Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What type of support can an animal offer in times of difficulty or need? For example, how do pets support people?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question introduces a central theme of the novel: The Relationship Between People and Animals. Mowat’s novel highlights the special relationship that humans have with animals, particularly in the ways that animals provide love, support, and friendship. In the novel, the protagonist befriends unusual animals, including owls and gophers. Although his parents are initially skeptical of Billy’s new adopted pets, they recognize the importance of Billy’s friendships with local Canadian fauna and support Billy by allowing him to house and feed his animals. After students have the chance to answer the prompt independently, they might meet briefly in small groups to share and compare responses.

• The National Institutes of Health discusses “The Power of Pets” as a benefit for human health.
• The topic of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) may come up in individual responses or small group discussion. This article from the University of Massachusetts Medical School explores the role of ESAs in society and details how they differ from service animals.