I read this the first time in junior high and really enjoyed the gritty depiction of life in a brutal, winter climate. It really took me there and planted the seed for a lifelong fascination with Alaska and Canada. I read it again in high school and was amazed at how a few years of life had allowed me to appreciate elements of the story that had previously eluded me. When younger, I had enjoyed books about dogs (Where the Red Fern Grows, White Fang, Snow Dog, etc.) and this certainly felt like a progression from those types of stories to a more grownup world. If you liked those types of books, this will have a sense of familiarity. Highly recommended!