As fires rage and destroy the California landscape, a stray dog named Wombat hears an inner voice that drives her forward. She’s a “destiny dog,” who will brave danger and injury to find her person, wherever and whoever they may be.
As fires rage and destroy the California landscape, a stray dog named Wombat hears an inner voice that drives her forward. She’s a “destiny dog,” who will brave danger and injury to find her person, wherever and whoever they may be.
“The mountains stood black and jagged.
The sky glowed softly purple.
City lights hemmed the foothills
Like dandelions edging an endless fence.
She saw it then.
Red and gold and orange.
Sunset colors,
An ugly ribbon unfurling.
A fire.”
Wombat hadn’t seen many large fires, but this one was massive. And being a small stray dog, she was unsure what to do in such conditions. She surely couldn’t just sit here in the park—the only home she’s ever known—and try to wait it out. The hungry-looking fire appears to gobble up everything in its path as it rolls down a distant hill toward her.
That, however, is when the strangest thing happens: Wombat hears a voice. That way, it says. She jerks her head, but no one is there. That way.
It isn’t exactly a dog voice. And definitely not a human voice. It’s inside her. But so fierce she knows the whole world must have heard it. Worse yet, though, the voice is prodding Wombat to run toward the fire.
The wrong way is the right way.
The wrong way is the right way, it roars repeatedly in Wombat’s head.
Really not helpful, Wombat replies. But she starts to move in that wrong direction anyway. She runs toward the fire and toward her destiny.
For that’s exactly what Wombat is: a destiny dog. Wombat will soon meet another, older stray named Silas who will make everything clear.
Destiny dogs, Silas will tell her, find their person before their person can find them. “He just showed up on our doorstep unannounced,” people will say, like it’s random chance. But it’s not chance. No, sir, no way.
Silas will say all that and Wombat will believe him. And the inner voice will say, The wrong way is the right way. And Wombat will listen.
What else can a little lost stray with tired paws and a soon-to-be singed nose do?
There are no mentions of Christian faith in the book. But …
… There is a sense of predestination tied to Wombat’s inner voice. Not only does the voice drive her into areas that are burning or burned, it tells her to look for an owl, a bench and a bat. And though that odd scavenger-hunt list strikes Wombat as an insane request in the midst of a deadly blaze, the list’s contents all tie together as a means to finding Wombat’s person: Henry.
We’re told that when “destiny dogs” find their person, “you can almost hear the click. Like the right key in a rusty old lock.”
Silas quotes a supposedly famous dog slogan about the god-like humans in their lives: “Dogs plan, and man laughs,” he says.
Henry is a kind-hearted 9-year-old boy who is afraid of very little in his life. That helps him stay calm in otherwise frightening moments. And Henry gives aid in any way he can. However, the one thing Henry is uncomfortable with are dogs.
Henry has two moms, Mama Ro and Mama J (more on that in Sexual Content). Mama Ro works as a veterinarian at a wildlife rehabilitation center, and Mama J works as a librarian. The two women are both kind and loving, and they both chip in to help those around them as the fiery disaster unfolds.
We briefly meet several other adults in Wombat’s and Henry’s orbits. But we only meet those individuals briefly. They are all, however, kind and nice. Some give Wombat little things as she waits on her bench, such as a stuffed toy, a box with a blanket and a sheltering umbrella. And many of the passersby find a sense of comfort from the little dog herself.
There are a couple uses of the word “dang.”
The surrounding fires burn down a lot, from forests and parks to whole communities of homes. And while the story doesn’t dwell on any specific deaths, it does mention that some animals and people may not have “made it out” of the fire’s zone of devastation.
Henry notes that he isn’t afraid of “horror movies, needles at the doctor or bullies at school” or “wild pitches coming way too close.” But he was bitten by a dog when he was 3 and had to get a tetanus shot, which gave him a fear of large dogs.
During her long, blistering trek, Wombat singes her nose while rescuing a burned owl. The pads of her paws also bleed. However, despite the pain, she notes, “After such a long time of not mattering, being useful feels pretty wonderful.” Wombat becomes something of a mascot for an emergency shelter.
There’s nothing sexual in the tale. But it’s implied that Henry’s two moms are married. When Wombat meets up with Silas, the two dogs begin with a typical doggy greeting (snuffle rears, touch noses).
Have you ever helped someone when they were hurt or in need? We sometimes see large rallies to help people after a disaster, but does there have to be a massive fire or something disastrous before we help people?
Take a look at Proverbs 3:27, Hebrews 13:16 and Galatians 6:2. These are just a few of the Bible’s many verses that encourage us to give of ourselves to others and help people when they’re in need. Why do you think that’s so important to God?
Wombat was just a little stray dog, but she was able to help people feel better. Why do animals have that kind of effect? In your opinion, what kind of responsibility do we have to protect and care for animals?
Wombat felt that she was “destined” to find Henry. Do you think animals really feel that way? What was your favorite part of this story?
Bestselling author Katherine Applegate has created a sweet story in verse that encourages young readers to be helpful and resilient in the face of terrible situations and to give compassion to people and animals in need.
There are moments of destructive peril in the story mix, and a boy has two moms.
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Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not necessarily their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
