Stone Fox

Gardiner, John Reynolds

ISBN 10: 0690039840 ISBN 13: 9780690039849

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1980

Synopsis

John Reynolds Gardiner's classic action-packed adventure story about a thrilling dogsled race has captivated readers for more than thirty years.

Based on a Rocky Mountain legend, Stone Fox tells the story of Little Willy, who lives with his grandfather in Wyoming. When Grandfather falls ill, he is no longer able to work the farm, which is in danger of foreclosure. Little Willy is determined to win the National Dogsled Race—the prize money would save the farm and his grandfather. But he isn't the only one who desperately wants to win. Willy and his brave dog Searchlight must face off against experienced racers, including a Native American man named Stone Fox, who has never lost a race.

Exciting and heartwarming, this novel has sold millions of copies and was named a New York Times Outstanding Children's Book.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

There's just no stopping little Willy. Determined to keep their farm going -- and to give his ailing grandfather a reason to live -- the ten-year-old boy hitches his dog, Searchlight, to the plow and harvests the whole potato crop.
Now little Willy needs five hundred dollars to pay off ten years' back taxes, or the farm will be taken away from them. Dauntless as ever, he stakes everything on one wild hope: that he and Searchlight can outrun the best dogsled racers in the country -- including the legendary Indian, Stone Fox. But the huge mountain man is every bit as intent on winning the big prize money as little Willy is. And he and his five beautiful Samoyeds haven't lost a race yet....
Based on a Rocky Mountain legend, John Reynolds Gardiner's story -- like its hero, little Willy -- has all the ingredients of a winner, right down to the unforeseen drama at the finish line.

About the Author:

John Reynolds Gardiner (1944–2006), who described himself as an “author, engineer, inventor, rock-and-roll singer, door-to-door salesman, songwriter, and Santa Claus,” traveled widely throughout his life. Born in California, he lived in Ireland, Germany, Italy, El Salvador, England, and Mexico. He heard the legend that inspired Stone Fox while in Idaho and it became his first published work. His other works include How to Live a Life That’s Not Boring.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1980
• ISBN 10: 0690039840
• ISBN 13: 9780690039849
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Sewall Marcia