Shelley traveled here from Alaska to share her tales of the beauty of the Last Frontier with our students and to inspire them to dream big.

She writes her books on Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, having sold more than a million copies world-wide. Her first  book, Kiana's Iditarod, was about her own experience as one of the first women to run the 1,100 mile dog sled race in Nome. Since Kiana's Iditarod, Shelley has written 25 more best-sellers.

Shelley's aim during her presentations is to always inspire students to be excited about reading and writing. Blending poetry and humor, Shelley explores the 49th state's history, culture, wildlife, and geography. Explosive volcanoes, extreme climates, massive mountains, shimmering Northern Lights, and dog-mushing races are just some of the sight captured in crisp photographs. She uses stories from her life and visual aids - including a woolly mammoth leg bone, dog booties and Eskimo yo-yos - to personalize her talks. She covered a range of topics, from the Iditarod Sled-Dog Race to chasing whales. Shelley talked about where her ideas come from, and the importance of research and accuracy in writing.

Thank You Shelley!