By Jasmine Warga
Balzer + Bray / Macmillan, 2026
229 pages
978-1-250-38718-9
Ages 7-11
An unlikely pair of animals finds healing, companionship, and courage in this touching novel inspired by a real-life animal-rehabilitation program. Chase, a baby cheetah, is devastated when her mother dies during a visit to the veterinarian at the zoo where she was rehabilitated after being injured in the wild. Chase knows that she now must rely on Basma, the compassionate human who cares for her, but trust in humans does not come easily. When Basma’s partner, Ryan, rescues an injured, abandoned dog (whom he names Finnegan), Basma sees an opportunity to introduce Finnegan as a surrogate sibling to Chase—and the two animals soon become bonded. While the animals in this story cannot speak to humans, they do speak to each other; their voices believably convey their anxiety, wonder, and self-doubt, and their conversations gradually reveal details of their pasts. While Chase slowly gains confidence in her ability to perform (sprint) in front of an audience at the zoo, Finnegan’s fear that he is not the “good dog” that Ryan and Basma believe him to be only grows. After losing control of his actions during a frightening thunderstorm, Finnegan decides his only recourse is to run away before he can be abandoned again. But Chase valiantly sacrifices her performance in the trial run of her show to chase after Finnegan and assure him of his worth. Sure to have wide appeal, this story skillfully evokes everything from tears of sadness to heartwarming joy without being saccharine or sentimental. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center