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20 Great Books for Animal Lovers
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.As we thought about some of our favorite books from the last few years and those on our TBR lists, we were surprised to note how many included various animals. From the innocence of Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web to the power of Lexington in Horse to the humor of Six-Thirty in Lessons in Chemistry, we love the added layer animals bring to our reading.
Fiction Books with Animals
Crow Talk
Book Summary
Frankie is working on her PhD dissertation in ornithology but needs a quiet place to focus as she’s been distracted by a loss. Her family has a summer cabin at Beauty Bay, a community of lakeside summer homes in the remote foothills of Mount Adams. Due to the treacherous conditions in winter, it’s uncommon for visitors to be in the community, so it’s the perfect place for her to work on her research about the special language of crows.
When she finds an injured baby crow, he not only helps her heal, but is the catalyst to a relationship with a mother and her five-year-old child, who has stopped speaking. Frankie was shocked to find them living in the grand house next door this time of year.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Eileen Garvin also wrote The Music of Bees, which has been a favorite among our readers. Crow Talk dives deep into the language and traits of crows and will leave you feeling more educated about these surprisingly intelligent birds. It is NOT magical realism with crows “speaking”, but the character studying the crows real communications.
Pearly Everlasting
Book Summary
Set during the Great Depression in a Canadian logging community, this fairytale-like story starts when a cook finds a baby bear at the camp. He brings the cub, Bruno, home for his wife to raise alongside their baby daughter, Pearly.
The community embraces the young bear until a new supervisor is assigned to the camp. The man not only endangers the lives of the workers, he doesn’t accept Bruno. When the supervisor is found dead, Bruno is blamed, then kidnapped and sold to an animal trader. Pearly is a teenager when this happens, and she sets out into the dangerous wilderness to find him.
The Book Girls Say…
The publisher describes this novel as “an enchanting woodland Gothic about the triumph of good over evil and the forgotten beauty of the natural world.”
Perestroika in Paris
Book Summary
Paras, short for “Perestroika,” is a spirited racehorse who finds her stall door unlocked one night. From the racetrack west of town, her curiosity brings her all the way to the City of Lights. Paras takes in the sights and meets new friends, including an elegant dog, a German shorthaired pointer named Frida, who knows how to get by without attracting the attention of suspicious Parisians.
When Paras meets Etienne, a human boy, he shows her a fascinating new aspect of the city: the ivy-walled house where the boy and his nearly one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother live in seclusion. How long can a racehorse stay safe and hidden in Paris?
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Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
Ted is 42 years old and struggling in his writing career and in relationships. His closest companion is his elderly dachshund, Lily. They do everything together. But now Lily has a new condition that Ted is having a hard time accepting.
This quirky novel turns into an adventure, which then spins into magical realism and beautifully written truths of loss and longing. It reminds us how it feels to love fiercely, how difficult it can be to let go, and how the fight for those we love is the greatest fight of all.
The Book Girls Say…
This is a really hard book to explain without spoilers. Melissa went into the novel only knowing it was written by one of her favorite authors, Steven Rowley, and it was about a man and his dog. And that is how this book should be enjoyed. It’s heart-warming, tear-jerking, and laughter-inducing. At some point, you will absolutely wonder what the heck is going on when magical realism makes an entrance. But just keep reading with your box of Kleenex close by.
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30 Best Magical Realism Books
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Duet
Book Summary
Mirabelle is an innocent young goldfinch who lives to sing, which means her home in the backyard of a piano teacher is perfect. One day, Mr. Stark gets a new student, Michael, who is sensational, but now refuses to play.
Michael is supposed to be performing in an upcoming Chopin festival, but how can he do that if he can’t even practice? Mirabelle has an idea, but couldn’t predict how her unexpected friendship with the boy will turn into a grand adventure that links the great composer Frederic Chopin, the trailblazing author George Sand, and the French Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix.
The Book Girls Say…
Don’t pass over this gem of a novel because it’s noted as a middle-grade read. Melissa read it at the suggestion of her nephew and mom and loved that it was an adorable story that also taught her some things about Chopin, Sand, and Delacroix! If you enjoy music, art, and songbirds, it’s a perfect read.
The Rhino Keeper
Book Summary
Imagine a world where no one has seen a rhinoceros before and the sense of marvel that would come with seeing one for the first time. In 1740, a ship captain named Douwemout van der Meer comes into possession of a rhino named Clara while traveling in India and brings her and her young keeper with him when he returns home to Amsterdam. Soon, they begin touring Europe together, becoming a family of sorts and enthralling everyone they meet, from peasants to kings and queens.
Nearly three centuries later, while studying abroad in the Netherlands, college student Andrea comes across a historical document in a hidden desk drawer featuring a rhinoceros. The young research historian is intrigued but will be forced to overcome her fears in order to uncover proof of a long-forgotten history.
The Book Girls Say…
This dual-timeline character-driven novel is based on a true story. Readers describe it as touching, tender, and beautifully written. It explores the treatment of animals as well as the bond between humans and animals.
Although written by a debut American author, Dutch reviewers praise the portrayal of Dutch culture and the inclusion of many famous (and infamous) Western European historical figures.
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Sipsworth
Book Summary
Eighty-three-year-old Helen has lived abroad in Australia for six decades, but after the death of her husband and daughter, she’s returned to her English village and is ready to die. And she’d like that to happen quickly.
Before she gets her wish, she has a chance encounter with an abandoned pet mouse, who unexpectedly changes her future. She names him Sipsworth, and over the course of one week, her life improves bit by bit as she takes care of him.
While the main story takes place over one week, this moving novel also explores Helen’s backstory through her memories.
The Book Girls Say…
Sipsworth is a 2025 Libby Award Nominee for Best Audiobook, so it should be especially good if you enjoy audiobooks! Although the narrative is slow-paced and character-driven, it’s also a short read at 240 pages.
The Match
Book Summary
Evie has worked for Southern Service Paws in Charleston for a few years, and has her own service dog to help with her epilepsy. She thought she could handle any client needing a match, but then Jacob came looking for a service dog for his daughter, Sam.
Evie is the perfect person to help Sam learn about her new dog as they both experience seizures. She’s thrilled to help, but she’s also distracted by how instantly attracted she was to single dad Jacob.
The Book Girls Say…
While this book includes both heart-warming and cheesy rom-com moments, it doesn’t have any open door scenes beyond kissing.
Sarah Adams is also the author of When in Rome, which many of our readers have enjoyed as their Kentucky Read Around the USA pick.
Horse
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
Through the true story of a racehorse named Lexington, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks manages to weave a tale of spirit and injustice over 150 years of American history.
The book has three timelines. In 1850, you’ll meet an enslaved horse groomer, Jarrett, in Kentucky, who has a special bond with Lexington. There is also a young artist who paints images of the horse. When the Civil War erupts, the artist fights for the union and runs into the young groom and stallion again far from the track.
In 1954, a gallery owner on Martha’s Vineyard takes a special interest in a 19th-century equestrian oil painting, even though the artist and provenance are unknown.
In 2019, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia and a Nigerian-American art historian unexpectedly connect through a common interest in the painting as they look for clues to the origin.
The Book Girls Say…
This story goes well beyond horse racing and art. The page-turning storytelling has detailed descriptions and depth that will stick with you long after you finish the book. We both rated it 5 stars, and our readers agree with their average rating being of 4.63 out of 5.
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Welcome to Glorious Tuga
Book Summary
Charlotte has just qualified as a vet in London but is leaving the island of England to study the endangered gold coin tortoises on the tiny South Atlantic island of Tuga de Oro. While she outwardly claims that she’s there to save the turtles, the reality is that she’s trying to solve the mystery of her connection to Tuga.
When she arrives, she has little time to investigate because she’s overwhelmed by helping more than tortoises. The island’s dogs, goats, donkeys, and even the islanders themselves seem to need her. Luckily, there’s another new doctor in town as well, and he is distractingly handsome.
The Book Girls Say…
While this novel has a romance storyline, it’s also a story of conservation, female friendship, and the realities of life on a small island.
A second book in the series is scheduled for publication in June 2025!
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
In this charming debut novel, Widower Tova works at the Sowell Bay Aquarium to occupy her mind and time. She takes pride in cleaning perfectly every night, even though she doesn’t need the money. She loves all the aquarium life but forms a special bond with the intelligent (and curmudgeonly) octopus named Marcellus.
He’s just as surprised to feel friendly toward this human who visits him nightly. Soon, he connects the sadness he sees in her with something he saw in the ocean long ago. Can he help her solve the mystery of her son’s disappearance 30 years ago?
The Book Girls Say…
Neither of us expected to have a book partially narrated by a giant Pacific octopus on our best books of 2022 list, but Marcellus stole our hearts. Beyond that, we loved each of the human characters and their struggles in different phases of life. Young or older, so many people deal with loneliness and loss. Watching characters process and evolve through that was a heartwarming treat.
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PS: We also have a printable Remarkably Bright Creatures book club guide available on Etsy, including discussion questions, themed games, a Marcellus bookmark, and more!
Charlotte’s Web
Book Summary
When Wilbur the pig was born the runt of his litter, he was headed for certain death until a young girl named Fern saved him. She kept him as a pet until he grew too large. Wilbur is sold to Fern’s Uncle’s farm, where he misses Fern and is scared of his future.
But, he finds friends in unexpected places, like Charlotte, an endearing and wise spider with an impressive vocabulary. When Wilbur’s life is on the line a second time, Charlotte gets creative to save him.
The Book Girls Say…
We couldn’t create an animal lovers list without this beloved classic. Originally published in 1952, it’s a timeless tale of friendship, kindness, love, life, and death that works as well for adult readers as it does for children.
West With Giraffes
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
West With Giraffes is a charming tale of adventure that takes you on the ride of a lifetime from the East Coast of the US to the West, alongside a rowdy 17-year-old, a grumpy older man, and two giraffes. The year is 1938, and no American zoo has successfully housed giraffes before. The female zoo director of the San Diego Zoo believes she can do it. The giraffes have just survived a hurricane en route to the East Coast, and Riley Jones, the curmudgeonly head zookeeper, is responsible for safely transporting the giraffes from New York City to San Diego.
America is still in the throes of the Great Depression, and the Dust Bowl conditions continue to ravage the drought-stricken Southern Plains states. Jones begrudgingly teams up with a starving teenager named Woody to help him make the coast-to-coast journey. The adventures along the way include run-ins with circus con artists, being tailed by a female photographer looking for a big scoop, an emotional visit to Woody’s hometown, and so much more.
At its heart, this is a coming-of-age story. Now, at the age of 105, Woody recounts his 12-day cross-country trip with Jones and the giraffes and how it shaped his life.
The Book Girls Say…
In writing this historical fiction novel, author Lynda Rutledge started with the true story of two giraffes being transported cross-country in the 1930s and then imagined what that road trip might have been like. She includes real newspaper clippings throughout the book to indicate to readers the parts of the story that are based on actual facts.
After we both gave this book 5 stars, we’ve recommended it to everyone we know! From the insights it gives to life across America in the late 1930s to the growing relationships between characters, including the humans and the giraffes, we can’t recommend this book highly enough!
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PS: We also have a printable West with Giraffes book club guide available on Etsy, including discussion questions, bonus giraffe content, custom bookmarks, and more!
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Book Summary
This 1970 classic novella is about a seagull who just doesn’t fit in with the others. He’s bored with the status quo of fighting over food with other seagulls. Instead, he wants to learn new things and fly high. While he starts as an outcast, he finds other friends and learns to be true to himself.
The Book Girls Say…
In The Women by Kristin Hannah, Frankie is reading this now classic book on the beach, “hoping the bird could give her some much-needed advice on how to live.”
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How the Penguins Saved Veronica
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
Eighty-five-year-old Veronica is estranged from her family and searching for a cause worthy of inheriting her estate. After seeing a documentary about penguins being studied in Antarctica, she contacts the scientists and tells them she’s coming to visit—and she won’t take no for an answer.
After traveling from Scotland to Antarctica, she convinces the reluctant team to rescue an orphaned baby penguin. Veronica’s curmudgeonly heart can’t help but be warmed as the penguin becomes a part of everyday life at the base.
Veronica’s grandson, Patrick, travels to Antarctica to make one last attempt to get to know his grandmother. Together, Veronica, Patrick, and even the scientists learn what family, love, and connection are all about.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is charming and funny, but it’s also more profound than it first appears, thanks to a series of diary entries from WWII. We highly recommend the audiobook because the narration and accents add to the story!
We loved this book so much that we interviewed author Hazel Prior; she was delightful! You can watch the replay here.
The Traveling Cat Chronicles
Book Summary
This quirky book – told from the perspective of a cat – is translated from Japanese and receives rave reviews. The cat and his human companion, Satoru, take a road trip through Japan, visiting old friends from Satoru’s past and reliving important moments from Satoru’s childhood.
This book is described as charming, funny, and bittersweet. It’s perfect for animal lovers who have ever wanted to be inside the mind of their pet.
Lessons in Chemistry
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
Elizabeth Zott is a quirky and brilliant female chemist working with an all-male team at the Hastings Research Institute. But her scientific qualifications don’t stop the “good old boys” from being frustrated that she won’t get coffee or make copies for them. But, when Elizabeth meets scientist Calvin Evans, another type of chemistry results.
Fast forward a few years. It’s 1961, and Elizabeth is a 30-year-old single mother, and her career has been detoured. Instead of working for Hastings, she’s now (somewhat reluctantly) the star of a much-loved cooking show called Supper at Six. Her cooking methods are unusual (“combine one tablespoon of acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”). As her popularity grows, it turns out she’s not just teaching women to cook, she’s also daring them to change the status quo.
Readers often say that the real star of the book is Six-Thirty, Elizabeth’s dog, who has a very strong grasp of the English language. You’ll see his thoughts on different situations throughout the novel.
The Book Girls Say…
This novel is funny, but not in a laugh-out-loud sort of way – more in a sometimes you have to laugh so you don’t cry sort of way. The descriptions of the misogyny that Elizabeth faces (and specifically some of the language that is directed at her) offends some readers, but it’s an accurate representation of what she and so many women faced in the 1950s and 1960s. By no means is our struggle for equality over, but this book gave us so much respect for the women who paved the way.
Non-Fiction Reads about Animals
Book Summary
In this memoir, the author of The Book Thief tells the story of his family’s three rescue dogs. Reuben is more wolf than hound, Archer is blond, beautiful, and destructive, and Frosty walks like a rolling thunderstorm.
As you can expect, this trio leads to chaos in the Zusak home. Street fights, property damage, and hospital visits are intermixed with comedy, love, and pure joy.
The Book Girls Say…
The author narrates the audiobook Three Wild Dogs, and readers note that this adds to the emotional intensity of the story. You’ll likely need Kleenex when he tears up at times. If you’ve ever had a troublesome but lovable rescue dog, you may especially enjoy this memoir.
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
Book Summary
In her early twenties, Laura lacked direction and decided to quit her job to embark on a backpacking trip in Bolivia. She found herself at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle. It was filled with over a hundred lost and hurt animals and an equally complex cast of employees and volunteers. Laura was assigned to work with a puma named Wayra.
Set against the backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, this memoir explores what happens when two creatures needing rescue find one another.
The Book Girls Say…
The Puma Years was a 2021 Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Best Memoir.
In 2007, author Laura Coleman went to Bolivia to volunteer with Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi (CIWY), an NGO that manages three wildlife sanctuaries. This work inspired her to start the UK-based charity ONCA (Panthera onca means jaguar).
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
Book Summary
Discover the heartwarming true story of Dewey, an abandoned kitten found in the book drop of the Spencer Public Library on a freezing winter morning. Adopted by the library staff, Dewey becomes the beloved mascot of the small-town institution, charming locals and visitors alike with his antics and affections. This non-fiction chronicles Dewey’s impact on the town but also addresses the farming industry in both Spencer and Iowa as a whole.
The author was born in Spencer and raised on an Iowa farm. This book also includes her family story, making it part memoir, part history of Iowa family, and part lovable cat tales about Dewey’s positive impact on the town.
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