Customer Reviews

Togo

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When I was growing up in Seattle there was an old man that lived in our neighborhood, he was a former dogsled racer that had retired to the Ballard area. I used to stop and visit him after school. His wife would give me cookies and milk and Leonhard would tell me stories about his days in Nome.

One story he always told was about the great deeds that Togo, his favorite lead dog, had done. Togo had saved Leonhard's life on numerous occaisons.

Leonhard told me the story about the serum run into Nome during the diptheria epidemic. As he and Togo returned to Nome after a run of over 150 miles in one day they were met by someone coming out from Nome with Balto at the lead. Leonhard handed off the serum and rested his dogs. Then Balto got all the glory as he returned to town with the serum. Balto ran only a few miles from Nome and was considered a "scrub" freight dog by Leonhard.

It broke Leonhard's heart - he always told me how much it upset him when they put a statue in Central Park to Balto, and they even decked it out in Togo's colors (ribbons).

I was so thrilled to see Robert Blake's release of Togo. I immediately bought a copy and as I read it, it was as if Leonhard was telling me the story again as he had so many years ago in his living room in Ballard. Blake's extensive research is "right on" and he has done a wonderful job of retelling the story as it actually occurred.

I highly recommend Togo to anyone interested in what really happened in the 1924 Serum Race.

Robert Lane
Ashland, OR

Togo is a great book for children to learn about courage and determination. A must for dog lovers! I highly recommend this book for any child.

Togo is a beautifully written book for children. The character of this special dog shines through these pages to inspire young and old. Also a great read for adults who love animal stories.

The book is beautiful. My son and I are following the Iditarod race electronically. In order to understand this race, we were looking into the original Great Serum Race and information about dog sledding. This is an eloquently told story based on facts that is fitting for an elementary student. The artwork is fantastic and helps pull you into the brutal winter conditions that is tied to the story.

This is a wonderful true story about those who should should not be forgotten. "Togo" is a beautiful example of the blessings of sacrifice, love, devotion, and perseverence. Truely a story to touch your heart.

This is visually beautiful book that tells a beautiful story. This is a story of courage and strength. Togo's story needs to be told. I even purchased a copy for my son's elementary school library.

I once thought Balto (He is a hero too) was the hero of the Serum Run, but now, I know it's Togo. All those brave dogs deserve recognition, but Togo's story deserves to be better-known. Go, Togo!

Robert Blake does his homework, writes a beautiful story and even paints the illustrations in this beautiful children's book. Togo is a heart-rending story about the Siberian husky some folks believe was given short shrift after the Great Serum Race of 1925. Togo, his handler, Leonhard Seppala, and his team of brave sled dogs ran a total of 260 miles, farther than any team of dogs during the dramatic race against time to get diphtheria vaccine to Nome in January, 1925.

The book includes a map of the trail that begins in Anchorage where the serum is loaded onto a train and taken to the end of the line in Nenana. There the dogsleds take over. Seppala and his team leave Nome headed for Nulato, 300 miles from Nome, where they are to pick up the serum and take it back to Nome. They race through a raging winter storm for three days. On the fourth day, they almost miss the musher they're to meet because Seppala can't see or hear in the storm. However, Togo's ears shoot up, and Seppala finally hears the other musher's voice. Another team ends up taking the serum the last leg to Nome, and this is where the controversy begins.

The other musher, Gunnar Kaasen, and his dog, Balto, owned and trained by Seppala, made the final leg of the journey, also with much difficulty. A hero's welcome awaited them in Nome, and Kaasen's and Balto's names became well known around the world. Togo gave his all to get the serum to Nome, and never raced again. Balto spent his last days at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, along with his sled mates, and a statue of him was erected in New York's Central Park.

However one views the days after the race, it was nothing short of a miracle that the dogs and mushers of the great serum race covered the same distance in five days that it took the U.S. mail system 30 days to cover, and did so in the most horrendous weather conditions imaginable.

Mr. Blake is also the award-winning author of the children's book, Akiak, about another great Iditarod husky. Also recommended: Balto and the Great Race by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel and The Great Serum Race by Debbie S. Miller.

Carolyn Rowe Hill

I read this book in my third grade class. It is an exciting story about the sled dog Togo. Togo has the heart of a real hero because he wanted more than anything to lead a dog team. This book makes you cheer for Togo. I used to think Balto was the hero of the Iditarod until I read this book. I love the beautiful pictures drawn by the author. It is a book I will keep forever.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow nor gloom of night will keep this pack of hardy Arctic dogs from reaching their goal!

Togo was a beautiful male Siberian husky who was part of the team who got the serum through to Nome during the Diptheria Epidemic of 1925. His part and those of the other dogs were eclipsed by one famous husky named Balto who led the team during the last 53 miles. Togo had quite a track record. He won many dog sled races and from the time he was 8 months old, showed his independent streak by hopping fences and holding his own as a musher with larger huskies and malamutes.

A strong, hardy dog with a curly tail, Togo plays an important role in history. During the outbreak of diptheria in January of 1925, a desperate plea was sent to the Governor in Juneau, declaring an emergency. A train was loaded with the necessary serum, but snow precluded it from getting through. In those days airplanes had open cockpits. Planes did not fly to Alaska then because inclement weather precluded air lift as pilots could not survive exposure to the extreme cold. The only way for the medicine to get through to Nome was via dog sled.

Enter Togo. The hardy husky, together with his canine team mates and musher Leonhard Seppala brave atrocious weather conditions for some 350 miles to get the medicine to Nome. Togo led his team for several days with no rest until a second musher picked up where this team left off.

The illustrations are masterpieces as well as this wonderful book. It is an important part of early U.S./Alaskan history and will be treasured by all ages. Readers will feel the freezing Arctic air as those huskies and malamutes brave long distances to get the serum to Nome. The dog sled teams got the medicine there several days before the deadline date. If not for these dogs, the epidemic would have claimed many casualties. Togo has rightfully earned his honored place in history and will be treasured for time immemorial.

This book makes me think of the 1979 classic, "Ain't No Stopping Us Now." Be sure to read this with other books about Balto and the incredible race against time during the Diptheria Epidemic of 1925.