Burnford, Sheila. The Incredible Journey. Boston : Little, Brown, 1961.
Plot: After waiting patiently for the Hunters to return, their three pets venture away from the comfortable boardings of John Longridge, a close friend of the family, to travel three hundred miles through the Canadian wilderness in search of home. Luath, a young golden retriever, instigates the challenge and keeps the group together, while Bodger, an elderly bull terrier, limps along. Throughout it all, Tao, an irrepressible Siamese cat, provides food to the adventurers. As the group travels through camps, forests, and towns, they become creatures bordering legend, bringing joy and chaos to unexpected encounters.
Genre: Adventure, Animals
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Similar Titles: The Contest, Baby Island
Personal Thoughts: The story provided inspiration for two Disney films: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and The Incredible Journey.
The story itself offers an ideal mix of animals, adventure, and tension. Unfortunately, it tends to present the qualities in exceptionally ludicrous text. I needed to read the text several times as an adult to understand what Burnford meant to convey. I am not sure if I would understand the text without viewing the movies prior to reading the book. The story is good, but the presentation is discouraging, particularly to younger readers.
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