TOGO
For me, making TOGO was a lot of joyous work. Anything worthwhile takes effort.
When I make a book, I travel to the place that the story took place. I’ve been to places like Tasmania to meet Tasmanian Devils, Ireland to meet a hermit, Chile to look for sea otters, and even worked on a sailing ship to make the book SWIFT.
For the book TOGO I traveled to remote places in Alaska to do my research. I wanted to meet some real sled dogs and visit the remote villages that Leonhard Seppala and Togo ran through with the life-saving diphtheria serum in 1925. I also hoped I might find someone who knew Mr. Seppala and his dog, Togo. They’d be old, but it was possible. And at first I wondered who this story would be about- Leonhard Seppala…… his dog team…. or one particular dog?
I decided to go to Nome, Alaska, where the Serum Run began, to find my story. First impression? It was really cold!
I talked to people in Nome and asked them what they knew about Togo.
SOLOMON VILLAGE
I did not find anyone in Nome who knew Seppala, but they told me that when he went off to get the serum his first stop was a place called the Solomon Roadhouse. They said he did not take the famous dog Balto, but another dog led the team- a dog he thought was special named Togo. They said the village was a ghost town now and the only way to get there was by snow mobile. I found some guys who agreed to lend me a snow mobile and take me out there. When we got there it was unbelievably cold, but none one of my companions would go into the Solomon Roadhouse, where Mr. Seppala stayed that first night. So I went in alone.
It was so cold at Solomon that my drawing pen froze. I put five wool socks over my hand, poked a hole in the ends, and drew inside with a pencil.
I drew for about an hour, until I heard a loud BANG upstairs. Nothing could have been still up there for an hour and then moved. I decided it was time to go. And when I got back to Nome, people asked me if I saw any ghosts at Solomon. “No, I did not see any ghosts.” But I may have heard one!
UNALAKLEET
I flew on a small plane to a village called Unalakleet. The pilot told me his name was “Boo-Boo”. We landed in snow and Boo-Boo told me that I should trek over to “Marty’s” house, where I would stay. So I did.
Marty was very nice and took me over to the school, where I was going to deliver a presentation about some of my books to the students. On the way I met many people. I asked every one if they knew of anyone who had known Mr. Seppala or Togo. No one did.
I got to the school and made the presentation. When I was done, the boys and girls had lots of questions for me. And I had some for them, too.
It did not surprise me that favorite food of most of the students was pizza.Hamburgers came in second.
