Legend of the Ghost Dog
Legend of the Ghost Dog
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Annotation: With her beagle Henry and her new friend Quin, twelve-year-old Tee is determined to solve the mystery of "the Shadow," the ghostly animal that is believed to haunt the Alaskan wilderness near her new home in Nome.
Genre: [Mystery fiction]
 
Reviews: 5
Catalog Number: #85085
Format: Perma-Bound Edition
Special Formats: Inventory Sale Inventory Sale
Copyright Date: 2012
Edition Date: 2014 Release Date: 08/26/14
Pages: 200 pages
ISBN: Publisher: 0-545-39128-8 Perma-Bound: 0-605-82542-4
ISBN 13: Publisher: 978-0-545-39128-3 Perma-Bound: 978-0-605-82542-0
Dewey: Fic
Dimensions: 20 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist

Something is haunting Tee from the woods of Dorothy Creek. The seventh-grader has sensed its presence ever since arriving in Nome, Alaska, for a two-week trip while her author father gathers research for his latest book. From local dog-whisperer tween, Quin, she learns about the ghost dog that prowls the vicinity, and from former Iditarod race participant, Clay, she hears stories about Balto's famous serum run that saved lives from diphtheria in 1925. Tee and Quin can't help but wonder if the ghost dog is none other than the famous Balto. Intermittent chapters from the ghost dog's original owner fill in the story's gaps and add another layer of suspense with the disappearance of a little girl 50 years earlier. After an unexpected snowstorm leaves the girls stranded, the ghost dog leads them to shelter, where they uncover the truth about both mysteries. Kimmel's descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness and just the right amount of creepiness will provide readers, especially dog lovers, with a gripping adventure.

Horn Book

On a visit to the Alaskan wilderness, twelve-year-old Tee, her dog Henry, and new friend Quinn meet a ghostly presence and become involved in solving a fifty-year-old local mystery when, during a hike, they are trapped in a snowstorm. Vivid language tells an intriguing story balancing supernatural suspense with realistic portrayal.

Kirkus Reviews

Ghost dog, stray or wolf? What lurks down the trail to Dorothy Creek? With her mother working in Japan, 12-year-old Anita and her younger brother, Jack, must accompany their writer father on a research trip to Alaska to study human/dog relationships for a new book. It looks to be a lonely two weeks until Tee hits it off with Quin, daughter to Dad's local research assistant. When Tee tells Quin about a spooky encounter she had with…well, something near a dilapidated cabin in the woods, the two decide to investigate to see if it's the legendary ghost dog or just some stray. When dangerous weather traps them, who (or what) will save them? In Kimmel's slightly eerie dog tale, the chills are mostly weather-related. Not too surprisingly, there's also quite a bit of dog lore. Tee's problems with her absent-minded father and rambunctious brother lend a sturdy realism to the characters and the story; occasional chapters from the point of view of a local dog trainer who was a girl in the late 1960s detail the truth that sparked the ghost dog's legend. All ends are tied up a bit too neatly, and the sap runs too thickly (and sweetly) at the close; dog lovers likely won't mind. Seekers of ghostly shivers should probably look elsewhere. (Adventure. 9-12)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7 When 12-year-old Tee and her younger brother, Jack, temporarily relocate with their father to Nome, Alaska, she decides to explore the vast unknown with her beagle, Henry. On their first excursion into the woods, they encounter a strange, shadowy animal. With her new friend, Quin, Tee returns to the trails to find the mysterious creature, and this time they come face-to-face with a snarling doglike creature they name Shadow. Convinced he is a ghost dog from legends past, Tee and Quin try to unravel the mystery of why Shadow has come back to an abandoned cabin and what he might be searching for. They return to try to photograph Shadow and get caught in a blinding snowstorm. Taking refuge in the dilapidated cabin, they are cornered by the snarling dog, and, to make matters worse, Quin's younger brother has followed them. When an older woman, Dodie, shows up, the trio follows her, and the mystery of the Ghost Dog and the 50-year-old disappearance of a young girl are unraveled. The story is told in alternate narratives by Tee and Dodie. Background information about the Iditarod and the diphtheria epidemic that ravaged Nome is incorporated into the story, including paying homage to Balto and the other sled-dog teams that carried the medicine that saved so many lives. Unfortunately, Nome is portrayed inaccurately, as Tee frequently goes through the woods to see the Ghost Dog. There are no trees in Nome, making this a glaring oversight in an otherwise captivating and thrilling ghost story. Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA

Word Count: 40,315
Reading Level: 4.7
Interest Level: 3-6
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 4.7 / points: 6.0 / quiz: 155032 / grade: Middle Grades
Reading Counts!: reading level:4.5 / points:10.0 / quiz:Q58343
Lexile: 730L
Guided Reading Level: M
Fountas & Pinnell: M

A thrilling mystery set against a stark landscape and the inspiration of Nome's real-life dog hero, Balto.

Twelve-year-old Tee didn't think she believed in ghosts . . . until a walk in the woods around her new rural Alaskan home changes her mind. She and her beagle, Henry, are stalked by a wolfish, decidedly spooky shadow. There's something out there - and it's not of this world.

With Henry and new friend Quin in tow, Tee is determined to capture evidence of the ghost and unravel the mystery of its origins. But with every sighting, the ghostly presence of the Shadow seems to gain strength. This ghost dog may pose a real live threat - that is, unless Tee can stop it.


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