WAGNIFICENT

A dutiful dog is challenged by her wilder side.

Thunder loves her owner, a light-skinned, purple-haired girl named Sage. Sage gives Thunder a comfortable home, serenades her, and takes her on walks. But Thunder is coming to learn more about the gulf between her canine nature and her human’s expectations. Exploring a newfound passion for magic and fantasy, Sage dresses her pet in a wizard’s robe. Thunder’s inner wolf comes to life in her frustration, urging her to rip up the robe and embrace her lupine leanings. What begins as a bright buddy comic quickly becomes a poignant reflection on canine domestication as Thunder realizes that her responses to stimuli in the human and natural worlds are rooted in wolfish instincts. Growling at other dogs is her way of protecting her pack, while her need to hunt comes out when she chases squirrels. Eventually, Thunder flees to the woods. Will she find a way to balance her love for Sage with her wild instincts? Capturing both goofy and tender moments, Murguia’s cartoon illustrations depict the cozy comfort of civilization and the untamed beauty of the woods. Editorial comments in big black arrows and occasional “wagometers” indicating Thunder’s state of mind ramp up the humor. Each chapter concludes with “Pack Manners” interludes—brief comics with hilariously spot-on examples of typical canine behaviors—and backmatter further examines the origins, physiology, and habits of the modern dog.

A thoughtful, ambitious adventure for aspiring animal behaviorists.