The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga - ISBN: 9781250387189
Hardcover
A dog and a cheetah: unlikely friends forge courage and heal hearts.

The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan

$32.99

  • Hardcover

    240 pages

  • Release Date

    16 June 2026

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Summary

Finnegan is a rescue dog with a broken heart. Chase is an anxious cheetah cub, newly orphaned. The two animals couldn’t be more different. But one day, they are brought together for the unlikeliest of reasons: Finnegan must help Chase gain the confidence she needs to perform as part of an educational program for children at a zoo.

Finnegan and Chase have each suffered losses and have trouble trusting. Yet somehow, they are just what the other needs. But if Finnegan isn’t able to help …

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781250387189
ISBN-10:1250387183
Author:Jasmine Warga
Publisher:St Martin's Press
Imprint:St Martin's Press
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:240
Release Date:16 June 2026
Weight:333g
Dimensions:25mm x 146mm x 219mm
Audience Age:8
A-Format
B-Format
The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga - ISBN: 9781250387189
146 × 219 mm
C-Format
A4
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“Ms. Warga…is a versatile and engaging writer who immerses readers in the sensory experience of life through Finn’s and Chase’s eyes. Finn’s hyperactive sense of smell and bottomless appetite provide lighthearted comic relief, while the descriptions of Chase running are some of the book’s loveliest passages.” –The Wall Street Journal

“Animal lovers and readers who appreciate emotional narratives will delight in this ultimately hopeful middle-grade novel inspired by true stories of cheetahs and dogs in zoos across the globe.” –Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“An endearing, deeply moving story of healing.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In this moving tale of animal friendship and found family…Warga offers an accessible point of entry for curious animal lovers, culminating in a compassionate work that additionally addresses issues of anxiety and trauma.” Publishers Weekly

“An uplifting and heartwarming story about friendship and the way it can change lives for creatures great and small; sure to leave an impact long after the last page. Hand to fans of Katherine Applegate’s One and Only and Rosanne Parry’s Voice of the Wilderness series.” School Library Journal (starred review)

“Warga’s heartwarming latest finds inspiration in true events. The sweet depiction of meeting someone new is sure to resonate.” Booklist

“Anxious kiddos will see themselves in both characters and, like Chase and Finnegan, find themselves a little less alone.” Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“This book! It stole my heart, broke my heart, and warmed my heart. Chase and Finnegan have the kind of friendship we all need.” –Barbara O’Connor, New York Times bestselling author of Wish

“Utterly transporting. This book is all heart, and masterfully imagines the internal lives of two unlikely animal friends.” –Eliot Schrefer, author of Endangered, a National Book Award Finalist

“Jasmine Warga’s brilliant and heartfelt storytelling made my heart soar. While spending time with Chase and Finnegan, words like friendship, family, connection, love, light, and joy kept racing through my mind. Most of all, the story filled me with HOPE!” –John Schu, librarian and New York Times best-selling author of Louder Than Hunger

“Meet your new favorite animal story. Profoundly moving and vibrating with heart–this book will sit comfortably among the greats. Chase and Finnegan will stay with me for a long time. I loved it.” –Tae Keller, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger

About The Author

Jasmine Warga

Jasmine Warga is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Rover’s Story, The Shape of Thunder, and A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall. Her book Other Words for Home received a Newbery Honor and Walter Honor, among numerous other awards. Here We Are Now and My Heart and Other Black Holes, her novels for teens, have been translated into over twenty-five languages. She lives in the Chicago area with her family.

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