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The Incredible Life of Balto

by Meghan Mccarthy (Goodreads Author)

3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 · rating details · 95 ratings · 34 reviews

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...more

Hardcover, 40 pages

Published August 9th 2011 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

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Feb 21, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biographies, cats-and-dogs, childrens-picture-books, history, 1920s-1950s, non-fiction

I'm a big fan of Meghan McCarthy. Her books are engaging, entertaining and informative. And, even if her illustration style isn't my personal favorite, I have to say that those big-eyed characters she creates are getting more winsome with each book I read. In this book, McCarthy tells the story of Balto, the famous sled dog that helped bring much-needed serum from a town near Anchorage to Nome, Alaska where a diphtheria epidemic threatened many lives in 1925.

This is a story of courage, and ther...more I'm a big fan of Meghan McCarthy. Her books are engaging, entertaining and informative. And, even if her illustration style isn't my personal favorite, I have to say that those big-eyed characters she creates are getting more winsome with each book I read. In this book, McCarthy tells the story of Balto, the famous sled dog that helped bring much-needed serum from a town near Anchorage to Nome, Alaska where a diphtheria epidemic threatened many lives in 1925.

This is a story of courage, and there is a happy ending, mostly. The serum reached the needy people of Nome, and Balto and the other sled dogs, along with their musher Gunnar Kaasen, became heroes. But, McCarthy wants to write the whole story, not leave it at that. "Many children's books about Balto tout him as a hero, but none mentions the fact that he was [later] essentially abandoned, sold off, and shown as a live attraction at a dime show," writes McCarthy in her Afterward, "What inspired me about Balto's story was the happy ending after all his struggles. I knew that the whole story needed to be told."

Indeed, it was cheering to read how many of the people who read about Balto's heroism contributed money so he and the other sled dogs could be purchased from the poor conditions of the dime show and given a beautiful space at the Brookside Zoo. However, much of this book is so sad! Not only did Balto and the sled dogs face deplorable conditions when they were sold (imagine the poor dog, going from having his statue erected in Central Park and staying in famous hotels to being mistreated in a dime show!!!), the book also mentions how several sled dogs on that fateful journey across Alaska died from burst lungs due to the cold. Sob!!! Truth be told, I'm not sure how much I "liked" this story, but I think it is well told. Also that the afterward is VERY important. Here's why:

McCarthy presents young readers with a very important question, "What do you do when the people you are writing about are no longer alive? Nonfiction authors rely on newspaper articles and books and, most recently, websites to learn about their lives. But how accurate are those sources? Not as accurate as you may think!" She goes into explaining how she had her own "detective work" in figuring out some discrepancies in Balto's story, and provides readers with some ways to make sure their research is reliable. The ideas she poses for young readers are great! "What if you are going way back in time? What if you are researching an event such as a parade instead of something that can be measured? One person might say the parade was great, but someone else might say it was boring. Some things are simply a matter of opinion! And sometimes opinions and facts get blended together, especially when you are dealing with historical events." Wow! Such a vitally important idea to keep in mind when we read--kids and adults alike. She presents a few activities for young readers to try, too.

There is also a selected Bibliography.

ETA: A few reviewers have commented that they are disappointed in McCarthy's illustrations, making Balto look cartoon-y and not like the handsome, majestic creature he was. While I took the style of her illustrations in stride, I do feel that an actual photograph of Balto somewhere in the book would have been a very nice touch.

You can, however, see lots of cute pics of him on McCarthy's website:
http://www.meghan-mccarthy.com/balto....

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Aug 05, 2011 Peacegal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 stars--We all know the story of Balto the sled dog and his successful delivery of medicine to the stricken populace of Nome, Alaska. Balto has been the subject of countless children’s books and movies; however the story usually ends at the finish line.

The Incredible Life of Balto is the first book I’ve encountered that tells the complex story of what happened to Balto after the delivery of the serum. (And the book does touch on the fact that Balto was lucky; some sled dogs perished on the tr...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Richie Partington rated it 5 of 5 stars

4 June 2011 THE INCREDIBLE LIFE OF BALTO by Meghan McCarthy, Knopf, August 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-375-84460-7

THE INCREDIBLE LIFE OF BALTO is the picturebook true story of a sled dog from Alaska who became amazingly famous; was soon thereafter forgotten and neglected; and was later rediscovered and saved from further neglect and mistreatment thanks to a public fundraising campaign.

Balto was the lead dog on a dogsled team that was instrumental in saving lives in 1925, when a shipment of medicine...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’m not a dog person. Like ‘em fine. Don’t see much particular need to interact with them on a regular basis. Sometimes, though, I'll feel like my life as a children’s librarian would have been easier if I had been a canine fanatic. A large swath of children’s literature each year is dedicated to man’s best friend. This year alone I’ve seen dogs traveling vast distances to be reunited with their loved ones (A Dog’s Way Home), convince kids that they are transformed accountants (The Ogre of Oglef ...more I’m not a dog person. Like ‘em fine. Don’t see much particular need to interact with them on a regular basis. Sometimes, though, I'll feel like my life as a children’s librarian would have been easier if I had been a canine fanatic. A large swath of children’s literature each year is dedicated to man’s best friend. This year alone I’ve seen dogs traveling vast distances to be reunited with their loved ones (A Dog’s Way Home), convince kids that they are transformed accountants (The Ogre of Oglefort), and even appear as gallons of orange juice (When Life Gives You O.J.). Nonfiction doggies proliferate as well but I can usually steer clear of them. Unless Meghan McCarthy is involved, of course. Then I’m going to have to see what all the fuss is about. In this particular case, Ms. McCarthy has taken what at first appears to be a well-known story then finds the lesser known tales lurking inside of it. The result is a biography that’s bound to please dog lovers and dog neutrals (like myself) alike.

The year: 1925. The place: Nome, Alaska. The problem: An epidemic of diphtheria was imminent and yet a horrible blizzard was preventing all incoming planes from delivering the much needed serum. The solution: Balto. Sled dogs, you see, were dispatched with the serum on board and Balto was at the head of one of these teams. When Balto’s group missed the next team at the next checkpoint, they were lead onward by Balto until they got to Nome themselves. That’s the story lots of people know. What is less well known is what happened next. Balto was celebrated throughout the States, appearing in movies, on dog food cans, and even earning a statue in Central Park. Sadly, he and his team went on the vaudeville circuit and ended up underfed and neglected. Yet surprisingly the good people of Cleveland banded together to purchase the brave dog and his sled mates. As a result he spent the remainder of his days running around the Brookside Zoo where he, “could relax and enjoy the rest of his life.”

The queen of the amusing nonfiction picture book for young readers, McCarthy’s titles are always remarkable because they cover ground no one else does. Whether it’s the invention of bubble gum or a false report of an alien invasion, McCarthy’s titles are always wholly new. That’s why I was so surprised by her choice to tackle Balto next. As real life heroic dogs go, Balto’s pretty darn well known. Even had a terrible animated film based on his life (has any other real life heroic animal received such an honor?). Yet as it happens the choice to pursue his story after the well-known event was what sets this book apart from the pack (ho ho). By page twelve the book has covered the part of the tale that everyone knows. After that it’s in brand new territory.

The picture book biography is a strange beastie. Your readership, for one thing, consists of a wide range of ages. As a result, some authors figure that it’s a good idea to play it safe. You want to tell an accurate story of the past, but you need to find a way of doing so that doesn’t go into some of the more unpleasant details at length. In this particular case, the mistreatment of Balto and his fellow sled dogs. Sold to a man with a sideshow, McCarthy makes it clear that things look bad for Balto. Yet no one wants to look at abused animals in a picture book, even if it is a true story. McCarthy’s solution is twofold. In the text you actually don’t hear anything about the abuse. All it says is that they were sold and “There Balto and the others were all but forgotten.” Next, there are the pictures where McCarthy is careful to walk a fine line. She shows Balto and another dog against a gray background with thick chains attached to their collars. Balto’s ears droop as he regards an upside down food dish, clearly empty. On the next page Balto watches as the man from Cleveland tries to do business with the sideshow owner. If you look at the dog, you’ll notice that he’s skinnier and mangier than he was in the past. McCarthy even gives one of his ears a half-cocked look, just to make the impression that all is not well. It’s subtle, but in children’s books sometimes you have to be subtle to be both honest and kid appropriate.

Under normal circumstances I don‘t much care for reviewing a work of nonfiction, even a picture book, without seeing the backmatter first. The galley of Balto that I’m reviewing from does not have anything in the accompanying “Author’s Note” at the end yet. Like I say, I usually find this to be a problem, but for Ms. McCarthy I will always make an exception. The reason for this has to do with her track record. By and large, when you pick up a Meghan McCarthy book you pick up a picture book work of nonfiction that has some of the finest end matter in the biz, be it a biography of a hawk, or the finer points of space travel. I once sat in on an American Library Association gathering of their Notables committee where they debated the various attributes of McCarthy’s biography of Charles Atlas Strong Man. The endmatter in that particular book contained some fun exercises that kids could do on their own. Someone on the committee lamented, though, that there weren’t any warning labels that kids could get hurt doing these exercises (which contained all the danger of your average sit-up). This was, to be blunt about it, an inane bone to pick with the book. Ms. McCarthy’s Author’s Notes do not suffer fools. So while I cannot tell you what this book will say in the end, I can at least rest assured in my own mind that whatever it contains, it should be well thought out, well researched, and interested. But, as I say, I did not see it myself to be fair warned.

A picture book work of nonfiction that reads like a picture book work of fiction is a valuable commodity. Subject matter is key, of course, as are intelligent illustrations that engage even as they inform. Meghan McCarthy’s consistently high-quality works make her one of the best nonfiction picture book author/illustrators of the day. Imagine! Writing that’s just as good as the art focusing on subjects everyone wants to know more about. Display this book and expect a hoard of kids who want to know more about the cute dog on the cover. Teaching history was never so easy.

For ages 4 and up.
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Mar 15, 2012 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really did enjoy this book, and I especially like the illustrations. I like the story of Balto, too. However, I was just reading through it and there was one line in particular that caught me off guard:

"It was fifty below zero when the journey began. Some dogs died on the way because their lungs burst from the cold."

To be honest with you, I didn't really want to read that. I know this is the *true* story of Balto, but the book is geared towards children. I would have preferred to have seen a...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: animal-biography

Well written, but I didn't think that the artwork style worked with this story. It is a "what happened next" book about Balto, the famous sled dog who was celebrated for helping to deliver serum to Nome, Alaska in the 1920s. Of the many dogs and men who made that run possible, Balto was the visible face, with a statue and a silent movie celebrating his heroic efforts in helping stop a diptheria epidemic.
After his celebrity waned, he and the other dogs were sold off for stage and sideshow work, u...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, childrens-non-fiction, history, autobiographies-biographies-memoirs

I don't know, the kids and I just couldn't really get into this one! I think that the story was too long to really hold the interest of my niece and nephew, and I can't quite figure out why I didn't care much for it! I wasn't particularly bothered by the illustrations, they are what they are. I think there was some emotional something lacking for me in this story. I thought that Balto's tale was told much better in Gold Rush Dogs by Claire Rudolf Murphy and Jane G. Haigh, although that one isn't...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-for-kids

We have been fascinated by the story of Balto since we saw him (taxidermy) in Cleveland last summer so when I saw this book I new we wanted to read it. We had done quite a bit of reading on him already so there really wasn't much new information for us in this book. I was hoping it would be a great picture book version of his story though. Eh - not so great. He was a beautiful dog and in this book he pretty much looks like the dog on The Simpsons. My daughter LOVES to draw cartoons of dogs but w...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pb-non-fiction

The intense and familiar story of Balto the sled dog's dramatic Alaskan delivery of medicine is depicted in appealing, almost cartoonish illustrations. The unexpected part of the story reveals that once the public acclaim subsided Balto and his team languished in desperate circumstances. It took a public campaign funded by school children to provide Balto with the respect and security he deserved for the remainder of his life.
Back matter is excellent, with suggestions for further research, activ...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: animals, based-on-a-true-story, childrens-stories, dogs, illustrated, picture-books, winter

Any dog or man willing to risk life and limb to trek through snow and ice to bring medicine to the town of Nome Alaska that has fallen to a case of diphtheria, deserves praise and honor of all sorts! That's what this book is about, specifically the lead dog Balto of all (or part) of just such an expedition that occurred in 1925.

But, this book is more about the "what happened after" than the actual event. We learn about Balto's rise to fame, his fall from it, and what happens thereafter.

I appreci...more Any dog or man willing to risk life and limb to trek through snow and ice to bring medicine to the town of Nome Alaska that has fallen to a case of diphtheria, deserves praise and honor of all sorts! That's what this book is about, specifically the lead dog Balto of all (or part) of just such an expedition that occurred in 1925.

But, this book is more about the "what happened after" than the actual event. We learn about Balto's rise to fame, his fall from it, and what happens thereafter.

I appreciate that Mccarthy wanted to highlight the amazing adventure *after* the amazing adventure -- the incredible things that happened to Balto after the trek to Nome, and the effect his heroism had on people all over the country. But, I really do think there needed to be more emphasis on the actual trek to Nome - it felt too glossed over and I wanted more to learn just how brave these wonderful dogs and men really were. Plus, I think it would have made the "what came after" all the more powerful.

In reading the interesting and informative back matter, McCarthy explains how she does research (akin to being "a detective") and how she discovered so many contradicting reports of the actual trek, the dogs and men that took part, and who deserved the credit. Because of this I wonder of that's one of the reasons she didn't spend much time on the actual adventure to Nome, but then, too, I wonder if there shouldn't have been more mention of the other dogs and men that were a part of it, too.

I really liked McCarthy's inclusion of how muddied reports can get, and her ideas for fun activities kids can do to try it out -- a great introduction for kids to learn to analyze everything, and to know that everything is told through someone's perceptions. This back matter is definitely four or five stars!

All in all the book is informative and interesting, but nothing that really captured me. I still love McCarthy's "Astronaut Handbook" best, but this story is still worth reading since it's based on actual events!

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Oct 19, 2011 The Library Lady rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-picture-books

Sometimes a talented illustrator is not the best illustrator for her/his own book and this is the case here. The story of Balto goes beyond the Iditarod inspiring run to Nome with the vaccine--what happened next is just as or perhaps even more fascinating. And McCarthy tells that story well. But her own illustrations, cartoonish and full of pop eyed dogs, don't do Balto justice. The cover looks more like an image from a Nicktoon show than the story of a beautiful, brave dog. Disappointing.

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Feb 01, 2013 Ccl Children's rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction-picture-books

This book tells not only the familiar story of Balto, the famous sled dog that helped to carry diptheria serum across Alaska, but also what happened to Balto after he became famous. His life wasn't always an easy one, but it does have a happy ending. Includes notes on the author's research. --ML

Find it in our catalog: http://catalog.ccls.org/search~S1?/tt...

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Sep 07, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-books

I found this to be an interesting and readable picture book biography of a dog. In the afterword the author writes about researching Balto to see if the stories about him were true and what he even looked like. This was sort of funny because the dogs pictured don't really look like any kind of sled dogs--they kind of look like boston terriers or french bulldogs. Still it was a good book in that it showed more of Balto's life beyond what he is most famous for.

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Oct 07, 2011 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile-nonfiction, picture-books, biography, dogs, dogsledding, borrowed-from-the-library

I actually didn't know anything about Balto before I read this - I'd never heard of the famous sled dog team that braved the weather to bring medicine to folks in Nome, Alaska. It's sad that his fame didn't bring him a better life after that, though. It would have been ideal if he'd been able to stay with his team and his person. Goofy illustrations - the dogs all have HUGE eyeballs. Were they huskies? I couldn't tell.

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Sep 10, 2011 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

With so many new dog picture books taking themselves waaaay too seriously this year, it was refreshing to see the fabulous Meghan McCarthy's biography of Balto.

McCarthy's discussion about the fact-finding mission she had to go on was my favorite part of the book. I'd love to compare this book's tone to the one used in Stickeen (http://www.mshoughtonsclass.com/2011/...).

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Oct 20, 2012 Sharon Lawler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-picturebooks, a-nonfiction-youth, alaska, dogs

Wonderful artwork aside, the controversy over which sled dog was the hero of the 1925 Serum Run in Alaska is detailed in the notes. Balto was the dog that ran the serum into Nome, but Togo ran the bulk of the race. People and media also contributed to the confusion. This is one of those events that would make a great research and discussion topic for students.

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Dec 11, 2011 Chelsea Bashore rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

I liked this book, but I wish there would have been more "real life" pictures in the end of the book, depicting the parts of the story (balto, the race, etc). The kids I read to kept asking about that. Although I probably could just create some sort of lesson and share them myself :)

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Nov 13, 2011 Karen Arendt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: animals, adventure, picture-books

While it was interesting to find out what happened to Balto after his fame from the serum race, I thought the pictures appeared cartoonish for the content of the story. The author's note at the was informative about the importance of detective work in nonfiction writing.

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Jan 06, 2012 Kim Girard rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jan-2012

This is an engaging story that includes what happened to Balto after his famous race to Nome. I love the information in the back that describes some of the intricacies of doing research for a non-fiction book. The cartoonish illustrations detract from the story.

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Dec 30, 2011 Bethe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dogs, childrens-non-fict

first book I have seen that tells the rest of the story of Balto, after the heroic trip to deliver the serum to Nome. Don't miss the detective work section at the end of the book, attesting to the research the author did to accurately portray this famous dog.

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Jan 22, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Many of my students have heard the story of Balto, but they never knew what happened to him after he became famous and this story tells that. I used it to kick off a dogsled/Iditarod unit with my 3rd graders today and they really liked it.

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Dec 18, 2011 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children, picture-books, mentor-texts, middle-grade

Not only did I love the illustrations in this book, but Meghan McCarthy showed why books like this should be used in the classroom at the end of the book when she talks about the importance of researching accurately. This would be a great book to use to introduce some sort of research project

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Apr 11, 2011 Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, picture-book

I really liked Meghan McCarthy's POP! The Invention of Bubble Gum. This book has the same illustrative style which I enjoyed with Pop! I would like to see the final version and author's notes before considering a rating.

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Sep 16, 2012 Jean Brodahl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, nf, order-for-school

I changed my rating higher when I read the info in the back. The incredible detective work she had to do is described, great for young writers! I will be reading the rest of her books!

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Dec 30, 2011 Amianne Bailey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: picture-books

This will be a great nonfiction read-aloud, and my students will recognize that it is by the same author of Pop!The Invention of Bubble Gum.

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Oct 13, 2011 Margie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

This is the kind of nonfiction that our children need and deserve.

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Aug 05, 2011 Edward Sullivan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-nonfiction

Lively, inspiring story about a famous pooch. Includes an informative and interesting author's note.

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Dec 26, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s, reads-with-bug, reads-with-jgirl

I love the story of Balto and the Nome epidemic, and this book shares so much more.

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Aug 28, 2012 Gail rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classroom-library

More of the story than I had heard before, so I would buy this for a classroom.

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Apr 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, juvenile, nonfiction, picture-books

http://librarianosnark.blogspot.com/2...

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About Meghan Mccarthy

Children's book author of many wonderful fiction and nonfiction books for young readers, including the below following. Meghan's books have won the IRA-CBC Children's Choice, ALA Notable, Kirkus Reviews Reviewer's Choice, Booklist Best Books, NYPL 100 Best Books, SLJ Best Books, and so on. Blah blah blah, what Meghan really wants to do is drive really fast and jump in really long grass until she g...more

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Aliens Are Coming!: The True Account Of The 1938 War Of The Worlds Radio Broadcast

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