Animal Stories: Realistic

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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 practiceon 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 is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes 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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	Afraid to Ride by C. W. Anderson from Scholastic Book Services for 2nd-4th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $1.50 (2 in stock)
	Akiak by Robert J. Blake from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Album of Horses by Marguerite Henry from Scholastic Inc. Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Animal Heroes by Ernest Lloyd from Pacific Press for 2nd-4th grade in Vintage Nonfiction (Location: VIN-NFIC) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	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 from Scholastic Inc. Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade 2001 Newbery Honor Book in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
	Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, illustrated by John Beer from Barnes & Noble for 3rd-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Blaze Finds the Trail by C. W. Anderson from Macmillan for 1st-3rd grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Blind Colt by Glen Rounds from Holiday House for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Blind Colt A World Famous Horse Story Library selection by Glen Rounds from Holiday House for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Bonny's Big Day by James Herriot from St. Martin's Press for 1st-6th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Bravest Dog Ever The True Story of Balto Step Into Reading Level 3 by Natalie Standiford from Random House Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP) $5.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Brighty of the Grand Canyon from Rand McNally in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	By Pond and River Eyes and No Eyes #2 by Arabella B. Buckley from Cassell for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage Readers & Textbooks (Location: VIN-READ) $25.00 (1 in stock)
	Champion Dog Prince Tom Weekly Reader Children's Book Club by Jean Fritz and Tom Clute, Illustrated by Ernest Hart from Coward McCann for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $10.00 (2 in stock)
	Flip by Wesley Dennis from Scholastic Book Services for 2nd-5th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Follow My Leader by James B. Garfield from Puffin Books Animal Stories: Realistic for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $7.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
	Forest Folk by Mary & Conrad Buff Fifth Printing, 1967 from Viking Press for 2nd-4th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Hank the Cowdog #08 Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse 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)
	Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham from Harper & Row for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $7.00 (1 in stock)
	Home is the North by Walt Morey from Blue Heron Publishing for 3rd-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Honk, the Moose by Phil Stong; illustrated by Kurt Wiese from Dodd, Mead & Co. for 3rd-6th grade 1936 Newbery Honor Book in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	House on Deer-Track Trail by Marty Kelly from Weekly Reader for 3rd-5th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	House on Deer-Track Trail by Marty Kelly, illustrated by Ronald Himler from Weekly Reader for 3rd-5th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford, illustrated by Carl Burger 7th printing from Little, Brown & Company for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $7.00 (1 in stock)
	Junket by Anne H. White, illustrated by Robert McCloskey 2nd printing from Viking Press for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $14.00 (1 in stock)
	Justin Morgan Had a Horse G&D Famous Horse Stories by Marguerite Henry from Grosset & Dunlap for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry, illustrated by Wesley Dennis 1958^th edition from Rand McNally for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	King of the Wind The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry 1950^th edition from Rand McNally Realistic Animal Stories for 3rd-7th grade 1949 Newbery Medal winner in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Lewis and Clark and Me by Laurie Myers from Henry Holt and Company Fictionalized Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Lewis & Clark (Location: HISA-19L&C) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Little Horse by Betsy Byars, illustrated by David McPhail from Henry Holt and Company for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Lone Muskrat by Glen Rounds from Holiday House for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Looking-for-Something by Ann Nolan Clark from Viking Press for Kindergarten-5th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.50 (2 in stock)
	Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey 1966 printing from Viking Press Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1942 Caldecott Medal winner in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Mishmash by Molly Cone, illustrated by Leonard Shortall 3rd printing from Houghton Mifflin for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $2.00 (12 in stock)
	Misty Of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry Deluxe from Simon and Schuster for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $14.00 (1 in stock)
	Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Rand McNally for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (2 in stock)
	Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Wesley Dennis from Rand McNally for 3rd-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Owen & Mzee The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Craig Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, Paula Kahumbu First Edition from Scholastic Press for 3rd-5th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Return of the Wolf by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, illustrated by Jared Taylor Williams from Clarion Books for 3rd-8th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Sancho the Homesick Steer by Helen Rushmore, illustrated by Jack Hearne from Garrard Publishing Company for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Secret Journey of the Silver Reindeer by Lee Kingman, illustrated by Lynd Ward from Doubleday & Company for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Seven True Dog Stories by Margaret Davidson from Hastings House in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting from HarperTrophy for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Thy Friend, Obadiah (hardcover) by Brinton Turkle 1972 Seafarer Edition from Viking Press Realistic Animal Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1970 Caldecott Honor Book in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Tippy Lemmey by Patricia McKissack from Aladdin Paperbacks for 1st-5th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Tornado by Betsy Byars from HarperCollins for 1st-5th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $6.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Vulpes the Red Fox by Jean Craighead George and John George 1996 Reissue from Dutton Children's Books for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Walt Disney's Odyssey of an Otter A Fact-Fiction Nature Story Walt Disney's Animal Adventures by Rutherford Montgomery, Illustrated by Hamilton Greene from Golden Press for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $26.00 (1 in stock)
	Walt Disney's Weecha the Racoon A Fact-Fiction Nature Story by Rutherford Montgomery, illustrated by Lawrence Tyler Dresser from Golden Press for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry from Greenwillow Books for 3rd-6th grade in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page from Houghton Mifflin for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page from Houghton Mifflin for Preschool- 3rd Grade 2004 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.50 (1 in stock)

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