by Paul Yoon
First published 2026
Etna served years in a brutal war alongside human soldiers. One night, the military dog makes a decision that changes everything. He leaves his unit and begins walking toward the place he remembers from before the war, where soldiers took him as a young dog. The journey across devastated landscapes tests every survival skill Etna learned in combat. Peacetime brings different dangers but no less risk. Other displaced animals cross his path. Humans struggling to rebuild their lives offer unexpected encounters. Some help. Others threaten. Etna pushes forward, driven by a memory that may not lead where he hopes. His search becomes more than finding a physical location. The dog must navigate a world where trust feels impossible and safety remains elusive. Every step raises the same questions that haunt all survivors: what counts as home when everything familiar has vanished, and how does anyone start over after losing everything that mattered.
Genres: fiction, animals, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, journey
Setting: Africa
Period: 21st-century
208 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: war