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Animal Stories: Realistic

Realistic animal stories are usually more about the humans involved than about the animals. This isn't always true (London's Call of the Wild is a notable exception), but anyone who's read The Yearling, James Herriot's 5-volume memoir, or most of Marguerite Henry's books knows that the main characters are people, and the animals are the primary concern of those characters.

That's not to suggest that the animals are incidental, just that what readers are supposed to take away aren't simply facts about horses or dogs, but what all good literature offers, insight and commentary on the human condition. The reason we like stories involving animals so much is that humans and their furry companions are able to forge unique bonds predicated on innocence and loyalty that rarely exist in strictly human relationships.

What sets realistic animal stories apart from fantasy animal stories is that the animals in them are real animals, not talking, clothes-wearing, pipe-smoking people in animal costumes. Dogs bark, horses gallop, cows give birth to calves (it happens a lot in Yorkshire, apparently), and the world is very much as we experience and know it to be.

Children are particularly drawn to these stories, not because they like animals more than adults do, but because their imaginations still recognize everything as fair game. Animal tales show the world from an often unfamiliar perspective, and the appeal is especially great for those whose own perspective is still largely unformed.

A lot of these make great read-alouds for really young kids, or good books for budding readers to practice on their own. Just because they're in the kids' fiction section doesn't mean they're only intended for children, either, and plenty of adults are still as much into animal novels as they were thirty years ago. Our selection is intentionally broad, and steadily growing—we may or may not be included in that last group.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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101 Dalmatians
by Dodie Smith
Reissue from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.99
Album of Horses
by Marguerite Henry
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$16.99
Almost All-White Rabbity Cat
by Meindert DeJong; illustrated by Herman B. Vestal
from Inheritance Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$11.95
Along Came a Dog
by Meindert DeJong & Maurice Sendak
from Inheritance Publications
Realistic Animal Fiction for 4th-8th grade
1959 Newbery Honor Book
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$15.95
Along Came a Dog RUC
by Meindert DeJong & Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Fiction for 4th-8th grade
1959 Newbery Honor Book
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Angel Knew Papa and the Dog
by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
from Rabbit Room Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$12.99
Angus Lost
by Marjorie Flack
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Animal Realistic for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Avenging the Owl
by Melissa Hart
from Sky Pony Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Baldy the American Eagle
The Good and the Beautiful Library Level 4
by Mary Adrian, edited by Jenny Phillips, illustrated by Genevieve Vaughan-Jackson
from The Good and the Beautiful
for 4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
from Candlewick Press
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
2001 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
Updated from Candlewick Press
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
2001 Newbery Honor Book
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Biggest Bear
by Lynd Ward
from Sandpiper Books
Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade
1953 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Biggest Bear
by Lynd Ward
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Billy and Blaze
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Black Gold
by Marguerite Henry
from Rand McNally
for 4th-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Blaze and the Forest Fire
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Blaze and the Gray Spotted Pony
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Blaze and the Lost Quarry
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Blaze and the Mountain Lion
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Blaze and Thunderbolt
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Blaze Finds the Trail
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Blaze Shows the Way
by C. W. Anderson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Born Free
by Joy Adamson
Anniversary from Pantheon Books
for 10th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Born to Trot
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis
Reprint from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.99
Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Bonnie Shields
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Animal Stories: Realistic for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.99
Call of the Wild
by Jack London, Michael Clay Thompson
from Royal Fireworks Press
Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade
in Michael Clay Thompson Language Arts (Location: GRA-MCT)
Capyboppy
by Bill Peet
from Sandpiper Books
Non-fiction for 1st-6th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Chucaro
by Francis Kalnay
from Walker and Company
Realistic Fiction for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Cinnabar, the One O'Clock Fox
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis
Reprint from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.99
Colly's Barn
by Michael Morpurgo
New Ed from Mammoth
for 3rd-5th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Desperate Adventures of Zeno and Alya
by Jane Kelly
from Square Fish Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Dog's Life
by Ann M. Martin
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Dogsong
by Gary Paulsen
from Simon and Schuster
for 5th-8th grade
1986 Newbery Honor Book
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$7.19
Don't Frighten the Lion!
by Margaret Wise Brown
from Random House
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Elephant in the Garden
by Michael Morpurgo
from Feiwel & Friends
for 5th-8th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$8.99
Floss
by Kim Lewis
from Candlewick Press
Realistic Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Fritz and the Beautiful Horses
by Jan Brett
Reprint from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Lynd Ward
Reissue from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.99
Ginger Pye
by Eleanor Estes
from Harcourt
Realistic Animal Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
1952 Newbery Medal winner
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Ginger Pye
by Eleanor Estes
from Harcourt
for 4th-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Hachiko Waits
by Lesléa Newman
from Square Fish Publishing
for 3rd-5th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Hank the Cowdog #01
Hank the Cowdog #1
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Hank the Cowdog #02
Hank the Cowdog #2
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #03
Hank the Cowdog #3
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #04
Hank the Cowdog #4
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #05
Hank the Cowdog #5
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #06
Hank the Cowdog #6
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #07
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #08
Hank the Cowdog #8
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #08
Hank the Cowdog #8
by John R. Erickson
from Puffin Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Hank the Cowdog #09
Hank the Cowdog #9
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #10
Hank the Cowdog #10
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #11
Hank the Cowdog #11
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #12
Hank the Cowdog #12
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #13
Hank the Cowdog #13
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$5.99
Hank the Cowdog #13
by John R. Erickson
Reissue from Puffin Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
Hank the Cowdog #14
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #15
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #16
Hank the Cowdog #16
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #17
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #18
Hank the Cowdog #18
by John R. Erickson
Reprint from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #19
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hank the Cowdog #20
by John R. Erickson
from Maverick Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Hank the Cowdog (Location: SER-HANK)
$6.99
Hanna's Cold Winter
by Trish Marx & Barbara Knutson
from Purple House Press
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$11.95
Harry and the Lady Next Door
An I Can Read Book Level 1
by Gene Zion
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Harry by the Sea
by Gene Zion
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Harry the Dirty Dog
by Gene Zion
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Hate That Cat
by Sharon Creech
from HarperCollins
for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
Have You Seen My Cat?
by Eric Carle
from Scholastic Inc.
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
Hero
by Walt Morey
from Scholastic Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Hero
by Walt Morey
from Puffin Books
for 4th-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Home is the North
by Walt Morey
from Blue Heron Publishing
for 3rd-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
Incredible Journey
by Sheila Burnford
from Yearling
for 4th-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.99
Kavik the Wolf Dog
by Walt Morey
from Penguin Putnam
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$6.99
Lassie Come-Home
by Eric Knight, illustrated by Marguerite Kirmse
from Square Fish Publishing
for 4th-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.99
Lassie Come-Home (adapted)
by Rosemary Wells
F from Henry Holt and Company
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Last Little Cat
by Meindert DeJong
from Whole Spirit Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
Last Little Cat
by Meindert DeJong
from Inheritance Publications
for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$11.90
Last Little Cat
by Meindert DeJong
Reprint from Avyx, Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Living Free (abridged)
by Joy Adams
from Scholastic Inc.
for 5th-7th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Lord God Made Them All
by James Herriot
from St. Martin's Press
for 7th-Adult
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$17.99
Make Way for Ducklings
by Robert McCloskey
from Puffin Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Minn of the Mississippi
by Holling C. Holling
from Houghton Mifflin
Realistic fiction for 3rd-8th grade
1952 Newbery Honor Book
in BFB Holling Geography (Location: HISCUR-BFG)
$12.99
Misty's Twilight
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Karen Hause Grandpre
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake
Mr. Putter and Tabby #3
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold
Mr. Putter and Tabby #11
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Clear the Decks
Mr. Putter and Tabby #19
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Dance the Dance
Mr. Putter and Tabby #21
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Drop the Ball
Mr. Putter and Tabby #22
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish
Mr. Putter and Tabby #10
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane
Mr. Putter and Tabby #5
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
Animal Stories: Realistic for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Hit the Slope
Mr. Putter and Tabby #25
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch
Mr. Putter and Tabby #9
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
Realistic Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears
Mr. Putter and Tabby #4
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea
Mr. Putter and Tabby #1
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Harcourt
Realistic Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea
I Can Read Level 3
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Ring the Bell
Mr. Putter and Tabby #20
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race
Mr. Putter and Tabby #17
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars
Mr. Putter and Tabby #16
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Smell the Roses
Mr. Putter and Tabby #24
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard
from Clarion Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.99
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