Classroom Connections: the Wagnificent series by Bethanie Murguia
age range: 6-10
format: graphic novel
Bethanie Murguia’s website
Educators’ Guide for the Wagnificent series
A heartwarming story of a dog’s loyalty to their human pack, perfect for young dog lovers.
―School Library Journal
Whether you’re a dog lover or just curious about the world from a pup’s perspective, this funny and enlightening book is perfect for young readers itching for a good story.
―Booklist
Please tell us about your graphic novel series.
WAGNIFICENT celebrates the dog and human bond—full of humor, love, and plenty of miscommunication. The story is told from the dog’s point of view. I want the reader to experience this relationship through the dog’s eyes (or nose, as the case may be!).
Many years ago, a dog trainer helped me and my dog with leash walking. When I asked why my dog kept pulling, she said your dog is wondering why you keep pulling. That comment stuck with me. It was a great reminder that each of us sees the world through our own lens. I tried to put myself at the other end of the leash as I wrote and illustrated this series.
The first book is the story of Thunder the dog, her human Sage, and Thunder’s inner wolf—a grammarian and curmudgeon who just wants Thunder to follow her wild instincts, not Sage’s rules. In the second book, A New Dog in the Den, Sage brings a foster dog into the house and Thunder must balance being a citizen of the human world and the dog world.
What inspired you to write this story?
Like most every dog person out there, I have the best dog in the world. (Well, three of them currently!) This story was inspired by the real Thunder. She’s part wild hunter, part lap dog, and total drama queen. This blend of wildness and human-ness made me want to understand her better. Anyone who has adored a dog has probably wondered:
What is my dog thinking?
Why do I have a wild animal living in my house?
This series is my response to those questions.
Could you share with readers a few interesting tidbits about your writing process with this book?
Even though the series is fictional, I read every nonfiction book about canines, their senses, and their social structures that I could find. I even visited and hiked with wolves. Much of what I learned is woven into the plot. Plus, I included nonfiction back matter for readers who want to understand dogs and wolves better. They’ll find answers to questions like: How do canines organize their societies? (We humans could learn a thing or two.) Why do dogs howl at ambulances? Why do they walk in circles before sleeping? Do dogs actually love us?
What do you hope young readers take away from your books?
WAGNIFICENT is a friendship adventure. It’s filled with goofy moments and plenty of humor and shenanigans, but at its core, this is a book about care and love. My hope is that readers connect with the characters and are inspired to be more curious and empathetic in their own animal (and human) friendships. And I hope they find the dog and wolf facts shared in the books as fascinating as I do.
What topics does your book touch upon that would make it a perfect fit for the classroom?
Pets! Perennial favorites! Because the narrator is a dog, this series is well-suited to discussions about point of view. It’s also a natural fit for science standards related to animal senses.
Graphic novels in general offer many points of entry, allowing classrooms with various reading abilities to enjoy them. While writing this particular series, I thought about ways to engage readers. In addition to the character illustrations and dialogue, there are silly moments between chapters that give readers a bit of breathing room, as well as the aforementioned nonfiction back matter for readers who want to take a deeper dive into domestication, dog behaviors, and how they’re connected.