Animal Fiction
Books that prominently feature animals in the plot or as main characters. Includes talking animals, animal rescues, magical animals, and locations such as zoos. Many share elements with Fantasy or Adventure & Survival.
Animal-Led Fantasy
Animals with human traits, and sometimes magic powers.
The Bat-Poet - Randall Jarrell
Catwings - Ursula K. Le Guin
Guardians of Ga’Hoole [series] - Kathryn Lasky
Mice of the Round Table - Julie Leung
Mouseheart - Lisa Fielder
Poppy [series] - Avi
Redwall [series] - Brian Jacques
Return to the Willows - Jacqueline Kelly
The Royal Rabbits of London - Santa Montefiore
Seekers [series] - Erin Hunter
The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp - Kathi Appelt
Warriors [series] - Erin Hunter
The Hedgehog of Oz - Cory Leonardo
Skunk and Badger - Amy Timberlake
Animal Heroes
Animals with jobs that involve search & rescue, etc.
Babe: The Gallant Pig - Dick King Smith
Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam - Cynthia Kadohata
Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I - Alison Hart
Ice Dogs - Terry Lynn Johnson
A Million Shades of Gray - Cynthia Kadohata
Mountain Dog - Margarita Engle
Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen - Candace Fleming
Trouble the Water - Frances O’Roark Dowell
Animal Humor
You thought you wanted that pet… but think again!
Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
A Coyote’s In the House - Elmore Leonard
The Fast and the Furriest - Andy Behrens
Finding Zasha - Randi Barrow
Guinea Dog - Patrick Jennings
Hazy Bloom and the Pet Project - Jennifer Hamburg
Maxi’s Secrets - Lynn Plourde
Slacker - Gordon Korman
Summer of the Monkeys - Wilson Rawls
The Worm Whisperer - Betty Hicks
Magical & Mythical Animals
Creatures that exist only in legend, come to life.
Elementals #1: Ice Wolves - Amie Kaufman
The Guardian Herd: Starfire - Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
The Song from Somewhere Else - A.F. Harrold
Touching Spirit Bear - Ben Mikaelsen
The Zoo at the Edge of the World - Eric Kahn Gale
Animal Rescue
Who rescued whom? <3
A Bear Named Trouble - Marion Dane Bauer
A Boy Called Bat - Elana Arnold
Buddy - M.H. Herlong
Chained - Lynne Kelly
Gaby, Lost and Found - Angel Cervantes
Just a Dog - Michael Gerard Bauer
Lassie Come-Home - Eric Knight
Little Dog, Lost - Marion Dane Bauer
Maybe a Fox - Kathi Appelt
The One and Only Ivan - Katherine Applegate
One Dog and His Boy - Eva Ibbotson
Rain Reign - Ann M. Martin
Runt - Marion Dane Bauer
Sheep - Valerie Hobbs
Shiloh - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Tua and the Elephant - R.P. Harris
When Friendship Followed Me Home - Paul Griffin
Wild Girl - Patricia Reilly Giff
Wish - Barbara O’Connor
Animal Survival
Animal or Human protagonist survives the wilderness… and predators!
Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O’Dell
Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George
Lassie Come-Home - Eric Knight
Never Say Die - Will Hobbs