10-471: The Incredible Journey (1961), by Scottish author Sheila Burnford , is a children's book first published by Hodder & Stoughton , which tells the story of three pets as they travel 300 miles (480 km) through the Canadian wilderness searching for their beloved masters. It depicts the suffering and stress of an arduous journey, together with the unwavering loyalty and courage of the three animals. The story
20-458: A close relationship with the older dog. The animals' owners, the Hunters, leave to go to England for several months because Jim, the father, is scheduled to give a series of university lectures there. They leave their pets in the care of John Longridge, a family friend and godfather of their daughter, Elizabeth. One day, after John Longridge leaves for a two-week duck hunting trip, the animals, feeling
30-663: A volunteer ambulance driver. In 1951 she emigrated to Canada, settling in Port Arthur, Ontario . Burnford is best remembered for The Incredible Journey , published by Hodder & Stoughton with illustrations by Carl Burger in 1960. The story of three animal pets traveling in the wilderness won the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award in 1963 and the ALA Aurianne Award in 1963 as
40-423: Is set in the northwestern part of Ontario , which has many lakes, rivers, and widely dispersed small farms and towns. It is usually considered a children's book, although Burnford has stated that she did not write it specifically for children. The book was a modest success when first published, but became widely known after 1963 when it was loosely adapted into a film by the same name by Walt Disney . The story
50-420: The best book on animal life written for children ages 8–14. It is marketed for children but Burnford has stated that it was not intended as a children's book. It was a modest success commercially and became a bestseller after release of the 1963 Disney film, The Incredible Journey (which was remade in 1993 as Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey ). Another book, Bel Ria , about a dog's survival in wartime,
60-577: The lack of their human helpers, set out to try to find their owners, the Hunters. Mrs. Oakes, who is taking care of Longridge's home, does not find the animals and thinks that John must have taken them with him. The animals follow their instincts and head west, towards home, 300 miles away through the Canadian wilderness. They face many obstacles in their path; from rivers to irritable people, but nonetheless, they struggle bravely on, until they finally reach home. Sheila Burnford Sheila Philip Cochrane Burnford née Every (11 May 1916 – 20 April 1984)
70-556: The migration of the narwhals . She died of cancer in the village of Bucklers Hard in Hampshire at the age of 67. Library of Congress and WorldCat library records do not clearly show any other works published as books (six, as of 2018). WorldCat records show four of Burnford's books published in the US as Atlantic Monthly Press books, then an imprint of Little, Brown. 1973 in literature This article contains information about
80-639: Was a Scottish writer. She is best known for her novel The Incredible Journey about two dogs and a cat traveling through the Canadian wilderness. Burnford was born in Edinburgh , Scotland and lived in Ayrshire during her teenage years. She attended St. George's School, Edinburgh , and Harrogate Ladies College . She also attended schools in France and Germany. In 1941 she married Dr. David Burnford , with whom she had three children. During World War II , she worked as
90-494: Was again adapted loosely when Disney remade the film in 1993 as Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey . Burnford based the fictional story on the animals she and her husband owned while living in Canada: a Bull Terrier brought from England; a Siamese cat , whose mutual relationship with the terrier she described as "closer than any other cat-and-dog relationship I had ever seen"; and a young Labrador Retriever , who also developed
100-515: Was based on her own experiences as an ambulance driver. Burnford later wrote other books on Canadian topics, including One Woman's Arctic ( 1973 ) about her two summers in Pond Inlet, Nunavut on Baffin Island with Susan Ross . She traveled by komatik, a traditional Inuit dog sled , assisted in archaeological excavation, having to thaw the land inch by inch, ate everything offered to her, and saw
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