Togo to the Rescue How a Heroic Husky Saved the Lives of Children in Alaska

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

You may know Balto—now explore the true story of Togo, the heroic Siberian Husky who traveled through a terrifying blizzard to help deliver life-saving medicine to children in need.

In January 1925, the community of Nome, Alaska, was overcome by an outbreak of diphtheria, a deadly disease that affected mostly children. If that weren’t enough, a blinding snowstorm prevented all travel to and from the rural town. Who would deliver the serum cure? Nome’s only hope rested on sled dogs. An expedition was quickly organized: The dogs would travel in teams in a relay covering 674 miles to deliver the serum. One of those teams, led by musher Leonhard Seppala, had Togo at the helm. It was Togo leading the pack that traveled the longest and most dangerous part of the expedition.

This incredible true story celebrates courage and determination in the face of unimaginable circumstances, and cements Togo’s legacy in history as a legendary dog hero. Includes rich back matter on this time period in American history featuring information on Alaska, the Diphtheria outbreak, anti-serum toxin, and dog sledding as a means of transportation in times of need.

Mélisande and Giselle Potter are a mother-daughter team who have created numerous books individually, but Cher Ami: Based on the World War I Legend of the Fearless Pigeon—a CBC-NCSS Notable Social Studies Selection—marked their first collaboration. Mélisande is the illustrator of Pizza for the Queen by Nancy Castaldo. Giselle is the award-winning illustrator of over thirty books for children, including The Boy Who Loved Words, The Honest-to-Goodness Truth, and The Big Box by Toni Morrison. She also illustrated a column for the New York Times called Ties. Giselle invites you to visit her at gisellepotter.com.