Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Oakdale Library | EASY CAR | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
On a cold winter day, a curious dog wandered onto a frozen river, and before he knew it he was traveling fast on a sheet of ice. Many people tried to help, but the dog could not be reached. Finally, after two nights and seventy-five miles, the little dog was saved by a ship out in the Baltic Sea.
The gallant rescue of the little dog nicknamed Baltic made international news. Mônica Carnesi's simple text and charming watercolor illustrations convey all the drama of Baltic's journey. His story, with its happy ending, will warm readers' hearts. An author's note and map are included.
Author Notes
Mônica Carnesi (www.monicacarnesi.com) is an artist and librarian, which allows her to combine her love for illustration and passion for children's literature. An NPR story of the dog nicknamed "Baltic" inspired her to share his story with young readers. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mônica now lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her husband and her own little dog.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-This child-friendly account of a January 2010 dog rescue in the Baltic Sea will appeal to readers on many levels. Youngsters playing in the snow on the banks of the Vistula River were the first to sight the vulnerable canine stranded on an ice floe. Firefighters were summoned, but their attempted rescue failed, and the imperiled pup floated out to sea. "Dog's thick fur keeps him warm./But Dog is wet and tired and hungry./And he is scared./Don't be scared, Dog!" Luckily, the crew of a research vessel spotted him two days later. Though several efforts failed, causing the pup to fall into the water, he was finally saved by a crew member in a small pontoon. The crew adopted him and named him "Baltic." The book presents a clear problem and gratifying solution in simple, engaging language coupled with appealing watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations; it is an excellent choice for read-alouds. The little brown-and-white protagonist looks vulnerable and pathetic in the water, so small, exhausted, and alone. The artwork is varied and interesting-an otherwise neatly framed picture of the rescuer embracing his new pet depicts him kneeling out of the bottom frame, giving readers the feeling of being in the room with them. Some of the images are shaped like an iceberg and set against a white background. An author's note includes background and color photographs of the real Baltic.-Barbara Auerbach, PS 217, Brooklyn, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Debut author/illustrator Carnesi's cartoon-styled watercolors and spare text provide a suspenseful yet reassuring account of the real-life rescue of a dog that was swept out into the Baltic Sea on an ice floe in January 2010. Direct, almost halting snippets of narration bring readers in close to the action: "Something is moving in the water! What is it? Is it a bird? No. A fish? No. It's a DOG!" Modest illustrations in a limited and muted palette of blue, white, red, and brown take audiences right up to the river's edge to squint at the small figure stranded far out on an ice sheet. The next spread zeroes in on a closeup of the confused canine. The artwork's perspective continually shifts, giving the tale a cinematic frame-by-frame quality, before settling aboard the Polish ship, the Baltica, that finally rescues the dog. Warm and dry, the dog is christened Baltic, eventually becoming a member of the research vessel's crew. The book's small trim size complements the cozy, feel-good conclusion. More details and photographs of Baltic are included in an author's note. Ages 3-5. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
An edge-of-your-seat adventure story, based on a true story, for the very young -- with a text that also works beautifully as a beginning reader for older children. Onlookers along the banks of the Vistula River one cold, cold day in Poland see a little dog adrift on a sheet of ice, heading for open sea. Night passes, then another day; finally, fifteen miles from shore and seventy-five miles from journey's start, he is spotted by the crew of the research vessel Baltica and, with significant effort, rescued. Simple yet dramatic watercolor illustrations effectively convey the wintry setting; the ice-choked, freezing water; and Dog's emotions, bewildered and forlorn on the ice, cheerful and contented after his rescue and adoption. The economical text is hyper-engaging. A straightforward descriptive narration ("Dog is wet and tired and hungry. And he is scared") occasionally switches to the voice of an emotionally involved onlooker ("Don't be scared, Dog! A ship is coming!"; "Dog slips. He falls into the water. Oh no! Where is Dog?"), as if the text itself finds the story too exciting to maintain objectivity. An afterword fills in some gaps, with more details of the actual rescue and its happy aftermath. martha v. parravano From HORN BOOK, Copyright The Horn Book, used with permission.
Kirkus Review
Baltica, spots the freezing, sodden, starving animal, and a crewman saves it, not without considerable difficulty. After recovering, the dog is nicknamed "Baltic," and it remains aboard to become a beloved, valued crew member. The story is told simply and charmingly. The author's use of the present tense gives the narrative immediacy, and with very brief sentences, some dialogue and questions posed to readers, Carnesi imbues the tale with a strong sense of drama that will captivate young listeners. Her ink-and-watercolor illustrations are child-appealing and effectively capture the dog's desperation and eventual contentment. An author's note with accompanying photographs places events in context and brings the story to a very satisfying conclusion. This lost little dog will easily find a place in children's hearts. (Informational picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
This dramatized version of a true story involves a little brown dog that was spotted in 2010 floating on a chunk of iceberg down Poland's Vistula River toward the Baltic Sea. Children summon firefighters, and a human chain is made to try to save the animal, but the current pulls too quickly. Night comes but yet the mutt survives: Dog's thick fur keeps him warm. But Dog is wet and tired and hungry. And he is scared. Don't be scared, Dog! Finally a research vessel spots the dog and, despite a tense moment when Dog slips into the water, succeeds in bringing him aboard, where, to this day, he remains a happy crew member. Though delivered simply, this tale is intrinsically powerful kids know how slippery ice can be, and Dog's loneliness and helplessness is similarly relatable. Carnesi's soft, comforting watercolors make great use of wide tableaux of tiny Dog almost lost among the huge sea of blue water and white icebergs. A short but informative author's note closes out this inspirational, heart-tugging offering.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
