Skinny Leg

Spencer Bruggeman is the smallest, slowest kid in class, born with a "skinny leg" that makes him a target on the football field and in the cafeteria. But when a library copy of The Call of the Wild sparks a dream of sled dogs, Spencer and his dad build a scrappy kennel of misfit huskies. Mentored by a four-time Iditarod champion, Spencer trains toward the 100-mile Race to the Sky—and a blizzard, an injured team, and a charging moose will test whether an underdog has grit.

• A true underdog story: a real boy with a 'skinny leg' who becomes the youngest musher ever to run Montana's 100-mile Race to the Sky.
• Blurbed by four-time Iditarod champion Doug Swingley (a character in the book) and 17 Miracles director T.C. Christensen.
• Perfect next read for kids who loved The Call of the Wild, Hatchet, or Where the Red Fern Grows.
• Funny, voice-driven narration that makes hard topics—bullying, disability, a friend's incarcerated parent—accessible and hopeful.

“You may have a skinny leg, Spence, but you have a big brain, and a big brain will serve you much better in life than sports ever will. You're the lucky one. You'll see.”

Perfect for a dog-loving 9-13 year old (especially a reluctant or bullied boy reader) who enjoyed The Call of the Wild or Hatchet and wants an underdog adventure with heart and humor.