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Whether it’s non-fiction readers about animals or chapter books with animal characters, here are a few of our favorite chapter books about for animal lovers.
Do you have a list of favorite chapter books for animal lovers? We do!
My daughter is obsessed with animals. Her favorite show on TV is Too Cute on Animal Planet – a show about puppies and kittens. She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. When we go to the library, she loves to pick up books that are about animals.
Chapter Books for Animal Lovers
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH ~ Emma read this book last year, and she loved it. Mrs. Frisby is a widowed mouse with four children. She finds herself with a dilemma when her youngest mouse gets sick at the same time the family needs to move to their summer home to stay safe. The Rats of NIMH, a highly intelligent group of rats, have a solution. Will it work?
My Side of the Mountain ~ This is the first in a trilogy of stories about Sam and his falcon, Frightful. After Sam runs away from his crowded New York home, he lives in the mountains by himself. I read this aloud a few years ago, and we all enjoyed following Sam on his adventures.
Poppy ~ We love Poppy – a spunky little mouse determined to keep her family safe from Mr. Ocax, the owl that lives on the edge of the Dimwood Forest. This action-packed story will keep readers turning the pages to find out what is going to happen next.
Tale of Despereaux ~ This is another mouse story that we loved. We actually saw the movie before we knew it was a book. So, when I read the book aloud, Emma had fun comparing the story to the movie and discussing the differences.
Lassie Come-Home ~ Lassie is a classic. I read this aloud last year. I had never read it before, nor had we seen the movie. We enjoyed following Lassie as she traveled across Scotland to find her beloved Joe. Be aware that the writing style of this book makes it difficult for some children to read alone. Emma struggles to read books with regional dialects such as you’ll find in this book. There were times I had to stop and read it in my head before I could say it aloud. It is, however, an excellent read-aloud.
Island of the Blue Dolphins ~ This is one of my all-time favorite books to read to my students. I read this aloud to my students when I taught, and then I read it aloud to my kids. Emma read this last year, as well. She loved it. It’s full of suspense, and it really hooks the reader from the very beginning. It’s more about the humans on the island, but they have many animal encounters throughout the book.
Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog’s Tale ~ This story of Lewis and Clark is told through the eyes of Lewis’ dog Seaman. We follow them from the time Lewis meets Seaman through their journey westward. The book includes some direct quotes from the explorers’ journals making it a great supplement to your American History lessons, as well.
My Daughter’s Favorites
The rest of this list comes from Emma – my 6th grader. These are books that she has read on her own that I haven’t. She wanted me to be sure to include them on this list for other readers who love books with animal characters.
The Black Stallion ~ Emma really enjoyed this one. I’ve not read it, but I did watch the movie with her after she read it.
Misty of Chincoteague ~ This is a book that Emma put off reading for quite a while. I kept adding it to her reading challenges each month until eventually she ran out of other books and could put it off no longer. In the end, she was so glad I made her read it. Once she got in to it, she couldn’t put it down.
Warriors ~ Emma’s best friend introduced her to this series of books, and Emma devoured them. She tried other books by this author {there is a series based on dogs and bears, as well}, but she did not enjoy them. She recommends Warriors.
Which chapter books for animal lovers are your child’s favorites?
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