Robert J. Blake (1)

Now one of my favorite books for youth. Great drawings. Great story but told in a way that works to feel the danger and moments. I like the way dates are added for some of the days of the serum run. Well rounded way to cover the whole story. Nice facts in the end.

For the whole story, I would still recommend 'The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic,' but for children or to add to your other books on dogsledding I would highly recommend adding this show more one to your collection.

One last little note, when Togo is 8 months old and escapes to travel long miles to catch up with Leonhard through a blizzard, he cut his leg while escaping. This book doesn't mention that fact but does has a picture when Togo is reunited where his leg is bloody. Nice touch! I remember that fact from the book 'Togo and Leonhard.' show less

Burnie, Winnie and Big Stanley liked to fight, and dinnertime in their family was often a rough and tumble affair. Of course, "Mum didn't care that they acted gnarly and rough. Because that is what Tasmanian devils are supposed to do." But then one day, Mum didn't come home, and three scrappy little devils set out to find her...

Robert J. Blake, who spent a number of weeks observing Tasmanian devils in the wild, delivers an engaging adventure tale that manages to be both heartwarming and show more realistic. The combative feeding habits of the species, their propensity for "borrowing" items from nearby human homes, and their fearsome howling, all play a role in Little Devils. But so too does love of family, sticking together, and courage in the face of adversity. The oil illustrations, in mostly warm earth-tones, emphasize both the youth of the three little devils, and their potential ferocity.

Unlike other Australian animals - such as the wombat, koala bear, or kangaroo - it's unusual to see a picture-book featuring the Tasmanian devil. Given the threat currently facing the species, whose population in the wild has declined 70% over the last decade, due to Devil Facial Tumour Disease, the publication of Little Devils is especially welcome! Perhaps young readers (and their teachers and parents) might like to visit the Save the Tasmanian Devil website, after reading it... show less

Stumbled across this at the library looking for juvenile books on Alaska and only later realized Blake is the author and illustrator of Akiak, one of our favorite juvenile/children's picture books. The canine Swift helps our young narrator find help when, in the middle of nowhere and on his first hunting trip, his father's leg is broken by a grizzly bear. Certainly exciting and intended as a positive look at tough modern Alaskan homesteader. Parents may want to know that there are guns, from show more the first sentence, and they get used and that there is gore. My concern was the lack of questions. This isn't the 19th-century. I wanted to know why they were in the predicament they were in and whether it was a good idea or not. Instead of respect of the homesteaders, I'm left wondering what in the world they are doing there. show less

A boy sets out with his father on his first hunting trip. Swift, their dog, accompanies them on their search for a bear. But bears can be dangerous - when disaster strikes, Johnnie must trust Swift to get him to help for his father.

This story is at first disconcerting - the characters appear to be contemporary, but the wilderness setting and the bear hunt for obviously needed food doesn't match. However, the author's afterword explains that this story is about homesteading families in show more Alaska. It's a fascinating little glimpse of the life of modern pioneers, which I hadn't heard of before.

The story is well-written with realistic reactions of the dog and people. The action moves swiftly and is shown not only in the taut style but also in vibrant paintings that accompany the text.

Verdict: This picture book is more suitable for older children, due to the length of the text and sometimes frightening story. Fans of heroic dog and adventure stories will be interested in this authentic look at the lives Alaskan homesteaders.

ISBN: 0399233830; Published September 2007 by Philomel; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library (not by me) show less