I've known Pam for decades -- I believe we first met in my small town's public library -- and I've vicariously followed her adventures over the years. After she completed her solo dog-mushing expedition from Barrow, Alaska to Repulse Bay, Canada (that's about 2,500 miles, give or take a few) she asked me to help her write about that journey. The resulting books, Alone Across the Arctic and Big-Enough Anna (illustrated by Bill Farnsworth), have won several awards and are still in print. (Yay!)
Since then Pam has authored two more picture books on her own, Douggie: The Playful Pup Who Became a Sled Dog Hero (illustrated by John Van Zyle) and now, Ellie's Long Walk: The True Story of Two Friends on the Appalachian Trail. This new book, also illustrated by Bill Farnsworth, takes readers along the famous trail in a gentle story that recounts both the beauty of the experience and the challenges. Above all, the story is about the relationship between Pam and Ellie, her dog.
Anyone who knows Pam knows two things about her. Once she sets a goal, almost nothing (even Mother Nature) will prevent Pam from achieving it. The only thing that can stop her is the second thing: her love for her dogs. It shines through in every adventure she pursues and every story she tells, including this one.
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