Monday, September 5, 2011

The Incredible Life of Balto by Meghan McCarthy- ESSENTIAL

McCarthy, Meghan.  The Incredible Life of Balto,  40 pgs.  Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2011.  $16.99. 

Inside cover: “Most people know the story of Balto, the world-famous dog who led his sled 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 New York’s 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.”  Fantastic nonfiction book!  We love the story of Balto, and we thought that we knew the whole story.  We were shocked, saddened, and relieved when reading McCarthy’s book on what happened to Balto after the well known version ends.  The illustrations are amazing and engaging.  We didn’t even remember that we were reading history and not a story because of the incredible well thought out and researched text McCarthy uses.  This is a must for every classroom and library! 

Pre-K.  EL (K-3).  EL. ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer:  SL. 

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