Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2013:
"An informative historical narrative with heart."
Small, feisty Siberian husky Togo—the overlooked sled-dog hero of the 1925 serum run to Nome—sets the record straight in Dog Diaries #4!
When a diptheria epidemic breaks out in isolated Nome, Alaska, in January 1925, the only way to get life-saving serum to the town is by using dog-sled relay teams. Twenty teams participate, and the dog who inevitably gets credit for saving the town is Balto, lead dog on the final team which delivered the serum. But few people have ever heard of 12-year-old Togo and his musher Leonard Seppala, who carried the serum for almost double the length of any other team, and twice violated warnings to avoid perilous Norton Sound and instead ran straight over the frozen ice! With realistic black-and-white illustrations by Tim Jessell—plus an appendix with information about Siberian huskies, sled dogs, mushers, and more—Togo's tale is perfect for middle-grade readers who love a spunky underdog!
About the Author
KATE KLIMO is the author of many books for young readers, including The Dragon Keepers and all the books in the Dog Dairies series. She lives in New Paltz with her husband and two horses, Harry and Fancy. Over the years, she has served as companion to eight dogs: Pal, Beauregard, Fred, Kelly, Bear, Rascal, Dobey, and George W. Currently, she is searching for a furever friend who gets along well with horses. To learn more about her and her work, visit www.kateklimoauthor.com.
TIM JESSELL is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in numerous children's books. He is the illustrator of all the books in the Dog Diaries series. Check out his work at timjessell.com.
Age Range: 7 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 5
Lexile Measure: 650L
