Nonfiction

Marley and Me by John Grogan

This is a classic dog story so I won’t go too into it. Just yes, read the book. It is relatable, funny and tearjerking all at once. You will fall in love with the “worst dog in the world” okay.

Oogy: A dog only a family could love by Larry Levin

Like Marley and Me, this book recounts the tale of a family and how their love for a poor, mutilated dog saved them rather than the other way around. It touches on the horror of dog fighting (which is how Oogy lost her ear and was incredibly injured and distrustful) but how love and patience helped her get through her awful past. So moving and yes, I cried at this too.

Saving Sadie: How a Dog that No One Wanted Inspired the World by Joal Derse Dauer

Sadie was left for dead. Sadie was bred for puppy mills and when her owners decided she was useless to them, shot her in the head and legs. But she survived. And with the torn patience and fierce determination of her owner, Daur, she learned to walk again and become an advocate for the disabled, bullied and marginalized. She become an inspiring beacon of hope, teaching kids to accept differences and bringing light to animal abuse.

Following Atticus: Forty Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog and an Extraordinary Friendship by Tomas Ryan

This memori shows the bond between man and dog, how having one steadfast, lyal companion can inspire you to accomplish more than you could ever thought. and Atticus traverse mountains as a duo, becoming well-known for their adventures n his blog. Caring for Atticus also helped Tomas through some of personal demons regarding his father and how it changed his outlook. Atticus sadly has passed, but Thomas narrated his audiobook and yes, I was very moved to tears.

Cleo: The Cat who mended a family by Helen Brown

The Brown family adopted a cat after the most tragic of events, the death of her five year old by a speeding car. Through hard years of grief, Cleo, mischevious, introspective Cleo seems to know exactly what to do to help the family through triumphs and more tragedies and proves cats may be magical.

The History of the World in Fifty Dogs by Mackenzi Lee

This book has a fun, twitter-casual tone that may be off-putting for some but I find it enjoyable. Especially as Lee recounts historical incidents like Balto and his long run to deliver vaccines to the stranded people of . To lesser known facts like how Josephine’s pet pug was the bane of Napolean the Conqueror’s life. It also has a tough chapter like the history of vivisection (live animal dissection) and the fight to stop it. But mostly, it is humerous and heartwarming, celebrating man’s best friend.

Babylon’s Ark by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence

Everyone suffers in wartime, especially those who are unable to get out. This remains true for the inhibitants of the Baghdad Zoo in Iraq. Once beautiful, and prosperous, many of the animals have been released, or poached. The ones that remain are sick, ill and starving despite the desperate care by their keepers. South African conservationist Lawrence heads over there to help where he can and is faced with lack of funds, and of course, potential looters and bombs. But they do it, Lawrence and the caretakers with the help of numerous international animal conservation groups come together to rescue those who remain despite the terror. It gives insight to how much hard work goes into the field of zoos and animal conservation, the steadfastness in helping and in hope and sobering as he details what is still left to do and to fight for as climate disaster approches.

Fiction

Pupply Place by Ellen Miles

This long running series (probably till the end of time) is adorable. I mean I bought a 9 book bundle just because of the covers. It follows the adventures of Lizzie and Charles, ever immortal fourth and second grader (No matter the passage of time) as they foster puppies. It offers a lot of helpful advice for dog rearing, dog breeds and training as well as relatable life lessons for kids like making friends and learning to stand up for yourself and animals. If you enjoy this series, I also suggest Miles’ short lived Kitty Corner series or Puppy Patrol by Jenny Dale. For more 5th-6th grade readers, Tui T. Sutherland’s Pet Trouble has the same premise.

Vet Volunteers by Laurie Halse Anderson

This one series is fit for those animal loving middle schoolers. It gets a little grittier covering such painful topics like puppy mills, illegal dog racing, animal smuggling and of course, the inevitable euthensia and death that sometimes vets cannot prevent. It can be hard, but it is truthful about the field. Plus it has a rotating group of protagonists so readers can latch onto animal-crazy, but schoolwork troubled Maggie, sweet, studious cat lover, Sunita, activist Breena, LA girl with a heart, Zoe or goofy equastrian, David. For lower schoolers, a similar series I suggest would be Animal Ark by Ben M. Baglio or for adults, All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot.

Hotel for Dogs trilogy by Lois Duncan

This is a sweet series following siblings, Andi and Bruce, and their friends who resolve to help the homeless dogs in the area by building their own hotel. Saving them from abusive owners, shelters or worse, euthenesia. But of course, such a secret enterprise is too overwhelming to last. However it has a happy ending and continues on with News for Dogs and Movies for Dogs with all their favorite characters and pups.

Warriors by Erin Hunter

This action series puts cats in the roles of outsider tribes on the fringes fighting for territory, status and fufilling prophacy like any good human fantasy adventure book. But it is with cats and that’s just makes it better especially with its extensive world building. She/they (it’s a pseudonym of various authors) has similar series following dogs and bears called Survivors and Seekers respectively. For an owl version, I suggest Guardians of Ga’hool.

Phantom Stallion by Terri Farley

I haven’t really gotten to horse series so here is a prime horse series. Not related to Black Stallion as I had first believed. Phantom Stallion follows Samantha and her special bond with said Phantom Stallion. She has come back to Nevada, after a two year stint away recovering from falling off her horse who spooked and ran off. Said horse is rediscovered to be the head of a wild herd so even though they are not owner and horse, they are still connected and they work to resolve various equine issues that happen at the ranch. It went onto it’s own spin off Wild Horse Island. But another similar series is Heartland by

The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo

This book is based upon the very special bond between lion and boy. A rare one, but its unbreakable as any even when said boys moves to boarding school, falls in love and fights in the war. They reunite still! It’s more about the boy’s life than the lion, but I still found it moving.

Little Foxes by Michael Morpurgo

Just like above, this is about the bond between boy and foxes. Well more like orphan Billy Bunch is shipped around to different, uncaring foster families, and made fun of for his stutter. But he finds care for small foxes whose mother was shot by people and he resolves to help them by running away with them from the gentrifying neighborhood. Also very moving, but I’m an easy touch when it comes to animals. A wolf version of this is The Runt by Marion Dane Baur.

Flushed by Carl Hiaasen

This book is one of the craziest of Hiassan’s Florida wild adventures with a casino boat, a good-hearted mobsters girlfriend and two intrepid teens determined to bust the whole scam wide open so to save the wildlands. Filled with action, some humor and just wild.

Dolphin Diaries by Ben M. Baglio

For those marine biologists, or at least aquatic life enthusiasts this is a cute series following Jody and her parents on a dream cruise to various dolphin centers around the world. To help dolphins. It was true escapism and teaches a lot about dolphins, their different spieces, habits and the enviromental/habitat/ commercialization issues they face.

Sisters in All Seasons by Lisa Williams Kline

Intially this seems to be a family book,, and it is. Diane and Stephanie have a hard time adjusting to their new lives as step-sisters, Diane is untrusting, impulsive and connects more with animals. Stephanie feels like Diane is a wary animals, and is slightly sheltered, boy crazy and preppy. But Diane brings the animal focus back as each book focuses on a different animal as implied through the title, and is through these animal rescues that the girls get closer and come to respect and even try to care for one another.

Bunnicula by the Howes

If you want your horror to have a little more fluff and fur, try Bunnicula. It’s a humorous series narrated by Harold the dog and Scruffy the cat who are convinced their new housemate is a vampire bunny and resolve to stop him from draining the life out of all vegetables. For dogs twisting the Sherlock Holmes theme try Jack Russel Mysteries.

Legend of Animal Healer by Laren St. John

This follows the adventures of Martine, a young British girl whose parents are tragically killed in a house fire so she is sent to live with her grandmother in South Africa. There, she learns the truth to why she never visited and was kept far away in the Continent. When she was born, she was prophasized to become an animal healer with special abilities to comunicate with wild life. And this she does almost immiedately upon arrival when she bonds and rescues a rare white giraffe. It’s a fun series and worth the read.