Rating: Needs Parent Supervision (Other Religious Practices/Cultures)

Reading Level: Late Elementary

I grew up loving the Homeward Bound movie; it seemed time to check out the source. I don’t particularly consider myself an animal lover and don’t have any pets, but even I was touched by some of the sweetness of the story. (Admittedly, I also was grossed out a few times when the animals crunch bones gobbling up their wild-caught, hard-earned meals.)

99.9% of the story is perfectly appropriate for almost any audience. Here is the 0.1% that may be an issue or require some guidance from a helicopter mom like me. Possible Concerns

  • Subtlety. This book definitely requires a mature reader or a lover of animals. There were a few times when I thought a young reader might have trouble staying engaged or catching the subtle interactions between the animals.
  • Legends of how a Siamese Cat’s Tail got its kink. Near the end of Chapter 6, legends about the breed postulate them as guardians of ancient princesses, who added a kink to their tails so that royal jewels could be stored without falling off. Of course, you and I know that the One God Creator bent their tails out of His design, but this legend undermines the creation story.
  • Tests sent by “the spirits.” At the end of chapter 4, the author says the animals became immortal because their short visit to a Native American camp is interpreted by the Ojibways as a hospitality test sent from the spirits. This could be a gateway into a bible story such as about when Lot entertains angels or when the disciples welcome Jesus when they don’t recognize him.
  • A few other spiritual-type references. A few times the animals are described as having the appearance or behavior of an apparition or a ghost, such as at the beginning of Chapter 7. Later in Chapter 7 some lightweight snakeskins are described as gently swaying in the wind as if repossessed.
  • Implying Evolution. The laboradoor is described as sensing a wolf and hating it—perhaps based on some “deep primeval instinct which must have had its origin in those mists of time when they shared a common ancestor.” So this hints at theory of evolution.

These issues are not central to the story, so could easily be removed or adjusted if a parent were reading them out loud to their children. Or, they might springboard great discussion about what the bible says or doesn’t say in agreement with the story. That said, the majority of the book is a wholesome, endearing story of perseverance and loyalty.