Balto Hero Dog (Summary)

The true story of Balto, a sled dog who lived in Nome, Alaska, in 1925, is told in The Bra
vest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto. 
The doctor recognizes the need for assistance as diphtheria strikes children in Nome. 
However, the city of Anchorage, located more than 800 miles distant, has the nearest m
edicine. 
Transporting the medication with sled dogs is the only option to get it back and save the 
kids' lives. 
The community arranges for a dog sled relay, with each team waiting at a different stati
on, to transport the medication. 
The delivery was late by the time the medication reached Balto and his owner Gunnar. 
Balto travels to Nome with a sled dog team carrying medication, but they encounter nu
merous obstacles. Balto guides the sled dog team boldly though everything, and
because to his bravery, the medicine is delivered in time to save the Nome children.
Students will learn more about Balto, a character who continues to live on in American
memory, as they read about the historic delivery of the medication that saved Nome.