Legend of the Ghost Dog

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