Very mature for a children's book and very compelling. Following Lassie on her long and hard way home, reading about the people she meets and the one's that care for her, was great. The characters were realistic, especially the emotionally immature reaction of the parents, in a way that impressed me. It also didn't shy away from topics like war and killing for survival. Lassie had enough character to her to be interesting as a main character while still being a real dog. Fast read and very enjoyable.