Why we’re excited
Burke, a shollie (part collie, part shepherd), grows up believing dogs live forever. Once he learns how short a dog's life really is, he sets out to spend it well, and a separation from the one person he chose sends him across open wilderness to get back. The book promises on its first page that the dog survives.
T.J. Klune built a devoted readership with The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, books about kindness and found family. A canine narrator suits that warmth. Animal lovers who avoid dog books for fear of a sad ending have a written guarantee.
On our most-anticipated list since 21 October 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about The Stars Look Like Home
T.J. Klune is a familiar name here: 4 of T.J. Klune’s books have full reviews, averaging 4.3 out of 5. The one we rated highest is Somewhere Beyond the Sea (4.5★); the most recent is We Burned So Bright.
Readers have saved it often enough to put it at No. 12 on our list of January 2027’s most-anticipated releases.
From the publisher
From beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune comes The Stars Look Like Home, a funny and moving adventure novel about finding one’s place in the universe from the perspective of a dog.
A promise: The dog does not die in this.
As a puppy, Burke’s mother told him that dogs' lives are like the stars in the sky: An everlasting light in the darkness. And so, naturally, Burke believes he will live forever.
When he discovers the truth—that he barely has any time at all—he sets out to make the absolute most of life and all it has to offer.
Try as he might to make every day count, he’s shuffled from one place to another, from family homes to training programs.
Until, at last, he finds the man he knows he's meant to share that life with. But when they’re tragically separated, Burke, a shollie from the suburbs, is sent on an incredible journey through the wilderness, a journey that leads him to the very heart of what it means to have a place in the world, for what little time we’re here.
The Stars Look Like Home is a triumphant story about a good boy on a grand adventure to find a great life.
The hardcover edition will feature a beautiful case stamp.
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read The Stars Look Like Home yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
