Sparky is a sheepdog puppy who has a magic bone. When he bites the bone, stars twinkle in front of his eyes, he smells chicken, salmon and roast beef, and he is instantly transported to another place in the world. In this book, his travels take him to the Serengeti in Tanzania, and to Agra, India. In the Serengeti, Sparky meets a pack of African wild dogs and learns about the different animals on the plain. In India, he befriends a stray named Raj, and finds a magic lamp. This is a light, fast moving story narrated by the dog. The simple language will appeal to readers newly comfortable with chapters, and the adorable black and white cartoon-like illustration are numerous and give real personality to the characters. The illustrator gives his dogs expressive eyes and prominent noses that are very endearing. Additional "Fun Facts" explain more about the geography and animals of Tanzania and Africa. Readers don't have to have read others in the series to get the gist.