Animal Stories

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Yes, this is the book that was made into both a movie AND a Broadway show!

The story alternates points of view between Joey the horse, who remembers growing up on a farm in England, being given to the Army as a cavalry horse during World War I, then captured by the Germans, who overwork and mistreat him terribly. Albert, the boy who was his beloved first master, tells his story, too, when his father takes Joey for the war.  Albert enlists, trying to find Joey. They both experience the horrors of war. This well-researched historical novel is a quick, but affecting read. Look for the sequel, Farm Boy, or the author's other stories, including An Elephant in the Garden, Shadow, Horse Tales (short stories), and Kensuke's Kingdom.

Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick

From the publisher: "Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl — both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that completely engrosses the reader."

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

From HarperCollins: "Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes." The new sequel is The One and Only Bob.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

If you've ever liked those old movies like Lassie Come Home, or Homeward Bound, about kids and their animals trying to find each other again, this book is very similar.  Peter rescued a baby fox and named him Pax.  They've been together every since, best friends.  Then Peter's dad enlists in the army, and sends him far away to live with his grandfather to keep him safe from the war.  Dad takes Pax far away and drops him off in a forest, to go back to the wild.  But Peter and Pax are determined to see each other again, and will do whatever it takes to be reunited.

Code Word Courage by Kirby Larson

This is the latest in a series of books about Dogs of World War II.  This one features Denny, a Dine (Navajo) code talker, and an injured stray named Bear.

Also check out the others: Dash, Duke, and Liberty.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

From publisher LBYR: "Wall-E meets Hatchet in this New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown.

Can a robot survive in the wilderness?

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is–but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants.

As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home–until, one day, the robot’s mysterious past comes back to haunt her."

The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

From the publisher: "Teddy is a gifted dog. Raised in a cabin by a poet named Sylvan, he grew up listening to sonnets read aloud and the comforting clicking of a keyboard. Although Teddy understands words, Sylvan always told him there are only two kinds of people in the world who can hear Teddy speak: poets and children.

Then one day Teddy learns that Sylvan was right. When Teddy finds Nickel and Flora trapped in a snowstorm, he tells them that he will bring them home—and they understand him. The children are afraid of the howling wind, but not of Teddy’s words. They follow him to a cabin in the woods, where the dog used to live with Sylvan . . . only now his owner is gone.

As they hole up in the cabin for shelter, Teddy is flooded with memories of Sylvan. What will Teddy do when his new friends go home? Can they help one another find what they have lost?"

Wish by Barbara O'Connor

From the publisher: "Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all."

The Good Dog by Avi

From the author's website: "In the Colorado mountain town of Steamboat Springs there must be three hundred dogs. Jack's malamute, McKinley, is the leader of them all. But Jack, being human, has no way of knowing that. For him, his family's dog is just a great pal. And protector.

Jack cannot know that Redburn, a “leash-licking” Irish setter, is McKinley's rival for the job of head dog. The boy cannot know, with the sudden hillside appearance of a she-wolf, Lupin, that not only McKinley's job—but his life—is in danger. Lupin's message: Dogs free yourselves from mankind. Come join us, we who need you to replenish our diminishing wolf pack in the wild.

But imagine how a good dog, loyal to his human pup, would hear Lupin's call!

McKinley's thrilling story tells itself, as first he and the boy together encounter Lupin in a canyon perfect for an old-time ambush, and later as they try to save her from both Redburn and a neighbor, a vicious man armed with a gun and a grudge. No one—not even McKinley—can foresee the end."

Also by this author: Old Wolf.

Journey of the Pale Bear by Susan Fletcher

Based on a true story. From the publisher: "A runaway boy befriends a polar bear that’s being transported from Norway to London in this lyrical and timeless adventure story about freedom, captivity, and finding a family.

The polar bear is a royal bear, a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England. The first time Arthur encounters the bear, he is shoved in her cage as payback for stealing food. Restless and deadly, the bear terrifies him. Yet, strangely, she doesn’t harm him—though she has attacked anyone else who comes near. That makes Arthur valuable to the doctor in charge of getting the bear safely to London. So Arthur, who has run away from home, finds himself taking care of a polar bear on a ship to England.

Tasked with feeding and cleaning up after the bear, Arthur’s fears slowly lessen as he begins to feel a connection to this bear, who like him, has been cut off from her family. But the journey holds many dangers, and Arthur knows his own freedom—perhaps even his life—depends on keeping the bear from harm. When pirates attack and the ship founders, Arthur must make a choice—does he do everything he can to save himself, or does he help the bear to find freedom?"

Wildoak by C.C. Harrington

Alternates points of view between Maggie, a girl who avoids speaking because of a stutter, and is staying with her grandfather in a remote area near the woods of Wildoak Forest, and a snow leopard cub named Rumpus, an unwanted exotic pet who was abandoned in those same woods.  When locals see the snow leopard, they are afraid of it, and the woods are in danger of being taken down for development. Can Maggie find her voice and use it to save Rumpus and Wildoak?

Rain, Reign by Ann M. Martin

If the books Because of Winn-Dixie and Wonder, had a book baby, it would be this. Rose is obsessed with homonyms (words that sound the same, but have different meanings), prime numbers, and feels most comfortable when everybody follows the rules (which, of course, not everyone does).  She lives with her dad and her dog, Rain, (which is a homonym, of course). The kids at school don't always understand Rose, and to tell the truth, neither does her dad. But her Uncle Weldon, who lives across town, does, and he helps her out a lot. Then comes the big storm, and Rose's dad accidentally lets Rain out in the rain.  Weeks go by, with Rose desperately searching for her beloved pet. The ending will be a bit of a surprise.  Everybody feels like they are 'different' at one time or another, so even if you're not like Rose, you will relate to her and her struggles. Life isn't always peaches and cream, and everybody needs something or someone to pull them through. 

Concrete Cowboy by Greg Neri.

Cole's mom sends him to live in rough neighborhood in Philly with the father he's never met. His father runs a program of riding and caring for horses in the neighborhood, helping keep kids out of trouble. Cole gets involved. Then the city tries to shut down the program. Cole and dad have their issues but ultimately bond over fighting 'city hall' so to speak for the program. Inspired by real-life programs. 

Now a major motion picture on Netflix, starring Caleb McLaughlin, from Stranger Things!!

Previously published as "Ghetto Cowboy".  Sequel: Polo Cowboy.

Also by this author: Grand Theft Horse.

The Last Dog on Earth by Daniel Ehrenraft

Logan doesn't want a dog at first... His bullying stepfather thinks it will teach him responsibility, and make him more like the perfect son of the perfect, rich guy neighbor. Logan would rather work on getting his all-device remote control to work. But Jack turns out to be a cool dog-- not that the stepfather thinks so.  When an epidemic hits that makes all dogs sick, then turn viciously on their owner or whoever is nearby, Logan and Jack end up running for their lives. But Jack just might hold the key to curing the epidemic... 

Checked by Cynthia Kadohata

Especially recommended if you like hockey, dogs (Dobermans), and stories of family (esp. fathers and sons). Conor MacRae has a good life living with his Dad, his doberman (Sinbad), and hockey, hockey, hockey all the time.  He's working his tail off to try to make the AAA team.  But hockey is expensive, and when Sinbad gets sick, Conor's life gets a whole lot more complicated.

Road Trip by Gary Paulsen

Ben's Dad wakes him up at the crack of dawn and says 'get in the truck' -- they're going to save a Border Collie from a kill shelter.  (Their family has a soft spot for border collies).  Dad's not too good at planning... and Ben and his Dad don't really know how to talk to each other...  so Ben decides to bring along Atticus, their dog (yes, he's a border collie), and his friend Theo.  Dad doesn't like Theo because he's got tats and looks like a slacker and gets in trouble sometimes, but Ben figures he'll make the trip more fun. Then one thing after another goes wrong (remember, Dad not so good at planning).  When the car breaks down, somehow the grumpy old mechanic, Gus, ends up joining their trip.  Then they stop to eat, and the waitress, Mia, quits her job and joins them!  Then Theo's trouble catches up with them...  and Atticus is the only one who realizes it.  Yes, part of the story is from the dog's point of view :-)  You know how road trips go: always an adventure!  This is a short book you can read on a road trip... just sayin'.

Sequel: Field Trip

The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett

Brothers Andrej and Tomas are Romany. When the Nazis destroy their community's campground, they come back to find everyone gone.  Wandering and trying to survive, they find a bombed out town with a zoo.  There has been nobody to take care of the animals.  The boys stay, take care of the animals, and the animals take care of them, too, sharing their stories and teaching them about survival, life, and love.

Arf by Spencer Quinn

From the publisher: "Why would anyone break into 19 Gentilly Lane? That's where the Gaux family lives, and everyone knows they have nothing worth stealing. More important, the house is usually guarded by Birdie Gaux's dog, Bowser, a large and handsome fellow with a big set of sharp teeth.

Now Birdie is looking worried and Bowser is on the trail of something rotten. Who was behind the break in? Why is a girl with green hair asking odd questions about what happened to Birdie's dad, a policeman who was killed in the line of duty years ago? Worst of all, why is the whole town starting to stink of limeade aftershave and cat?!?

The death of Birdie's father may be a cold case, but Bowser can tell it's heating up fast. Someone is coming after Birdie and her family, and Bowser must be ready to protect them from anything. Even that awful cat."

Dog Sense by Sneed Collard

Guy is a California surfer and skateboard dude whose single mom moved them to Montana to live with his grandfather. He has some trouble fitting in with the crowd at his new school, and becomes a target of Brad, the bully.  He has his border collie, Streak, to keep him company, though, and does make one new friend, Luke. Guy and Luke start training Streak to join a frisbee competition.  Guess who the biggest competition is? Yup, Brad. The conflict becomes more than just about frisbee, and Streak could be in danger...

Elephant Run by Roland Smith

When the Germans bomb London in World War II, Nick is sent to his father in Burma. But then the Japanese invade, and Nick is forced to work as their servant.  Nick and his new friend, Mya, escape on the back of an elephant, and must travel through the jungle, avoiding capture, to free his father and her brother from a brutal labor camp.

Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby

Joey is a 13-year-old girl who has been deaf since she was 6, after her father hit her.  Now, she lives with her mom, stepfather, and baby brother. She's pretty good at lip-reading, and understanding body language, but it's not easy, and she misses things. This makes it hard to connect with people. Joey is very isolated and lonely, especially because her mom refuses to let her learn sign language. Then, she meets a neighbor, Dr. Mansell, who has a chimpanzee named Sukari. Dr. Mansell has taught Sukari sign language (his parents were deaf and taught him to sign).  Keeping it secret from her mother, Joey learns from Sukari how to communicate, and it opens up a whole world for her.  When tragedy strikes, Sukari might get sent to a medical lab.

If you loved the story of Koko's Kitten, are interested in deaf culture, or care deeply about animal rights (fighting animal testing), this is a good book for you.  It won the Schneider Award (for books about the disability experience).  

A similar story is Half Brother, by Kenneth Oppel.

Strongheart by Candace Fleming

From the publisher: "When movie director Larry Trimble travels to Berlin searching for his next big star–a dog!–he finds Etzel, a fierce, highly trained three-year-old German shepherd police dog. Larry sees past the snarls and growls and brings Etzel back to Hollywood, where he is renamed Strongheart. Along with screenwriter Jane Murfin, Larry grooms his protégé to be a star of the silver screen–and he succeeds, starting with Strongheart’s first film, The Love Master, which is released in 1921. Strongheart is soon joined by a leading lady, a German shepherd named Lady Julie, and becomes a sensation."

Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins

From the publisher: "When a tiger cub escapes from a nature reserve near Neel’s island village, the rangers and villagers hurry to find her before the cub’s anxious mother follows suit and endangers them all. Mr. Gupta, a rich newcomer to the island, is also searching–he wants to sell the cub’s body parts on the black market. Neel and his sister, Rupa, resolve to find the cub first and bring her back to the reserve where she belongs.

The hunt for the cub interrupts Neel’s preparations for an exam to win a prestigious scholarship at a boarding school far from home. Neel doesn’t mind–he dreads the exam and would rather stay on his beloved island in the Sunderbans of West Bengal with his family and friends.

But through his encounter with the cub, Neil learns that sometimes you have to take risks to preserve what you love. And sometimes you have to sacrifice the present for the chance to improve the future."

Rotten by Michael Northrup

JD, a teen boy with a secret (is he just back from prison?) and his new dog, a Rottweiler abused by his previous owner, whom he names Johnny Rotten. Both of them could use a second chance, but JD's efforts to keep his secrets, and the betrayal of a troubled friend when Johnny bites him could bring it all crashing down.

Dog lovers will especially understand the bond these two share.

When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin

Not going to lie, this one may make you ugly cry.  So many authors rave about this author, what a good person he is, and how heart-warming his books are.  They are not wrong!   Ben, a foster kid, has finally found what may be a lasting home, but he's always wary about getting his hopes up, whether it's family, or friends.  When a mangy mutt of a dog follows him home, and leads him to Halley, a.k.a. "Rainbow Girl", he opens his heart to them both. This book will bring ALL the feels. 

Also check out Saving Marty, and Stay with Me, both by the same author.

Dreaming the Bear by Mimi Thebo

If you liked Touching Spirit Bear, you might like this one.  From the publisher: "Darcy’s dad, a naturalist, moves their family from England to the snowy wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. Mum, Dad, and older brother Jem are all thriving, but Darcy misses her friends, and civilization, including WiFi. She’s also sick, getting weaker with each day, and having strange dreams—or are they something else?

Then she finds an injured mother bear whose cubs were killed by hunters. The bear is enormous, and powerful, but she doesn’t threaten Darcy—she makes Darcy feel alive. The bear needs Darcy just as much as Darcy needs her. Darcy must help her, even though she might not be well enough to take care of the bear, let alone herself.

A mystery illness, shifting points of view, and dreamlike sequences make this an unusual and immersive story. Darcy is brave and resourceful, but nothing has prepared her to confront nature’s ultimate question: Can a girl and a wild bear triumph over the basic rule of survival: kill or be killed?"

Rescued by Eliot Schrefer

From the publisher: "The third entry in the taut, heart-wrenching quartet that made Eliot Schrefer a two-time National Book Award finalist introduces us to an orangutan held captive in suburban America. "

Read the whole Ape Quartet, Endangered, Orphaned, Threatened. And check out the author's website for more information. You'll be inspired to learn more about different kinds of apes, and maybe take action to help protect these endangered animals.

Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

Sophie grew up in Congo, helping her mother at the wildlife sanctuary where they save baby bonobos who were captured (and their parents murdered) in the illegal animal trade. Her parents split up, but she spends all her summers back at the sanctuary she loves.  The problem is, that this summer, bonobos aren't the only ones getting murdered and captured. There is an armed revolution -- the government is overthrown, and murderous, machete-wielding rebels are burning down villages and killing everyone. When they reach the sanctuary, Sophie and Otto, the infant bonobo who has bonded to her, must escape, hiding out in the jungle with wild bonobos. Can they survive?  National Book Award Finalist.

Whippoorwill by Joseph Monninger

If you liked Shiloh, read this one.  From the publisher: "Sixteen-year-old Clair Taylor has neighbors who are what locals call whippoorwills, the kind of people who fill their yards with rusty junk. Clair tries to ignore her surroundings, choosing instead to dream of a future beyond her rural New Hampshire town. But, when a black dog named Wally is chained up to a pole next door, Clair can’t look the other way. Clair decides to save Wally, and the immediate connection she has with the lovable dog catches her off-guard, but even more surprising is her bond with eighteen-year-old Danny Stewart, the boy next door. "

The Weirdo by Theodore Taylor

Samantha Sanders lives by the swamp in rural North Carolina.  It scares her – but one day she’s taking care of a dog, and it runs away – she chases it into the swamp, and is lost and forced to spend the night. Terrified, she fights to stay awake, then sees a man carrying a dead body – is she dreaming, or is it real? 

In the morning, Sam makes her way to the home of “the Weirdo”, Chip Clewt, a teen recluse whose face is horribly disfigured.

Chip helps Sam get home, and Sam realizes Chip’s just hiding to protect himself.  Chip tells her about the work he’s doing to help save the Black Bears native to the swamp. Sam vows to help.

But when local hunters fight to have a bear hunt, with Sam’s dad as one of the leaders, Sam’s family loyalty will be sorely tested. Sam and Chip know that there is a lot more going on in the swamp, and it’s up to them to solve the mystery. 

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

A scientifically accurate imagining of a scuba diver swallowed by a 60-ton sperm whale.  Jay was searching for the remains of his father, who had committed suicide the year before.  After an unfortunate entanglement with a giant squid, he is drawn into the sperm whale when it eats the squid.  Now, he must get thru the whale's four stomachs and out the other end. He has one hour till his oxygen tank runs out. Talk about the ultimate escape room!

HS

Watership Down by Richard Adams

A classic tale for all ages, and made into a Netflix series, about a band of rabbits escaping the destruction of their home (by humans) and trying to get to a new one. It's an epic of survival and adventure. These rabbits have a language, culture, and spirituality all their own.

H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald

Award-winning and best-selling memoir of the author's experience adopting and raising a fierce bird of prey. An experienced falconer grieving the loss of her father, she trained her goshawk in the sport. HS