The Incredible Life of Balto

by Meghan McCarthy

Overview

Most people know the story of Balto, the world famous dog who led his dogsled team through a blizzard to deliver a lifesaving serum to the stricken people of Nome, Alaska, in 1925. Balto shot to instant stardom—a company named dog food after him, a famous sculptor erected a statue of him that stands in Central Park to this day, and the dog even starred in his own Hollywood movie. But what happened to Balto after the hoopla died down? With a lively, informative text and humorous, vibrant illustrations, Meghan McCarthy captures the extraordinary life of Balto beyond his days as a celebrity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375988882
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/09/2011
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Lexile:	AD870L (what's this?)
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

MEGHAN McCARTHY is the author of several critically acclaimed nonfiction picture books, including Aliens Are Coming! The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast; Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas; and Astronaut Handbook.

Editorial Reviews

Among dogs of note, Balto is particularly well known. But children will appreciate the simple and engaging text, and also the cartoonish bug-eyed dogs…the story of Balto leading his team to its destination despite punishing conditions…is gripping even in the retelling. And McCarthy's version benefits by relating what happened after the successful journey.
—The New York Times

Pamela Paul

Having previously highlighted high-profile animals in City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male and Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse, McCarthy turns to Balto, the famous sled dog, to explore his life after the spotlight stopped shining. After making an arduous journey to deliver medicine to combat diphtheria in Nome, Alaska, in 1925, Balto and his owner at first enjoy fame. But after a statue and a starring movie role, Balto's fortunes change when he's sold to a vaudeville act. Though McCarthy's caricature-styled acrylics at times seem incongruous for the subject matter—the googly eyes on both dogs and people may even elicit laughter in some scenes—they temper the grim parts of the tale. Straightforward narration keeps this picture-book biography moving toward its happy conclusion: "With the help of Cleveland newspaper, word of Balto's and the other dogs' poor treatment spread. Children donated their pennies, people passed around collection hats at their jobs" in a successful bid to bring the dog team to a local zoo. It's an accessible introduction to the story of Balto, and a reminder of the fickle nature of fame. Ages 5–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 1–5—Beginning with the diphtheria outbreak of 1925 in Nome, AK, this book relates how musher Gunnar Kaasen and sled team leader Balto embarked on a heroic relay race to deliver the crucial serum through the frigid snow and ice. Unlike many other books on the subject, the story does not end there. Readers follow the canine to Los Angeles for the opening of the biopic, Balto's Race to Nome, where he received a bone-shaped key to the city. Sadly, "A grapple over money caused the dogsled team to be sold…first to a vaudeville act and later to a paltry sideshow. "There Balto and the others were all but forgotten." Here, the once-energetic racers are depicted inert with heavy chains and an upside-down dish of kibble. An indignant businessman in Cleveland helped popularize the animals' cause; the public rallied with school collections and fundraisers to help buy the team, after which he donated them to a zoo "so that all of the people who had helped rescue them could visit….There Balto could relax and enjoy the rest of his life." McCarthy's signature childlike cartoons feature bug-eyed characters rendered in acrylics on gessoed paper. The endpapers show a map of the serum run and Iditarod route. This engaging, informative nonfiction picture book is an ideal read-aloud. Concise, well-chosen text and bold, humorous illustrations make it a first choice.—Barbara Auerbach, PS 217, Brooklyn, NY

School Library Journal