The Incredible Journey

Author: Sheila Burnford

Main Characters: Bodger (old white terrier), Luath (young retriever), and Tao (siamese cat)

The story was a poignant tale of three pets that were put up at a friend's house 300 miles from the owner's home while they were away on holiday. When the friend went on a trip, the younger dog who never forgot about his master decided it was time to go home. He led the journey and the other two followed along. Each animal had its strength, without which they would not have survived. The old dog had trouble in the beginning and almost dies. With the help of the cat, he is nursed back to health and they continue. The cat is the main hunter, the young dog is the one with the internal compass and size, and the old dog has the good attitude and faith in humans. All of these traits help them on their journey home through often rough terrain. They fight off bears, a raging river, a porcupine, and a lynx. It is a very interesting book. I read it for my science class because of a literature-based approach book. I am glad that I did. I would recommend this book for middle schoolers, but they should be warned there is a fight for survival which includes animals eating other animals.