Avalanche Dog Heroes: Piper and Friends Learn to Search the Snow

by Elizabeth Rusch

Overview

Junior Library Guild Selection!
2020 Towner Book Award Finalist
Oregon Spirit Award Honor Book

Follow Piper the border collie and her canine classmates through a season of avalanche rescue training. As they learn the skills they need to become snow rescue dogs, you'll learn about the work these amazing canines do and about avalanche safety.

Avalanche Dog Heroes is a nonfiction picture book illustrated with stunning, adorable photography that draws parallels between kids' experiences in elementary school and the training days of the avalanche rescue dogs of Crystal Mountain, Washington State's largest ski resort, located in the Cascade Range.

Follow along with Piper, a friendly border collie who came to the mountain as a smart but timid shelter dog, terrified by everything, as she confidently heads off to school on a chairlift to meet her canine classmates. Over a season they romp together through the snow, learning and practicing the skills they need to be avalanche rescue dogs and earn their rescue certification.

You'll also learn the warning signs and conditions that cause an avalanche, the four types of avalanches, and the basics of avalanche safety.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781632171733
Publisher:	Sasquatch Books
Publication date:	10/16/2018
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	1,127,331
Product dimensions:	10.90(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	840L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

ELIZABETH RUSCH has published more than 100 magazine articles for children and adults and 10 award-winning books for young readers, including Ready, Set . . . Baby!; Volcano Rising; Eruption!: Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives; and Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World. Her work has been honored by the Junior Library Guild, ALA, School Library Journal, Kirkus, NBC News, the Oregon Book Award, Washington Reads, and the New York Public Library. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two terrific kids, and one very funny, quirky dog named Reba.

Editorial Reviews

09/03/2018
At a ski resort in Washington State, three-year-old border collie Piper is learning to be a rescue dog. Photographs depict a typical day in Piper’s training by handler Sara Cohen. First thing in the morning, Piper meets up with her teammates: Ari, Kala, Riki, and Piper’s best friend, Darwin, a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever. Class activities include riding a chairlift or gondola up the mountain, practicing basic commands, and running down snowy hills. The day’s biggest task, however, is the avalanche rescue drill: “Piper halts, then barks and digs at the snow to signal her discovery.” Rusch emphasizes how the training of the dogs is both hard work and fun—a point made clear through photographs of Piper dashing through the snow, chewing on toys, and embracing Cohen. Throughout, infographics and side panels offer insights into numerous topics that may provide an extra source of fascination, including how avalanches are formed and why dogs have such strong senses of smell. Ages 7–10. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"The full-color, full-bleed photographs are the book’s best features. Almost every spread captures a dynamic dog training scene amid beautiful snowscapes."—School Library Journal

"Present-tense narration paired with dynamic color photographs puts readers in the moment with Piper ... A peppy introduction to a lesser-known type of worker dog." —Kirkus Reviews

"Rusch emphasizes how the training of the dogs is both hard work and fun—a point made clear through photographs of Piper dashing through the snow, chewing on toys, and embracing Cohen."—Publishers Weekly

"Avalanche Dog Heroes is a fine addition to any collection. Display it prominently and it won't sit."—ProseandKahn


"Of special note is that with "Avalanche Dog Heroes", children will also learn the warning signs and conditions that cause an avalanche, the four types of avalanches, and the basics of avalanche safety, making it an especially welcome and unreservedly recommended addition to family, elementary school, and community library Pets/Wildlife picture book collections."—Midwest Book Review

"With great pictures, cute dogs, and something unique to learn about…this book is a winner for winter!" —The Delphos Herald

From the Publisher

07/01/2018
Gr 3–5—A typical school day for avalanche rescue dogs is exciting and action packed. In this latest from Rusch, a border collie named Piper trains with a team of four other dogs and their dedicated human handlers to become certified rescuers. Piper's day begins with a ski lift to a mountaintop where she and her canine classmates master 80 cues. They range from basic obedience commands of "sit" and "stay," to complex ones used during rescue drills, like "search." After recess and rest breaks, lessons continue with intense practice drills that simulate real-life avalanche searches. The dogs use their keen sense of smell to locate people hiding in snow caves or retrieve articles of clothing buried in snowpacks. Although the subject matter has high appeal, the third-person narrative does not flow smoothly and the large amount of idioms used may be tricky for some readers to follow. The full-color, full-bleed photographs are the book's best features. Almost every spread captures a dynamic dog training scene amid beautiful snowscapes. VERDICT Consider for larger nonfiction collections or where books about rescue dogs are in demand. Pair with Sara Green's Snow Search Dogs for greater comprehension.—Phuong Vu, West Jordan Library, UT

School Library Journal

2018-07-16
An exploration of the work of avalanche-rescue dogs through a focus on one dog and her trainer.Piper is a 3-year-old border collie who is training with her owner, Sara, to become an avalanche-rescue dog in Washington. Rusch outlines Piper's daily training at a ski resort, introduces readers to her canine classmates, and concludes with Piper's big test to become a rescue dog. Present-tense narration paired with dynamic color photographs puts readers in the moment with Piper: "Suddenly, she stops and her head snaps back. Did she smell something? She sniffs a bit but continues across the slope toward a cluster of trees." Casual, colloquial language makes the narrative friendly and information accessible: "When Piper, Darwin, and other team members get pooped, they head into a hut to warm up and relax." Bold display type and clear headers and borders create distinctive sections and provide space for eyes to rest. Inset information fills in relevant details about avalanches, dog biology, and dog training. Backmatter includes instructions for making a tug toy and training a dog to tug, and Rusch includes both a list of further reading and a list of internet resources—including how to find more information specifically about Piper and her co-workers.A peppy introduction to a lesser-known type of worker dog. (Nonfiction. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews