*I picked up an ARC of Jasmine Warga's upcoming middle-grade novel while attending #NCTE25 in Denver. The novel will be released in March 2026. This was the first book I started reading after NCTE and finished it on Thanksgiving.
What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know...*This is the story of two animals that are quite different from each other.
*Chase is a young Cheetah cub who is alone in the world.
*Finnegan is a young dog that has been rescued.
*The two animals come together while both at a zoo and involved in an educational program for children.
*Each animal has obstacles to overcome and with the help of each other, they are hoping to improve their lives.
What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections...
*I have enjoyed all of Jasmine's works of fiction and this was no exception.
*What amazes me about her stories is how different they are from each other. A sign of a truly talented writer.
*This was an amazing, fun, and heart-felt story about two lovable animals. Young readers will so enjoy the adventures of both Chase and Finnegan.
*The theme of friendship was at the forefront of the story from start to finish. And now I know animals can have just as personal friendships as their human counterparts.
*When I finished, I couldn't decide who I enjoyed more: Finnegan or Chase? So, I will go with both and look forward to sharing these amazing characters/animals.
Who Should Read It... *This particular Warga novel would be appropriate for all audiences. I think it would be a wonderful class read aloud in grades two and three. Individual readers in grades four and five would be ideal to read the story on their own. Jasmine Warga has done it again. Be sure to add this title to your TBR list. Happy Reading1. Rating... 4 out of 5 stars
