A Dog’s Journey

When I read W. Bruce Cameron’s first dog-inspired book, A Dog’s Purpose, a few years ago I fell in love with the sweet story between a dog and his boy. A Dog’s Journey picks up where that book ends in the life cycle of a dog reincarnated many times over to complete its purpose in life. Told in the first person by the dog—at first a lab named Buddy, then a poodle-mix named Molly and so on—a very human story quickly unfolds, centered around a girl named Clarity, who clearly needs protection, companionship and, perhaps most of all, the loyalty and unconditional love a good dog can offer. The book is funny at times—“I lay down with a groan, wondering why people always did this: talked about cookies but didn’t give any to a deserving dog.” But Clarity also finds herself in tough situations, and there are nerve-wracking moments when, as a reader, you can pick up on disturbing human behaviors that a dog can’t understand. In the end, both books—but this one more than the last—left me appreciating my dogs and their sweet and sometimes bizarre behaviors a little bit more. Recommended for all dog lovers.