Introductory activities
Animal welfare
Discuss with students the concept of animal welfare and protection. Start by asking what they know about animals’ general treatment and conditions. Facilitate a conversation about animal welfare and rights, how these positions differ, and where they might agree. Guide students to explore the history of animal welfare, including the world’s first animal protection law and the establishment of the RSPCA in Australia. Have them research the obligations of pounds, shelters, and governments towards animals, as well as any local welfare groups or services. You can use a KWL chart (or a variation such as ‘What I know’ / ‘What I think I know’ / ‘What I’d like to know’) as a tool to help students organise their prior knowledge and identify areas for further learning.
(AC9E7LA01) (AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LY05)
Historical context: pets and their roles
Students can research the history of pets and how their roles have shifted over time, from working animals to beloved family members. This context will allow students to appreciate the significance of Scruffity’s journey in The Way of Dog as a reflection of both historical and modern attitudes toward animals.
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LY05)
Dog jargon
Jointly brainstorm the qualities and vocabulary associated with dogs. Ask students how many breeds they can identify and what qualities are associated with them (Dogs Australia may be useful here). Have students identify as many dog-related words as possible (e.g. bark, howl, snout, fur, tail, paw, lead/leash, lick, dig). Keep a tally of these and other terms as they appear in the novel. You can also create a diagram or visual representation of a dog and write the vocabulary words on and around it.
The way of shelters
Ask students what they know about rescues, shelters, and pounds (see also Pet Rescue’s article on animal management in Australia). Discuss the role of these facilities and the potential impacts on and outcomes for dogs. Then research animal rescue stories, focusing on those told from the animal’s perspective (e.g. this letter from a shelter dog). How does this viewpoint affect our understanding of the animals’ experiences?
NOTE: Sadly, many rescue animals have experienced abandonment, neglect, cruelty, and other inhumane conditions (e.g. on a puppy farm). Use your discretion and vet all stories carefully to avoid exposing students to highly distressing content.
Tone and mood prediction
Show students the front cover of The Way of Dog by Zana Fraillon. Ask them to predict the overall tone or mood of the novel and/or describe their first impressions. What emotions or themes do they expect based on the visual cues? Discuss how book covers can influence a reader’s expectations.
Animals and connections
Explore the theme of transformative love by looking at photos or videos of animals (especially dogs) that have been transformed by care and affection. Discuss how love can change both animals and humans, and how this might relate to The Way of Dog.
NOTE: Again, use your discretion and vet all examples carefully to avoid exposing students to graphic imagery or footage. Some safer options are available from K9 Magazine and Business Insider.
Ask students if they think it is possible to have an animal best friend. Discuss the importance of connection and feeling understood. Can they relate to feeling lonely or missing someone special? Do they think animals experience this too? Relate this discussion to the novel’s themes of loyalty and connection.
Giving animals a voice
Discuss the concept of animals as voiceless beings. How do writers give animals a voice in literature, and why is this important? Tap into students’ prior knowledge and expectations about how animals are represented in stories.
Read Dog by Shaun Tan (or a similar text of your choosing) to the class. Discuss how it might relate to the themes in The Way of Dog. Explore how both stories reflect on understanding and appreciating animals.
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LA07) (AC9E7LE03) (AC9E7LE05)
Personal response on reading the text
Emotional engagement
Ask students to reflect on the feelings and emotions that arise as they engage with The Way of Dog. Discuss how the format (e.g. verse novel) and presentation (e.g. illustrations) influence their experience and shape their emotional responses.
(AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY05)
Personal connections
Survey the class to find out who has pets. Represent the data visually (e.g. a bar graph or pie chart) and create a collaborative verse or poster based on the results. This will help students connect their personal experiences with the text. You can also facilitate discussion by inviting students to share their stories about dogs or pets more broadly. Encourage them to reflect on their expectations of The Way of Dog and how their personal experiences may shape their reading.
Empathy exploration
Read Way Home*, written by Libby Hathorn and illustrated by Gregory Rogers, as a way of exploring empathy. How do both texts (Way Home and The Way of Dog) encourage us to understand and care for animals?
* Reading Australia title
Present students with an emotions display to help them identify and/or express their feelings at different points in the story. Uplift Kids offers a basic chart, while the Ekmans’ Atlas of Emotions is a more sophisticated interactive option. Students could even use emojis to represent how they feel. This visual reflection will help them track their emotional journey throughout the book.
While they are reading, encourage them to write at least six journal entries reflecting on their emotions. How has reading The Way of Dog influenced their perspective on life? Has it renewed their appreciation for their own pets, friends, or other people in their life?
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LA03) (AC9E7LE02) (AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LY05) (AC9E7LY06)
Outline of key elements of the text
Plot
Discuss the plot of The Way of Dog, starting with a recap of Scruffity’s main ‘custodians’. Explore the fast pacing of the story, focusing on how Scruffity’s quest drives the plot forward. Highlight how this journey is unexpected in its twists and turns, yet shapes Scruffity’s experiences and growth throughout the novel.
Characters
Start by discussing Scruffity’s qualities and characteristics. Encourage students to find quotes from the text that support their ideas about his personality, emotions, and capacity for resilience.
Also discuss the significance of Scruffity’s relationship with the boy he calls ‘MyManpup’. What qualities define their bond?
Next, examine the differences between the various humans Scruffity encounters (see below). Why are these distinctions important, and how do they affect Scruffity’s journey?
| MyManpup | GrowlManJim | OldOne |
| MyGirlpups (PippaPip and LilaMay) | Mum | UncleJay |
| SunWoman | MyCharlieMan | ShoutyShoe-LegWoman |
Finish by revising point of view with the class. Refer to ETA NSW’s English Textual Concepts and Learning Processes booklet, particularly the sections on perspective and point of view (pp. 24–27), to deepen students’ understanding.
Themes
Create a table to compare and contrast ideas about companionship, mateship, and friendship. What qualities are associated with each, and how do these shape meaning and value in the novel?
Discuss key themes in The Way of Dog, such as:
| Belonging | Connection | Friendship | Loyalty | Empathy |
| Loneliness | Isolation | Resilience | Survival | Fear |
| Hope | Grief | Courage | Animal welfare |
Have students work in groups to gather quotes, take notes, and analyse some of these themes and how they manifest in the story.
(AC9E7LA07) (AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LE02) (AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY08)
Synthesising task
Have students research the benefits of dog ownership, focusing on the unique aspects of the human-dog relationship. Discuss how this bond can positively impact mental health by reducing stress, providing companionship, and encouraging physical activity. Extend the research to explore the overall benefits of having pets and the significance of the human-pet relationship. Also explore this 2021 study about dog ownership to deepen students’ understanding.
Students can then write a short extended response that engages with the ideas from their research, drawing connections to their own personal insights or observations.
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LE07) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY05) (AC9E7LY06) (AC9E7LY08)
The writer’s craft
Form and structure
The Way of Dog is written in free verse, which contributes to its unique narrative flow. Discuss the features of verse novels and how this format allows for brevity and a distinct rhythm in storytelling. Use examples of other verse novels to explore free verse and its impact on readers (see Reading Australia’s verse novel archive or NCACL’s free verse novel resource). Also choose and discuss extracts from The Way of Dog that use both structure and language to reflect the free verse novel form, e.g. ‘Hunting Hands’ (pp. 11–13) or ‘BigCity Learnings’ (pp. 105–107).
Allow students to experiment with free verse writing, encouraging them to play with language and structure as a means of expression. A useful activity – and one recommended by Fraillon herself – is to choose an existing verse and ask students to rearrange the words to create a new verse. They do not need to use all the words in the original, but they cannot add any new words. This is particularly helpful for students who may find the idea of writing poetry intimidating. You can extend the activity by asking students to play with the formatting of the new verse, exploring how the layout of the words on the page can affect the meaning and feel of a poem. This exploration can lead to a richer understanding of The Way of Dog’s textual form, artistic possibilities, and impact.
(AC9E7LA01) (AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LA03)
Characterisation
Characterisation in The Way of Dog is distinct and impactful. It is particularly evident through Scruffity’s narration and his connection with MyManpup. Have students list the qualities (supported by quotes from the text) that make Scruffity such a loveable and loyal dog. Discuss the impact of his narration and fragmented language on the reader. Also discuss how the characters MyManpup, MyGirlpups (PippaPip and LilaMay), and MyCharlieMan help Fraillon to explore and represent themes of belonging, freedom, and connection.
Consider how Scruffity’s vulnerability and innocence invites readers to empathise deeply with him and his special humans. Students can select a key moment in Scruffity’s emotional or physical journey and rewrite it from the perspective of MyManpup, PippaPip, LilaMay, or MyCharlieMan, using conventional prose rather than Scruffity’s fragmented language. They could then compare the two versions, considering how the change in perspective and narrative style affects the reader’s empathy for Scruffity and understanding of the human-animal connection.
(AC9E7LE02) (AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY08)
Setting
Have students map the main settings in The Way of Dog (the puppy farm, the river, the city, the pound, and the prison), noting the varied and transitory nature of each. They can work in small groups to represent the different settings on posters, recording words and quotes from the novel that reflect the (often bleak) sense of place.
As an optional extension, students could explore Scruffity’s weak or negative attachment to place in the early chapters, creating a sense of instability and detachment for the reader. Discuss how this lack of connection mirrors the uncertain life of animals without loving homes, and how early negative memories shape their behaviour and perceptions of the world.
Students can also reflect on the fact that the settings lack specific names and locations. On the one hand, this gives them a universal quality; on the other hand, it strips them of familiarity, reinforcing the themes of loneliness and survival.
Use of parallels and contrasts
Discuss the concept of parallels and contrasts in literature, and consider their impact and effect. Guide students to think about and map the parallels/contrasts in The Way of Dog, especially in Scruffity’s relationships and their position in the wider narrative arc. For example, explore how Scruffity’s relationship with MyManpup evolves into a source of comfort and stability, contrasting with his isolation and fear in the early chapters. Students can analyse how these narrative techniques enhance the story’s emotional impact and help reinforce its themes.
Point of view
The Way of Dog has a unique point of view in that it allows readers to experience the world through the eyes of a dog (Fraillon’s Acknowledgements on pp. 255–257 are thoughtful and helpful here). This draws readers into Scruffity’s emotional state and provides insight into his thoughts, fears, and hopes. Discuss with students how this point of view creates empathy and how it might differ if told from a human perspective. Draw out examples from the novel to further scaffold students’ thinking, e.g. ‘BigCityDogs’ (pp. 142–146) and ‘The Way of Dog – To Listen’ (pp. 181–183).
Voice
Have students write down words and phrases they would use to describe Scuffity’s voice in The Way of Dog. They can find quotes from the novel to support their thinking, perhaps citing the way that Fraillon has captured the simplicity and immediacy of a dog’s thoughts. Students can share their ideas and quotes with the rest of the class, perhaps using their most believable and engaging canine voice! Encourage students to think about how this voice impacts their understanding of Scruffity’s character and his perception of humans, and why it might resonate with readers.
Language and style
The language and style of the text reflects its verse novel structure, with short, impactful chapters and a sparseness that leaves room for a thoughtful response. Discuss why Fraillon might have chosen this structure and why verse novels tend to be brief (the first two pages of this 2022 article may be useful). Together, explore this 2024 ABC News article and discuss the impact of the chapters in The Way of Dog based on their simplicity and clarity.
Students can perform dramatic readings of selected chapters in small groups. Encourage them to consider how language choices impact the reader’s engagement with the text. They may enjoy delving into how Scruffity’s voice is crafted through specific language choices, demonstrating how style shapes our perception of character.
Text and meaning
Cover detail
Discuss what makes an effective front cover, including conventions and stylistic choices such as the use of colour to convey mood. Revisit the cover of The Way of Dog and note the use of blues and darker hues. Discuss how these choices set the tone for the story, exploring themes of loneliness, grief, or even moments of calm in Scruffity’s journey. Students can write an analytical paragraph exploring how visual techniques have been used to convey these themes and prepare the reader for the story to come.
Pet ownership and human connection
Students should survey a class or year group to capture data on the number of students who have pets. They should also discuss the connotations of being a ‘dog person’ or a ‘cat person’. This can lead to a discussion about human-animal relationships, responsibility in pet ownership, and how society views both of these.
Highlight the increase in pet ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore how animal companions fulfil emotional needs, especially in challenging times. Students can apply this understanding to The Way of Dog to investigate Scruffity’s deep desire and drive for human companionship. Also consider the fact that, once COVID-19 restrictions lifted, many pet owners faced new challenges balancing pet care with returning to work (this 2022 ABC News article may be useful here). Connect this to the novel’s themes of adaptability and resilience, especially in relation to the puppy farm and pound. Scruffity’s experiences in these settings mirror contemporary human experiences of isolation and loneliness. In discussing these connections, students will come to understand how contemporary literature can mirror real-life experiences.
Dogs in need
Have students create a poster advocating for dogs in need, using quotes from the text to bring attention to the plight of lost, stray, neglected, or abandoned dogs. Alternatively, they can create a poster that seeks to recruit what Scruffity would consider the ideal human to adopt a dog (or cat). This is a playful and artistic way to engage with the novel’s themes of vulnerability, resilience, and the search for belonging, while also encouraging specific textual engagement.
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LA07) (AC9E7LE04) (AC9E7LY03)
Synthesising task
Reading to dogs
Have students research reading programs involving dogs (e.g. Story Dogs). This activity promotes confidence and calm in young readers. Discuss some of the other benefits and connect them to the novel’s themes of comfort and connection, particularly in relation to Scruffity’s bond with MyManpup.
Students should write a short proposal for a similar reading program (or another program involving support animals) in their school. They should address the proposal to their school principal and incorporate their own research, as well as quotes/anecdotes from the novel, to support their ideas. The evidence from The Way of Dog will provide a unique context for understanding the role that animals play in supporting human emotions, and particularly student wellbeing.
(AC9E7LA04) (AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LE05) (AC9E7LY01) (AC9E7LY06) (AC9E7LY08)
Ways of reading the text
Author study: contextualising Zana Fraillon’s work
Have students investigate Fraillon’s background, influences, and other books (see More Resources for some links to help them get started). Discuss how The Way of Dog fits into her wider body of work and reflects her interest in themes such as empathy, resilience, and the experiences of marginalised groups. By situating the text within Fraillon’s broader context, students can read with an understanding of her intentions and any recurring motifs. This will help them consider how authorial perspective shapes narrative choices, allowing them to approach the text through a lens of biographical awareness.
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LE06) (AC9E7LY05)
Reading images in isolation
Encourage students to examine the illustrations and visual elements in The Way of Dog. They should interpret what this imagery communicates independently from the text – what emotions, themes, or story elements emerge? This approach, drawing on visual literacy and semiotics, allows students to ‘read’ the images as texts in their own right. They can explore how the visual storytelling complements, enhances, or even shifts the narrative, offering a new layer of meaning.
(AC9E7LA03) (AC9E7LA07) (AC9E7LY05)
Comparison with other texts
Representation of animals in literature
Explore other literary examples of animal protagonists, or texts that focus specifically on dogs as central characters. Examples include:
| Animal protagonists | Dogs as central characters |
|
|
* Reading Australia title
Discuss how different texts represent animal experiences and qualities such as loyalty, playfulness, and resilience. Students can compare these ideas with The Way of Dog, exploring how the novel both embodies and challenges traditional portrayals of dogs in texts. Through discussion, students will reflect on why dogs are often chosen as protagonists and what this reveals about human values and our emotional connections to animals.
As an optional extension, students could create their own dog character for a short story or comic, applying their understanding of characterisation and theme in a creative way.
Evaluation of the text
Significance to literature
The Way of Dog stands out for its innovative storytelling, especially in the way it uses varied narrative voices and perspectives to build empathy. It challenges traditional modes of storytelling by offering a dog’s perspective, allowing readers to emotionally connect with an animal in a meaningful way. Fraillon’s linguistic and structural choices contribute to a fresh narrative style that broadens our understanding of voice and viewpoint in literature. As a class, discuss how the novel’s playful yet poignant storytelling contributes to its literary significance, and how it enriches the reader’s experience by offering an unconventional perspective on themes like companionship, survival, and identity.
Responsibility and commitment
Using the survey from the Close Study section as a foundation (see Text and Meaning > Pet Ownership and Human Connection), encourage students to reflect on where the responsibility for pets lies at home. What does it mean to truly care for an animal? You could expand this discussion to a debate on the topic ‘Puppies make the best Christmas gifts’, examining the responsibilities and long-term commitments involved. This adds real-world relevance to the novel’s themes. Finish by considering how The Way of Dog supports the view that animals’ lives are inherently valuable.
(AC9E7LY02) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY08)
Identifying and justifying language/stylistic techniques
The Way of Dog effectively creates drama, suspense, and emotional engagement through its unique use of structure, typography, and lexical choices. The free verse form allows for brevity and intensity, creating a rhythmic pulse that helps convey Scruffity’s emotional state and journey. Have students locate examples where Fraillon uses short, fragmented lines to convey suspense or high emotion, leaving space on the page to amplify each word and allow readers to pause and feel tension. Students could experiment with this themselves in their own writing.
The novel’s typography also plays a significant role in creating meaning, with variations in size, formatting, and spacing/arrangement visually expressing Scruffity’s emotions (e.g. ‘Fear’, pp. 50–52). Students can locate examples where text is enlarged and/or bolded, representing fear or excitement, and examples where it is reduced or spaced out, signifying loneliness or uncertainty. This typographic variation draws readers into Scruffity’s emotional experience, making the narrative feel immediate and raw. Again, students can experiment with this in their own writing.
Lexical choice is another key element, with Fraillon selecting simple and direct words to reflect a dog’s perspective, allowing for an authentic and unfiltered view of the world. The language is accessible but packed with meaning, capturing Scruffity’s innocence as well as his vulnerability.
Using these stylistic techniques, The Way of Dog not only tells a story but immerses readers in the visceral experiences of its protagonist, enhancing the narrative’s emotional impact and engagement.
(AC9E7LA07) (AC9E7LE06) (AC9E7LY03)
Rich assessment tasks
1. Extended response
The Way of Dog is reflective of Australian culture, not only in its language and setting but in its thematic exploration of resilience, which is often associated with the Australian character (e.g. the concept of the ‘Aussie battler’). Students should explore the history and meaning of the term ‘underdog’, which resonates strongly in our culture and in Fraillon’s story. It embodies a spirit of tenacity and hope against the odds, as well as the idea of ‘having a go’.
Students should compose an extended response that considers how language, characterisation, and the unique rugged settings in The Way of Dog contribute to a distinctly Australian literary landscape.
(AC9E7LA02) (AC9E7LA03) (AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LE03) (AC9E7LE06) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY06) (AC9E7LY08)
2. Dramatic script and performance
Students can reflect on how engaging with different perspectives through drama can enhance our empathy, broaden our understanding of diverse viewpoints, and foster a sense of shared humanity. In small groups, they will create, write, and perform a short skit or play that explores these ideas, using character interactions and storytelling from The Way of Dog to highlight empathy and reveal insight into others’ experiences.
(AC9E7LA03) (AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LE07) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY06) (AC9E7LY07)
Synthesise core ideas
Back to the beginning
Share these four powerful quotes from the beginning of The Way of Dog to help synthesise the unit.
Be strong. Be fierce. Life is more than a concrete floor. (p. 5)
Consider what this quote tells us about resilience and finding strength in difficult situations. How might this perspective apply to our own lives and/or other stories we’ve read?
Are you coming? Are you? Are you? (p. 1)
The repetition suggests a sense of hope and longing. Ask students to reflect on a time when they waited for someone or something that would bring them comfort. How does this influence our empathy for Scruffity’s character?
Life is more …
scary without your mamma. (p. 6)
This line reveals vulnerability and the need for connection. How does this deepen our understanding of Scruffity’s fears and the universal need for family or support?
for this story is LOUD
it’s made to be growled
to be bellowed and roared … (p. 1)
Think about why Fraillon might have chosen to describe the story this way. How does the ‘loudness’ of the story reflect themes of survival and the struggle to be heard?
After exploring these quotes and ideas, students should consider what they have learned about empathy, resilience, and connection. How has this story, presented through the eyes of a dog, encouraged them to see the world differently? They can write a brief reflection on how they can apply these insights to other areas of their life or studies.
(AC9E7LE01) (AC9E7LE04) (AC9E7LY06)
Visual transformation and symbolism: reimagining the cover
Students should come up with a new cover for The Way of Dog, focusing on the idea of the transformative power of love. Discuss how visual elements such as colour, composition, and symbolism can convey different layers of meaning. This activity will help students see how visuals can stand alone as interpretations of a text’s themes, illustrating how art and literature intertwine to create meaning. By exploring different cover designs, students can interpret the narrative’s emotional shifts and Scruffity’s journey towards finding connection.
(AC9E7LA07) (AC9E7LE04) (AC9E7LY03)
Free verse reflection
Students should reflect on the experience of reading a free verse novel. They can journal about their feelings as the unit draws to a close. Has this book sparked an interest in reading more free verse poetry or verse novels? What other thoughts or questions have come up for them? Students should reflect on their responses to the text, both structurally and thematically.
(AC9E7LE04) (AC9E7LY03) (AC9E7LY08)
Book of the Year evaluation
The Way of Dog was shortlisted for the CBCA Younger Readers Book of the Year in 2023. Examine the CBCA Book of the Year Awards Policy, particularly the judging criteria and Younger Readers category description on p. 8. Evaluate how The Way of Dog meets these standards as a shortlisted text, and identify specific strengths that align with the awards’ values.
NOTE: As of 2027, CBCA has introduced a Middle Readers Book of the Year category for readers aged 10–13. You may prefer to situate The Way of Dog in this category rather than in Younger Readers, which is now aimed at ages 6–10.
Have students discuss in small groups:
- What have you learned from analysing The Way of Dog in this way (i.e. against an explicit criteria)?
- How does this new awareness of quality literature influence your understanding of other texts and authors?
Rich assessment task
‘The Way of …’
Students should consider how Scruffity is represented in The Way of Dog, focusing on his unique qualities, characteristics, and the way he embodies certain traits. They will then choose another subject or entity and produce a piece of imaginative writing that captures its distinct qualities and character (e.g. ‘The Way of Cat’, ‘The Way of School’, ‘The Way of Skateboard’).
Students should showcase at least five unique traits that make their chosen subject stand out, weaving these features into a compelling story.
