A Dog’s Way Home…
About the Book:
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Ashley Judd releasing February 2019.
From W. Bruce Cameron, author of the beloved bestseller and major Hollywood movie A Dog’s Purpose, comes this beautifully told, charming tale that explores the unbreakable bond between us and our pets.
Lucas Ray is shocked when, while attempting to rescue stray cats from an abandoned building slated for demolition, an adorable puppy jumps out of a crawl space and into his arms. Even though the apartment he shares with his mother, a disabled veteran, doesn’t allow dogs, Lucas can’t resist taking Bella home.
Bella is inexplicably drawn to Lucas, even if she doesn’t understand the necessity of games like No Barks. As it becomes more difficult to hide her rapidly growing presence from neighbours, Lucas begins to sneak Bella into the veteran’s hospital where he works and his mother receives treatment. There, the happy-go-lucky dog naturally brings joy and comfort where it is needed most.
After Bella is picked up by Animal Control for being a pit bull, a breed banned in Denver, Lucas has no choice but to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. But Bella, distraught at the separation, doesn’t plan to wait. With four hundred miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness between her and Lucas, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home.
A classic story of unwavering loyalty and incredible devotion, A Dog’s Way Home is a fantastic and exhilarating journey of the heart.
My Thoughts:
I’m a dog person. I always have been. For most of my life, I’ve had a least one dog, often times two. I have conversations with my dogs everyday, imagining what funny things they might be saying to me with their nudges, groans, whines and yips. And those expressive eyes. Dogs have a way of communicating so much with a certain look. It should come as no surprise then that I enjoy movies about dogs. And yes, when I watched A Dog’s Purpose, I cried. Sobbed. It just had all the feels. And don’t get me started on Milo and Otis. There are so many dog movies, do we really need another one, I hear you ask. Yes. There must always be new dog movies. They’re usually funny, obscenely cute, and perfect for all ages. But most of all, they’re hopeful. They convey so much about empathy and love. In my opinion, there’s nothing like a dog story to make you appreciate the power of kindness.
And now we are about to get a new dog movie, A Dog’s Way Home, based upon this novel of the same title, written by the author of A Dog’s Purpose. It tells the story of a pit bull cross, forced into a separation from her owner because she is a banned breed. This is a story that will appeal to a wide audience with the only prerequisite being that you all love dogs. The great thing about dog stories is that heavy themes can be conveyed with accessibility, and with its themes of discrimination and the power of animals in raising the spirits of those who are suffering, A Dog’s Way Home delivers fully as a story of worth. The narration is somewhat childlike, but Bella is a dog, so you wouldn’t expect it to read any other way. The warmth and wit makes this an ideal story to read as a family. I’m really looking forward to seeing this story transformed into a movie, but I’ll certainly be watching with some tissues on hand. Look at the cover. How cute is Bella? Such a tiny little puppy sitting in the shoe! Awww… You see? I’m hopeless around dogs!
‘I was too miserable to eat the first day, and also the second. Then I realised Lucas sent me to this place to wait for him, so I began feeding when the other dogs did. What I needed to do was be the best dog I could so Lucas would come get me.’
A Dog’s Way Home. Read it before you see the movie. It’s well worth your time.
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Thanks is extended to Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of A Dog’s Way Home for review.
About the Author:
W. Bruce Cameron is the Number One New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose (now a major motion picture), A Dog’s Journey, The Dog Master, The Dogs of Christmas, and The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man. He lives in California.
A Dog’s Way Home
Published by Pan Macmillan Australia
Released December 2018
Theresa Smith Writes 
I couldn’t even watch the previews without tearing up!!!!
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Sometimes I think the trailers make me cry more than the movies! They always condense the high emotion points, run some moving song in the background and then I’m crying!
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I’m a dog person too, though we don’t have one now as we need to be free to just get up and go. It’s hard being dog-less though.
I saw the preview for this yesterday – and I’m sure I’ll love it. (It was the preview before the film Pick of the Litter, about guide dog training.) I have this book – was given it in March last year for my birthday – but I haven’t read it. I think it’s the sort of book I’d rather watch than read. Just because of time.
When I was a teenager we had a dog who disappeared for three weeks – or have I told you this story before? We thought we’d never see her again, but she suddenly turned up – thin, worn out and very worn pads, but fine otherwise. All we can think is that someone had picked her up (she was an escape artist) and somehow she’s escaped or they’d tired of her and she made her way home. We had a new admiration for this dog whom we loved but thought, really, was more interested in food than us. Clearly not.
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You haven’t told me that story – that’s so beautiful! Given her condition when she returned, you’d think she might have been making her way back to you for a while, particularly with those worn pads. They are such expressive animals. I currently have a German Shepherd and a Husky. Two very different dogs entirely. I am more of a big dog person, have grown up mostly with German Shepherds, although my dad had a Jack Russell for a long time and he was an adorable little character. He’d go to great lengths to get in on the social action if he’d been excluded in any way.
I think these sorts of books always translate well to the screen. This is a good one to read to children when they get to that age where you’re reading a few chapters a night at bedtime. Alas, mine are well past that stage now! But you might be able to do that in a few years time with your grandbaby.
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Oh good. I had told it recently on a blog but wasn’t sure where. My chikdhood dogs were a Golden Crocker, and then this one who went missing, a Beagle. Our own dogs were big ones at first… An Airedale Terrier and a Weimeraner, plus a medium sized rescue dog. We’ve had gaodps because of overseas postings. Our last dog was smaller, for a couple of reasons – we had to find a low allergy dog and we have quite a few dog friends who’d be overwhelmed by our big dogs. So the last one was a Mini Poodle, but we chose the biggest mini from the litter which suited the breeder as she was probsbly not going to conform to show rules!! Every dog has had her individual personality and we remember them dearly.
Good point about reading that book aloud. I’ll hang onto it!
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Beagles are big sniffers aren’t they, in terms of finding things? I think I saw a UK program on them once, but a long time ago.
That would be me too, choosing the biggest small dog!
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Also a dog person here so I can relate. It sounds sad and I think i’ll avoid it for now. I did enjoy your review very much and the quote you pulled. Did you request this one from Pan?
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No, it was a surprise from Pan. I didn’t even know about the book or movie adaptation prior to it arriving. Like all dog stories, they are somewhat sad but then hopeful!
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I guessed as much! I didn’t know about this one until your review. Good to hear there is some hope in this one 🙂
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I’m looking forward to this movie, I’m sure I’ll need tissues
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I thought of you when writing up this review!
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Dog movies are always so sad I can’t watch them any more. The last one I watched I wanted to jump into the TV and strangle the mother of the kid that wanted the dog but wasn’t allowed to keep it so for days the dog was out in the cold and the wet. Nope, can’t watch anymore. I mean, it did end up happy but still…
I’ve never really been an animal/pet person but we bought our second dog because our daughter wanted to see what it was like to have an inside dog, well, we loved it. We realised then that any pet we owned would always live inside with us not outside all lonely. We had to put our dog down two months ago, she had Cushing’s Disease it was the hardest thing my daughter and I ever had to do. We took her for a walk that morning and she was still like a little pup running around, I swear when we were at the vets I wanted to grab Paris and run home with her but the vet said it was time. Damn, I’m all teary now. I would love another dog but I just don’t think I can go through that again and plus hubby wants to travel and dogs do tie you down. I must say though it’s nice not to have to pick up dog poop, lol.
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Losing a dog (or any pet) is tough. After our old dog died we all needed some space and time to get over it. We eventually got another dog and then more recently added another into the mix.
They certainly do make travel less spontaneous though!
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