hand.

  Arthur smiled weakly and patted Moon Dog’s head.

  “Moon Dog is amazing,” said Matt.

  “Maybe he can still lead us,” said Emily.

  “He’s certainly helping Arthur,” said John. “You’re right, Emily. Maybe he can lead us. Maybe not as fast as before, but let’s see. Everyone, take your places in your sleds.”

  John hitched Moon Dog back up and everyone in the group returned to their sleds.

  “Mush, Moon Dog,” said John.

  Moon Dog took a step. Then another. And another. Then he began to race across the snow. All the dogs and sleds followed.

  Soon there was little daylight left. They’d have to stop and set up the tents. But Arthur was so sick. How would he get through another night without a doctor?

  Suddenly, they heard a loud pop. The sleds came to a stop.

  “Was that a gun? Are there hunters around here?” said Sam.

  “We’d better be careful. We don’t want them to shoot us by accident,” said Rob.

  “At least there are people around here somewhere,” said John. “I’ll fire a shot into the air, too. Then we should call out to them.”

  The far-off gunshots sounded again.

  John fired his gun into the air. Everyone in the group called for help. The dogs barked and pulled at the reins.

  Boom. Boom. Boom. More gunshots in the distance.

  This time louder. Closer.

  “Why don’t they stop shooting? Can’t they hear us?” said Sam.

  “I’m firing again. After that, yell as loud as you can!” said John.

  John fired into the air. Everyone shouted.

  “Look. Over there!” cried Emily.

  Two men on snowmobiles were coming toward them over a small hill. They were waving and calling.

  “Phew,” said John, taking a deep breath and leaning against the sled.

  “Dad,” said Arthur, “I’m going to throw up.”

  And he did.

  Chapter 11:

  Wrong

  The men got off their snowmobiles and ran over. They were the group’s Inuit guides!

  “We’ve been looking for you all day,” said one of the guides, who introduced himself to Emily and Matt as Len. “We shot the guns in the air to signal you.”

  “We thought you were hunters. Thank goodness you found us,” said John, grasping each man’s hand. “We are so glad to see you!”

  “We would have found you yesterday as we’d arranged,” said the other guide, whose name was Kevin, “but the snowstorm came up so quickly and unexpectedly from the north that it wasn’t safe to travel. We couldn’t see anything. We knew you had tents, food, and a radio, so we counted on you to be okay till the storm ended.”

  “We might have been if our radio hadn’t gone bust,” said Sam.

  “And if we hadn’t lost most of our food,”

  said Rob.

  “And if we didn’t have a sick kid,” said John. “How far are we from the lodge?”

  “You’re only five minutes away. It’s behind those trees to the south. Moon Dog led you to safety,” Kevin explained.

  “Well, I’ll be…” said Rob, smiling for the first time since they’d started sledding. “Moon Dog knew where he was going. I guess you kids were right to believe in him after all.”

  Moon Dog licked Rob’s hand as if he understood what the man was saying. “Cut it out,” said Rob, pushing Moon Dog away. “I don’t like you that much.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Arthur needs help fast,” said John. “He’s really sick.”

  “There’s a doctor on an ice fishing trip who’s staying at the lodge,” said Len. “He should be able to help your son. Follow us.”

  Everyone hurried back to their sleds and followed the guides to the lodge. Just as they said, it was only a five-minute ride away.

  The minute they arrived, the guides found the doctor. While he examined Arthur, Emily sketched Moon Dog, who was tied up outside the lodge with the other dogs. Moon Dog paced back and forth.

  “I have to record this,” said Matt, turning on his recorder. “We’ve had a wild Arctic adventure,” said Matt. “We met scientists studying wolves and caribou, got caught in a snowstorm, and were saved by a smart sled dog named Moon Dog. We’re waiting to hear about our friend, Arthur. Moon Dog is waiting, too. He’s worried about Arthur just like we are. He’s an awesome dog.”

  Matt flipped the recorder off as John ran outside.

  “I know you kids would want to hear about Arthur,” said John. “It looks like he has appendicitis. But in ten minutes, we’re taking a floatplane to Yellowknife, where he’ll be seen in a hospital. He may have to have an operation, but he’ll be fine. He wanted to tell you kids thanks and goodbye.”

  “Tell him we hope he’s better soon!” said Matt.

  “I will,” said John. “And guess who else showed up here? Bruno! He limped back an hour ago with a cut leg and deep scratches on his face. But he’ll be fine. He must have gotten into a tussle with those wolves.”

  “Wow!” said Emily. “I’m glad he’s okay. I’m glad we’re all okay.”

  “But your family doesn’t know that. I bet they’re at the lodge by now. It’s packed with groups from dogsled adventures. So go find them. They must be frantic about you.”

  With that, John waved and hurried back inside.

  “We are going to see our family,” said Emily. “Look at the sled.”

  Shimmering gold words were forming at the front of their magic sled.

  You flew up north.

  You raced on snow.

  But now it’s time

  For you to go.

  Emily and Matt hopped on their sled. Instantly, it flew up.

  Soon they were soaring over the lodge, over the snow-covered ground, and into a fluffy white cloud.

  When they landed in Emily’s tower, they hopped off.

  “I’m glad that Arthur will be all right,”

  said Emily. “It must have been awful being so sick and riding on a bumpy sled. It was wobblier than I thought it would be.”

  “And Rob was grumpy all the way. I wish we’d been riding with Sam instead of him. He kept saying mean things under his

  breath about Moon Dog. Boy, was he wrong.”

  “Well, at least he admitted he was wrong. Wasn’t that an amazing adventure?”

  “It was awesome, but it made me really hungry,” said Matt.

  “I didn’t like those sour cloudberries very much. How about a bowl of better berries?’

  “What kind do you have?”

  “Sugar berries,” said Emily.

  “I’ve never heard of sugar berries. Where

  do they come from?”

  Emily laughed. “They come from my cupboard and my fridge. All you have to do is get a bowl of blueberries or strawberries and add some sugar. If the berries are

  sour, that makes them extra sweet. And then you have sugar berries. It�
�s easy and yummy. Want some?”

  Matt smiled. “Yes. Your sugar berries

  sound delicious.”

  “Then let’s mush into the kitchen!”

  said Emily.

  And they did.

  More About...

  After their adventure, Matt and Emily wanted to know more about dogsledding, wolves, caribou, and the North. Turn the page for their favourite facts.

  * * *

  Matt’s Top Ten Facts

  Wolves look like big husky dogs. In Canada, the largest wolves are found in the northwest part of the country and the smallest ones live on the Arctic islands.

  Wolves mark their territory with the scent of their you-know-what.

  Wolf pups are born blind and deaf

  Wolves’ thick coats are often grey, but can also be white or black, or a mixture of colours. White wolves are common in the Arctic.

  Wolves hunt and eat in groups called packs. They often eat caribou.

  Wolves love to howl. The leader of the wolf pack usually howls loudest.

  Here are some other wild animals beside caribou and wolves that roam around the Northwest Territories: moose, Dall sheep, elk, snowshoe hares, wolverines, and Arctic foxes.

  Sometimes cloudberries are called baked apple berries. They don’t look like apples but some people say they taste like honeyed apples. They’re expensive because they don’t grow in many places.

  If you want to stay warm and comfortable while camping in winter, wear layers of clothing.

  Don’t eat snow! It’s not healthy for you. Snow contains a lot of bacteria and pesticides that can make you sick.

  * * *

  Emily’s Top Ten Facts

  In 2001, the Canadian Inuit dog became Nunavut’s official mammal. The Inuit call them “qimmiq.”

  The Canadian Inuit dog was honoured with a stamp in 1988 and a fifty-cent coin in 1997.

  Dogsled racing is popular in the Northwest Territories. Sled-racing dogs have to be fast and tough. They often travel an average of 32 km (20 miles) an hour.

  Here are some northern dogs used in sledding: Alaskan Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Canadian Inuit dog, Chinook, Labrador Husky, and Siberian Husky.

  Sled dogs have a good sense of direction and can see farther than humans.

  Joseph-Armand Bombardier from Quebec designed the first modern snowmobile in 1958. He called it a Ski-Do.

  Caribou can usually outrun wolves unless they are injured or the wolves attack them by surprise.

  Caribou have always been an important source of food for Canada’s northern people but they are now endangered.

  In the 1970s, scientists usually counted caribou by watching them. Today scientists often track caribou by taking photographs of them from the air.

  In 1974 scientist counted 251,000 Bathurst caribou. In 2009 only 32,000 were counted.

  So You Want to Know...

  FROM AUTHOR FRIEDA WISHINSKY

  When I was writing this book, my friends wanted to know more about dogsledding and the Northern environment. I told them that although all the characters in this story are made up, the story is based on my research on dogsledding, climate change, caribou, wolves, and the Northwest Territories.

  Here are some questions I answered:

  When did people start using dogs for sledding?

  No one knows exactly when humans began to use dogs for sledding, but archaeologists have found evidence that the Thule people were probably the first to use dogs around 1000 CE. Dogsledding is also mentioned in Arabian literature. It describes dogs being used in the Siberian Arctic in the tenth century.

  In his writings at the end of the thirteenth century, the explorer Marco Polo mentions dogsleds; and in a 1675 edition of explorer Martin Frobisher’s book Historic Navigations, there’s an illustration of a dog pulling a canoe-like sled. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, dogsledding became popular for trade and travel with the early colonists and voyageurs in Canada’s New France.

  What jobs did sled dogs do?

  Sled dogs helped traders, hunters, and fishermen with their work. They were used to deliver mail, supplies, and news to remote places. In the 1870s, the North West Mounted Police used sled dogs to patrol the Canadian wilderness.

  How and why were dogsleds involved in exploring the North and South Pole?

  Sled dogs are good for travelling on ice and snow. They’re also intelligent and strong. That’s why Arctic explorers used them to reach the poles. Admiral Peary used 133 dogs in his race to be first to the North Pole. Roald Amundsen used dogs in his bid to be first to the South Pole. But Amundsen’s rival explorer Robert Scott didn’t have confidence in dogs and relied instead on horses on his South Pole expedition. Many people believe that was one of the reasons that Scott’s expedition failed to reach the Pole first, and that Scott and his men died on their way back from the Pole.

  Have sled dogs rescued people in distress?

  There’s a famous sled-dog rescue story that happened in 1925. That year, there was an outbreak of a terrible disease called diphtheria in Nome, Alaska. The only serum to fight the disease was in Anchorage, Alaska, more than 1,500 km (930 miles) away. There were no aircraft available, so a sled-dog team was used to transport the serum. The lead dog for the last leg of the journey was named Balto. He led the team through dangerous whiteout conditions and delivered the serum to Nome. Many lives were saved. The newspapers reported the story, and later a statue of Balto was erected in New York’s Central Park.

  How has the snowmobile changed the way sled dogs are used today?

  These days, people don’t rely as much on sled dogs for survival in the North because of the popularity of snowmobiles. But there are still many people who enjoy dogsledding for leisure and for sport.

  Why do scientists think that the caribou population has been reduced in recent years?

  Scientists think that modern hunting equipment, like snowmobiles, has contributed to killing many more caribou. They also believe that companies exploring for oil and gas and mining diamonds in the Arctic have destroyed the caribou’s natural habitat. And on top of that, global warming has made it increasingly difficult for the caribou to find food.

  What does “global warming” mean?

  The term “global warming” was first used in a scientific paper in 1975. It means that the Earth’s average surface temperature is increasing. Oceans are also warming up and sea levels are rising. Glaciers are melting faster than ever before.

  What’s causing global warming?

  Scientists say that burning fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum allows greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide to escape into the air. These gases cause most of the warming. Cutting down forests also increases global warming because trees soak up carbon dioxide from the air.

  What can people do about slowing down global warming?

  We can encourage governments to burn less fossil fuel and use better-for-the-environment sources of energy like solar or wind power. We can encourage governments not to destroy forests. We can also use less energy in our daily lives. For example, we can turn lights off when we don’t need them and walk more instead of driving cars. We can also buy food that’s been grown locally. Local food is usually fresher and doesn’t need to be transported long distances.

  About the Author

  Frieda Wishinsky, a former teacher, is an award-winning picture- and chapter-book author, who has written many beloved and bestselling books for children. Frieda enjoys using humour and history in her work, while exploring new ways to tell a story. Her books have earned much critical praise, including a nomination for a Governor General’s Literary Award. She is the author of Please, Louise; You’re Mean, Lily Jean; Each One Special; and What’s the Matter with Albert? among others. Originally from New York, Frieda now lives in Toronto.

  About the Illustrator

  Patricia Ann Lewis-M
acDougall started drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil, and filled every blank spot in her mother’s cookbooks by the age of three. As she grew up, Pat Ann never stopped drawing and enjoyed learning all about the worlds of animation and illustration. She now tells stories with her love of drawing and has illustrated children’s books and created storyboards for television animation for shows such as Little Bear and Franklin the Turtle. Pat Ann lives in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

  Praise for the Series

  Teachers, librarians, and kids from across Canada are talking about the Canadian Flyer Adventures. Here’s what some of them had to say:

  “Great Canadian historical content, excellent illustrations, and superb closing historical facts (I love the kids’ commentary!).” ~ Sara S., Teacher, Ontario

  “As a teacher-librarian I welcome this series with open arms. It fills the gap for Canadian historical adventures at an early reading level! There’s fast action, interesting, believable characters, and great historical information.” ~ Margaret L., Teacher-Librarian, British Columbia

  “The Canadian Flyer Adventures will transport young readers to different eras of our past with the appealing topics. Thank goodness there are more artifacts in that old dresser ... they are sure to lead to even more escapades.” ~ Sally B., Teacher-Librarian, Manitoba

  “When I shared the book with a grade 1–2 teacher at my school, she enjoyed the book, noting that her students would find it appealing because of the action-adventure and short chapters.” ~ Heather J., Teacher and Librarian, Nova Scotia