Balto and the Race Against Time

Time Dogs #1

by Helen Moss, Misa Saburi (Illustrations)

When a pack of senior dogs find themselves transported back in time—and turned into puppies!—they must make their way back home, helping real-life historical dogs along the way.

In this first adventure, meet Baxter, Trevor, Newton, Titch, and Maia—the time dogs!—as they find themselves transported through time and space to 1925 Alaska. There, deep in the wilderness, the puppies must help Balto in his famous sled race to deliver medicine during a diphtheria outbreak.

Genres: Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Animals, Dogs, Childrens, Chapter Books

144 pages, Hardcover

Published June 4, 2019

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: I was snoozing on the porch when it all started.

Premise/plot: Five dogs (Baxter, Trevor, Newton, Maia, and Twitch) find themselves traveling back in time when they enter a van that is really an invention—a time machine. This one offers several surprises: the senior dogs find themselves to be young puppies again; they find themselves in a once in a lifetime opportunity for adventure. They arrive in Alaska in 1925. An epidemic is in progress and a much needed serum needs to be transported cross country. Can these pups join a sled team and help save the day?!

My thoughts: If you suspend your disbelief, this one offers a fun escape. I may be an adult, but I appreciate time travel stories for all ages. I love the idea of hooking young readers on this sub genre early on! That being said, there isn’t quite enough development to entertain adults.

The dogs steal the show no doubt. There are humans but think of them more as being like the humans on Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. They have no control or say over what the dogs do. But they are not as helpless or hapless as the humans on Paw Patrol.

[Little Seal]

I picked this up at my local library on a whim (along with the second book). It was cute, and gives some decent insight for kids surrounding the 1925 Nome Sled Run. I loved the author's note giving real context and making sure kids knew what was fiction and what wasn't. While I don't think I am going to read the other book, it was still cute to read a different type of historical fiction kids novel.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet mix of fact and fiction. Clever story

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would seem to be the perfect moment for time-travel books featuring characters who travel back through time into earlier historical periods. In this start to a new series, author Helen Moss joins the ranks of authors such as Candace Fleming and Steve Sheinkin who have their own time-travel series. What makes this title and series unique is that it features five elderly dogs. Four of them have human companions while the last one, Titch, is a stray. The dogs--Baxter, Trevor, Newton, and Maia--are different breeds and sizes and usually enjoy lazing around the porch at their doggy day care. But when Baxter chases his tennis ball into a van, somehow he and his friends find themselves back in 1925. Not only has the clock been turned back on history, but the dogs are now puppies instead of elderly dogs. They have no idea that they are in Alaska, and in the midst of a race against time as a dogsled team, led by Balto, must deliver much-needed serum to combat a diphtheria outbreak in Nome. There are several dramatic scenes described in the text and illustrated in the black-and-white sketches. Readers who like this sort of thing will be thrilled to see time-traveling canines in action. I would have enjoyed this a lot as a young reader, getting a dose of history alongside some adventures. The author includes information on the real events that inspired the story while also identifying the parts that she made up.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five dogs from the Happy Paws Doggy Daycare for Senior Dogs accidentally find themselves transported back in time to 1925 Alaska where they volunteer to help Balto and other sled dogs deliver an important serum to save lives.

An absorbing and well-written time travel book for lower grade readers that feature some lovable canine heroes and heroines. I like the way Moss wrote this so that the dogs don't understand much of the human world. It feels like it could really be from a dog's perspective. I also like that the author emphasized that Balto and his team were just one part of the story of getting the serum to the town on time. Others are given a shoutout here that often miss the history books. The illustrations are adorable. I love Saburi's style. Kids will learn about heroic real dogs of the past and have an engaging time travel story. Hand this to dog lovers and timetravel fans.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this adventure, a pack of senior dogs—Baxter (a yellow lab), Trevor (a Jack Russell), Newton (a border collie), Maia (a papillon), and Titch (a three-legged mutt)—are transported, via a magical van, back to 1925 Alaska. Time-warped back into puppies, they join forces with Balto, a Siberian husky, and his sled-dog team to deliver diphtheria medicine to children in Nome. Young readers will benefit from the black-and white-drawings and beginning-to-read format that supports comprehension. An author’s note provides historical information about how mushers helped get the diphtheria antitoxin serum to children in Nome during an outbreak in 1925. Seaman and the Great Northern Adventure, the second book in this time-travel early chapter book series, was published simultaneously.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time traveling dogs? Yes please! What a clever story that children will definitely want more adventures from!

Baxter, Trevor, Newton, Mai, and Titch, find themselves transported back in time, via a strange bus, to 1925 where they are puppies again! They end up running into Balto (yes the famous Balto!) and join in his adventure to deliver medicine to sick children. An adventurous tale with plenty of action and heart. Each dog has their own personality which makes the story not feel stale or boring.
This is my first ever realistic fiction story about dogs and I am all here for it! I must read the other book by Helen Moss and hope to see many more in this series in the future. Bravo for Time Dogs!

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun adventure! There are dogs (each with their own unique personality), time travel, character development, and they get to meet Balto and save the day! I appreciated that the story moved along quickly without sacrificing understanding (with the exception of a time traveling van, though there are certainly hints sprinkled in there). I'd definitely be interested in reading more in the series, and I think Berry will be, too!

[bookloverk8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this one hard to get into. We really jump into the story and there are a lot of characters to try and follow. I think that young readers might have a hard time with at least the beginning of this book. I did end up enjoying the story and really loved the Author's Note which explains how this was based on real events.

[Teresa Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is reminiscent of The Magic Tree House books. My young students enjoyed the story and liked that dogs were the main characters. The plot is not too complicated but that makes it perfect for young readers excited to get into chapter books.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old pets at a doggie daycare jump into a mysterious van and are transported through space and time to the dogsled relay heroics of Balto and his team of dogs. For those kids who like dogs, adventure, and history.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on true events of 1925, this dog-sledding adventure will keep kids interested and they won't even realize they are learning about a piece of history!

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mini me enjoyed this book thoroughly. He wants to read more by this author. We received this one from the amazon prime book club.

[Meabon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fiction for young readers or for read-aloud. Chapters always end with an "edge of your seat" moment.

[Tcufrog04 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good historical fiction for a read aloud with my kids. The 1st grader was able to read along and it kept my 4th graders attention.

[Lisa Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 2023 Update: This one is always a win for my students!

This will be a well liked read aloud for my 3rd and 4th grade students. Dogs as main characters will be a draw, and the kids will learn a little bit about history as the dogs travel back through time.