A scene with the kids playing Nintendo when Bob realizes he's been invited to a welcome BBQ on the same day they were supposed to go to Kate's to visit Shadow, Chance, and Sassy.

My only criticism is that in most pictures Bodger doesn't look like any Bull terrier I have known & illustrator softens the angular, exotic features of Tao the Siamese cat. My precious cat has been away three months. Sheila's details about cats doing well in a forest, bolstered me. Balm to my soul, her emphatic assertions that cats travel unseen and unheard. The reaction of a serviceman, without knowing our boy left voluntarily, was crass. First: don't disrespect anyone who is optimistic about their son. Secondly: we say “F” him.Burnford describes these animals with fondness. They aren't judgmental. They crave your attention and companionship. They can sense when you are feeling lonely. They can even protect you if need be. They also seem to sense that their family extends beyond just the humans, but one another. We see this in the way the animals feed each other and provide warmth at night. It's the cat whose perhaps the most impressive of the bunch. He scares off a full-grown bear, and at another point he must outwit a much more terrifying hunter than himself. The dogs have their own adventures as well, but excel the most when it comes to begging food off of the humans they come across on their journey.

Bear cub: The Bear cub thought Bodger was a toy and pawed at him with his sharp claws until Tao intervened and tried to protect him. Third: my mom was recently in town, she'd come out from BC to take a trip with my aunt and uncle out to the east coast, and saw my copy lying in the bathroom. When I brought it up you could see that even though she was happy I had a copy, she was still incredibly PEEVED about the loss of hers. I sobbed through my reads of this book (& through my viewings of the Disney movie) It didn't matter how many times I read/watched it & that I knew it Would Be All Right in the End, I'd be there with large, gulping sobs. & I kept my whole family awake until I cried myself to sleep. I was a very soft kid though. I wasn't allowed to watch Lassie as I got so upset! During this process, I discovered that several of my beloved books had sequels or in some cases multiple further adventures, and then seeing A Wrinkle in Time getting the big-screen treatment reminded me that I'd only ever read the original trilogy, the "other" two books in the Time Quintet having been published after a long pause while I was off looking at other things. So, obviously, I'm on a new booky quest to read all of these books I missed out on as a child, starting with the L'Engles, but this has started my brain tip-tapping down memory lane thinking about other favorite books - worlds and characters I would like to revisit. This is one of my all time favorites that I read as a kid and I was curious to see if it would wield the same emotional power that it did over 30 + years ago. It came into my hands again through a curious set of circumstances.This article is about the book. For other uses, see The Incredible Journey (disambiguation). First edition (UK) That night they became immortal, had they known or cared, for the ancient woman had recognized the old dog at once by his color and companion: he was the White Dog of the Ojibways, the virtuous White Dog of Omen, whose appearance heralds either disaster or good fortune. The Spirits had sent him, hungry and wounded, to test tribal hospitality; and for benevolent proof to the skeptical they had chosen a cat as his companion—for what mortal dog would suffer a cat to rob him of his meat? He had been made welcome, fed and succored: the omen would prove fortunate.”

The Incredible Journey (1961), by Scottish author Sheila Burnford, is a children's book first published by Hodder & Stoughton, which tells the story of three pets as they travel 300 miles (480km) through the Canadian wilderness searching for their beloved masters. It depicts the suffering and stress of an arduous journey, together with the unwavering loyalty and courage of the three animals. The story is set in the northwestern part of Ontario, which has many lakes, rivers, and widely dispersed small farms and towns. A Canadian family in Ontario named Hunter has decided to go on a trip to England so that the patriarch, James, can accept a temporary position. While away, the three beloved pets of the family are left in the care of a close family friend named John Longridge. The pets are Bodger, an aging bull terrier, Bodger's boon companion Tao, a Siamese cat, and the latest addition to the menagerie, Luath, a golden Labrador. Longridge decides to go on a two-day hunting trip by canoe and arrange for his neighbors, the Oakes, to care for the pets while away. Fans of Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Shiloh will love this timeless classic about two dogs and a cat that embark on a journey to return to their owner and inspired the movie Homeward Bound.

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Bodger, the hero, the old bull terrier with a sense of humour. Age was against him, but he was bred to fight and endure. This is a Canadian classic and I like to think that the Mary Lawson book I brought along is a new Canadian classic. I'm looking forward to seeing what my buddy's family thinks of them. If you are a fan of the 1993 Disney movie called Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, which is based off this book, then you are not alone. I love that movie and when I first read this book I expected the book to be exactly like the movie. Ah youth ignorance about how movie versions are not the same as the books their based off of. Anyway, I am surprised to say that I actually liked the movie version better and that rarely happens for me.

The animals are portrayed with affection though it is clear that old Bodger is the love of Burford's life. Written in 1961, this book was pitched at children, but I think it is equally appealing to adults, particular to those who are animal lovers. One of the strengths of the book is the choice by the author not to make it into a fantasy by giving the animals ability to talk; instead Sheila Burnford presents the story by observing and narrating each details of adventure, misery, plight and danger that the animals experience from the journey to the reader lucidly, which makes it seem a realistic tale. This beloved classic that inspired the movie Homeward Bound has captured the hearts of generations of readers. The lengths to which these three animals will go for each other and for their owner make for a thrilling and thoroughly unforgettable tale.Sheila could be fanciful with grating, incongruous things, like calling a “shrill” whistle “sweet”. No, it isn't! The end milked drama. If two pets arrive, you search or wait, because the third is on his way too! You would not give up on Bodger, with miracles in front of you. Lastly, when did this occur? Who was the author to them? Four stars appreciate everything else about this special novel. Have no doubt that I savour hearing about pets coming home. I was reluctant about this, in a bag of books borrowed from Mom. It cheered me up.