Pet Stories

Picture Books | Fiction | Poetry | Nonfiction

The books recommended below were published within the last year. Grade levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion.

Picture Books
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World written and illustrated by Gilles Bachelet (Abrams)
An elephant behaves with conventional cat habits in a text accented by the illustrations’ straight-faced humor. 24 pages. Grade Level: K–3.

Swift written and illustrated by Robert J. Blake (Philomel)
When a bear hunt goes terribly awry, it’s up to Johnnie, aided by his dog Swift, to make his way across the Alaskan landscape to fetch help for his stricken father. Grade level: 1–5. 48 pages.

Night Running: How James Escaped with the Help of His Faithful Dog written by Elisa Carbone, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Knopf)
Allegedly based on a real incident, this dramatic escape story tells how James, a young runaway slave, is unexpectedly aided by his dog Zeus. Grade level: 3–5. 40 pages.

Some Dog! written by Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt (Kroupa/Farrar)
An old bloodhound is less than thrilled when his family adopts a yappy, high-strung stray. Sound play and frequent dog noises make this a perfect read-aloud. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.

Ivan the Terrier written and illustrated by Peter Catalanotto (Jackson/Atheneum)
Rowdy pup Ivan disrupts story hour, chasing various folktale characters off the page until the narrator finally capitulates (“There once was a little dog…”) in this story-hour-gone-amok tale. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.

“The Trouble with Dogs…” Said Dad written and illustrated by Bob Graham (Candlewick)
Kate and her comfortably hip parents bring in an obedience trainer to help them cope with young pup Dave’s hyperactivity, then reevaluate when the regimen dampens Dave’s spirits. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.

That New Animal written by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Pierre Pratt (Foster/Farrar)
Two pet dogs observe the new baby in the house in this well-paced, humorously illustrated tale. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

Oh, Theodore!: Guinea Pig Poems written by Susan Katz, illustrated by Stacey Schuett (Clarion)
Free-verse poems work in tandem to tell the sweet story of a boy’s slow winning-over of his new, very frightened guinea pig. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.

So, What’s It Like to Be a Cat? written by Karla Kuskin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Atheneum)
Watercolors illustrate the appealing rhyming dialogue of an interview between inquisitive child and independent (but responsive) cat. Grade level: Preschool–3. 32 pages.

Under My Hood I Have a Hat written by Karla Kuskin, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka (Geringer/HarperCollins)
Rhythmic text and spare, primary-color pictures capture the simple pleasures of a little girl and her dog bundling up to play on a snowy day. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

Old Mr. Mackle Hackle written by Gunnar Madsen, illustrated by Irana Shepherd (Little)
In this slapstick, energetic picture book, Mr. Mackle Hackle worries terribly about his hen, who never cackles. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

Not Afraid of Dogs written by Susanna Pitzer, illus. by Larry Day (Walker)
A boy overcomes his fear of dogs when he helps his aunt’s puppy through a thunderstorm. 32 pages. Grade level: Preschool.

Dolores Meets Her Match written and illustrated by Barbara Samuels (Kroupa/Farrar)
Dolores deals with jealousy and rivalry when a new girl and her elegant Siamese kitten threaten to show up Dolores and her beloved cat Duncan. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.

Breakfast for Jack and Jack and the Missing Piece written and illustrated by Pat Schories (Front Street)
These wordless books with clear, inviting illustrations of a boy and his dog offer simple, satisfying action for pre-readers to decode. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

The Hound from the Pound written by Jessica Swaim, illustrated by Jill McElmurry (Candlewick)
Miss Mary Lynn MacIntosh’s tidy life in a neatly balanced house is turned upside down — for the better — when she adopts an untrained basset with uncanny canine magnetism. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.

The Birthday Fish written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino (Holt)
Instead of the pony she desires, Cynthia receives a goldfish for her birthday. When she tries to dump it, the fish offers her a wish in return for its freedom. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

Joey and Jet written and illustrated by James Yang (Jackson/Atheneum)
Unusually handsome graphics and the pup’s palpable excitement hold reader interest in this boy-and-dog story. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

Fiction
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

Super Fly Guy written and illustrated by Tedd Arnold (Cartwheel/Scholastic)
Buzz and his pet fly go to school, overcoming different obstacles in each chapter. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.

Running the Dogs by Thomas Cochran (Farrar)
An unexpected snowstorm two days before Christmas prevents ten-year-old Talmidge’s oil-rig foreman father from getting home and leads to Tal’s anxious search of the Louisiana forest for his beloved missing beagles. Grade level: 4–6. 154 pages.

A Room with a Zoo written and illustrated by Jules Feiffer (di Capua/Hyperion)
A fresh, funny and perceptive take on the girl-wants-dog theme. Grade level: 4–6. 184 pages.

A Girl, a Boy, and a Monster Cat written by Gail Gauthier, illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Putnam)
An unlikely friendship develops between Hannah and Brandon as they have imaginary adventures with their neighbor’s ferocious Chihuahua. Grade level: 1–5. 83 pages.

Jigsaw Pony written by Jessie Haas, illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu (Greenwillow)
When their father brings home an old pony, twins Kiera and Fran must put sibling conflicts aside to concentrate on what’s best for their new charge. Grade level: 1–4. 128 pages.

Big Surprise in the Bug Tank written by Ruth Horowitz, illustrated by Joan Holub (Dial)
“Can I keep it?” is a question parents have heard for years, but seldom has it been asked of cockroaches. Word-play, insect references, and similes converge in a spot-on energetic narrative. Grade level: K–3. 48 pages.

Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata (Atheneum)
A loyal bomb-sniffing German shepherd and her trainer relate the story of their work in Vietnam, providing an accessible introduction for those unfamiliar with this chapter of history. Grade level: 5–8. 314 pages.

The Golden Goose written by Dick King-Smith, illustrated by Ann Kronheimer (Knopf)
Things are going terribly for the loving but poor Skint Family on Woebegone Farm until one of their geese hatches a golden gosling, Joy. Grade level: 1–4. 115 pages.

The Winner’s Walk written by Nancy Ruth Patterson, illustrated by Thomas F. Yezerski (Farrar)
“Just average” Case adopts an abandoned golden retriever, then must make a difficult decision when he discovers why his beloved companion is so special. Grade level: 4–6. 114 pages.

On the Road written by Lucy Nolan, illustrated by Mike Reed (Cavendish)
The canine protagonist records her observations about the human world in four frisky stories that seamlessly introduce and reinforce early reading skills. Grade level: K–3. 54 pages.

Aggie and Ben: Three Stories written by Lori Ries, illus. by Frank W. Dormer (Charlesbridge)
A young boy is introduced to pet ownership in this sparely written collection with illustrations that direct beginning readers from one segment of the story to the next. Grade level: Preschool–2. 48 pages.

The Next-Door Dogs written by Colby Rodowsky, illustrated by Amy June Bates (Farrar)
Sara Barker, terrified of dogs, develops a friendship with her next-door neighbor, owner of two. Grade level: K–3. 103 pages.

Poetry
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

Toots the Cat written by Karla Kuskin, illustrated by Lisze Bechtold (Holt)
A cat with goofiness and grace shines in watercolor and gouache illustrations. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.

Boris by Cynthia Rylant (Harcourt)
The narrator speaks directly to her cat about his life (and her own) since his arrival at her door. Grade level: 7 and up. 74 pages.

Nonfiction
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

A Horse in the House: And Other Strange but True Animal Stories written by Gail Ablow, illustrated by Kathy Osborn (Candlewick)
Sixteen true (and truly unusual) animal stories from around the world detail such oddities as a greyhound fitted for contact lenses and horse adopted as a house pet. Grade level: 1–5. 40 pages.

May I Pet Your Dog?: The How-to Guide for Kids Meeting Dogs (and Dogs Meeting Kids) written by Stephanie Calmenson, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion)
Guided by Dachshund Harry, young readers learn how to behave around dogs through clear language and patient illustrations. Grade level: Preschool. 32 pages.

The House of a Million Pets written by Ann Hodgman, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin (Holt)
In this pet-care guide meets tell-all, Hodgman dishes oodles of details about the different animals she’s owned and cared for, from rabbits to hedgehogs to pygmy mice, devoting roughly a chapter to each species. Grade level: 4–6. 263 pages.

ER Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room written by Donna M. Jackson (Houghton)
Case studies of animals in medical care and their loving owners. Grade level: 4–6. 88 pages.

Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs: How They Guard Sheep written and illustrated with photos by Cat Urbigkit (Boyds Mills)
This introduction to the world of guardian dogs weaves copious information into a compelling story. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.

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