Since the excerpt was not mentioned in your question, I can try to answer you in a general way. “Stone Fox” is a short novel published in 1980 by John Reynolds Gardiner. The story is about a little boy named Willy who enters a dog sled race in order to win $500 to pay back the taxes on his grandfather's farm. The book is about determination, courage and never giving up. Willy faces several challenges and obstacles that a child his age shouldn’t have to experience but he still believes he can win the race anyway and he won’t give up until he gets that prize.