The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto (Step-Into-Reading) (Paperback)

by Natalie Standiford (Author), Donald Cook (Illustrator) "This is a true story about a very brave dog..." (more)
Key Phrases: lead dog, Point Safety

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-- A compelling account, told in easy-to-read format, of Balto, a sled dog who led his team through snow and ice over 53 miles of northern Alaska wilderness to deliver some medicine. The story is based on an actual event that occurred in 1925 during an outbreak of diptheria, when the closest medicine was 800 miles away in Anchorage. When the train bearing the important cargo became buried in the snow still 700 miles from its destination, a dog sled relay was used. Cook's softly colored illustrations are expressive and enhance the drama of the story--a proud and heroic story that young readers are sure to enjoy. --Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"A compelling account, told in easy-to-read format, of a sled dog who led his team over 53 miles of Alaska wilderness to deliver medicine during an outbreak of diphtheria in 1925. Cook's softly colored illustrations enhance the drama of a proud and heroic story that young readers are sure to enjoy."--School Library Journal. -- Review

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 23rd Printing edition (October 17, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394896955
• ISBN-13: 978-0394896953
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 ½* Exciting Story of Heroic Dog, July 27, 2002

By	M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"This is a true story about a very brave dog."

It's 1925 in the sub-zero, treacherous region of Nome, Alaska. Two children stricken with diphtheria need medicine, but the train that carries it gets stuck in the snow, 700 miles from Nome. The town's only hope is a 21-team dog sled relay to deliver the precious medicine. Balto, the head dog on the second to the last run, leads his team through blinding snowdrifts and over a frozen river, and around cracking ice, and reaches Nome almost ten days before the expected arrival. He becomes famous: In New York City, thousands of miles away, a statue of Balto is put up in Central Park.

This is an exciting book, with soft, slighted muted illustrations and short sentences, is an excellent book (especially for adventure and dog lovers) for the reader in from around grades 1 through 3. The suspenseful narration and the real heroics of Balto and his driver (along with the 20 other dog teams) make for a dramatic story. 48 pages, includes map of the trail to Nome.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad, May 2, 2005

A Kid's Review

Yeah, I know. Some reviewer called Balto a fraud. He wasn't. He really did lead his sled team through 53 miles in subzero temperatures, though he wasn't the bravest dog ever(Togo was), so I took one star off. But his story deserves to be told just as much as Togo's, and yes, I love that husky Togo and his bravery (He lead 260 miles). It is 1925. There's an epidemic of diphtheria sweeping through Nome, and sled dogs are needed to deliver desperately needed serum. But in the subzero temperatures, will they make it? This is an excellent introduction to the Iditarod for children. (Oh, and by the way, Balto didn't try to claim all the glory. He was forced to run, though he was considered too 'weak' to do so. I call that animal abuse. He certainly proved he wasn't 'weak' since he ran 53 miles! Gunnar Kaasen even abandoned him to a dime museum later on! BAD pet keeper!)

20 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Balto is a fraud and this book is a lie!, July 24, 2002

By	"conjurer2002" (Ashland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto (Step Into Reading: A Step 2 Book) (School & Library Binding)

Balto was nothing but a scrub freight dog and that is the truth!

In the mid-sixties I lived next door to the real hero Leonhard Seppala and spent many hours listening to him recount his mushing days.

He set off from Nome to get the serum and traveled more than 260 miles in subzero temperatures. His lead dog was Togo.

Seppala at the age of 90 told me how sad he was that Balto had stolen the glory. Seppala left Balto behind because he was nothing but a scrub freight dog. Seppala said he would never have run Balto in the lead position.

After he was already on the trail for a full day's run, Seppala met Gonangnan at Shaktoolik where he took the serum and turned around to head back towards Nome. Facing into a mercilous gale with temperatures at 30 degrees below zero Seppala led by Togo headed across the uncertain ice of Norton Sound. He carried the serum back 91 miles and exhausted turned it over to Charlie Olson in Golovin.

Olson in turn handed the serum over to Gunnar Kaasen and Balto who carried it into Nome getting the glory. Kaasen was supposed to pass the serum to Ed Rohn at safety for the final 22 miles, but instead he continued on to Nome, reportedly because his team "was doing so well" and he didn't want to wake Rohn. Others, however, later accused Kaason of trying to gain publicity by being the musher to bring the serum into Nome.

For their part, Togo and Seppala covered more than 260 miles. No other team did more than 53 miles.

Year's later, Seppala commented: "It was almost more than I could bear when the newspaper dog, Balto, received a statue in Central Park in New York for his accomplishments, decked out in Togo's colors, and with the claim that he had taken Amundsen to Point Barrow and part way to the North Pole, when he had never been 200 miles north of Nome".

For the real story check out Seppala, Alaskan Dog Driver, by Elizabeth Ricker, copyright 1930.