WAGNIFICENT

Having reckoned with wilder impulses in the first series installment, Thunder the dog faces a fresh challenge under the tutelage of her human, Sage.

In Thunder’s mind, the pair form a close-knit pack, so when Sage agrees to take in a foster pup named Byron, Thunder’s life is thrown into confusion. Although Byron is comically tiny, his inner canine conscience (represented by a wolf at his side) is larger and fiercer than Thunder’s. The minuscule Byron encroaches on Thunder’s territory: He urinates indoors, sleeps in Thunder’s bed, and demands that Thunder give him her bone. Furious, Thunder barks and growls until the smaller dog scurries out through a hole in the fence. Though Thunder’s initially elated to have her home to herself, Sage is devastated to discover Byron gone, and the two set out to find the runaway. With a clearer understanding of their household roles (and a happy ending for everyone), the pets and people alike grow in awareness of the finer points of inter-canine interactions. The conflict in this volume adds intrigue and momentum to the previously established episodic chapter structure. Murguia’s upbeat cartoon illustrations are occasionally interrupted by “Thunder’s Rules” interludes, which highlight what behaviors are more acceptable for dogs to exhibit with one another vs. with humans. Sage is light-skinned and purple-haired; other humans vary in skin tone.

A feel-good tale that invites readers to consider life from the perspective of their four-legged friends.