Balto and Togo: Hero Dogs of Alaska

October 1, 2023
The historic sled dog "Serum Run" was undertaken to prevent a diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. Inventing minor details as needed to construct a seamless narrative while sticking closely to participants' memoirs and other documentary evidence, Moss recounts each leg of the nearly 700-mile relay--capturing both its urgency and the serious dangers faced by the 19 teams of dogs and men who undertook it. Exerting authorial license around a claim that the "malamute chorus," a sort of canine news and social network that even worked over long distances, was a real Alaska thing, she tells the tale from doggy as well as human points of view by weaving in engaging exchanges of canine banter: "I can feel it in my bones--we're headed for Norton Bay. I know that Togo here loves the sea ice, but it gives me the heebie-jeebies." Still, nearly every member of the cast, two- or four-legged, was real, as were the extreme cold, severe winds, blinding snow fog, and other obstacles faced by the tough dogs and rugged-looking, fur-clad men in Hughes' stark black-and-white illustrations. The disease claimed one child identified as Inupiaq/Norwegian, and one musher was part Athabascan; otherwise the human cast reads as white. True to life and compellingly dramatic. (afterword, source list, end notes) (Fictionalized nonfiction. 10-13)

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November 1, 2023

Gr 3-7-Set in the winter of 1924, this illustrated middle grade book is based on real events that took place during the diphtheria outbreak in Alaska. To prevent infection from spreading, one million units of antitoxin must be delivered as quickly as possible. But due to weather, temperature, minimal road access, distance, and isolation, the serum must travel by mushers and dogsleds. As they journey along the trail, the teams face frostbite, black holes, and trips and tangles. The details of the outbreak are shown through a variety of characters' points of view. After a telegraph is sent out asking for help, a team of huskies undertake a 600-mile round trip. Readers get to understand what the dogs are seeing and thinking as the author includes narration and dialogue from their perspectives. Additional viewpoints-from a sick child, a nurse, the mayor-round out the characters and add drama to the story. Footnotes on the bottom of several pages include detail about word definitions. Back matter includes over 10 pages of notes, reference material, and sources. VERDICT This well-researched adventure book will be out just in time for the winter. Children who enjoy animal adventure stories will love this book!-Tanya Boudreau

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Starred review from December 1, 2023
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* This account of the brave men and resilient, expertly trained dogsled teams that successfully conveyed the desperately needed diphtheria serum across nearly 700 miles of Alaskan wilderness in the 1920s is engaging and exciting. The compelling story begins with a young girl waking up with a sore throat; within a few pages, there's an epidemic, and a doctor in Nome sends out an emergency request for the life-saving medicine. But how is it ever going to get there? Plane travel is in its infancy and much too risky; the only option is the teams of mushers who routinely transport goods between frozen outposts. Time is of the essence: children are dying. Readers are pulled into the story through vivid descriptions of the blinding blizzard conditions, harsh and inhospitable terrain, and detailed effects of temperatures dropping to -50�F. Even more compelling are the imaginary conversations between the sled dogs themselves (Balto, Togo, and a host of others) as they urge each other onward and howl news to other teams across the frozen landscape. The author's chapter notes are especially interesting, and include explanations of how primary sources prompted the made-up interactions between the main characters. Kids will relate to these heroes, both human and canine, and come away with new understandings about weather, geography, and history.

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