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Animal Stories

There aren't too many kids who don't like animals, which makes stories about them a great way to communicate truths about human nature to young readers. All kinds of animal stories have been written, and a lot of them are just about animals doing animal-y things, but some of the best aren't really about animals at all.

The Wind in the Willows, for instance—sure, Ratty and Mole have whiskers, and Badger is as grumpy as any badger whose hole does not include a well-stocked library, but they're essentially human characters with human emotions and human ambitions who grow the way humans ought. Even Mr. Toad is no more animal than Oliver Twist or Laura Ingalls.

Okay, you might say, but that's not really an animal story, then. What about Black Beauty? or Bambi? They're written from the perspective of real animals who don't talk (at least, not to people) or wear clothes or eat buttered toast; how can they be about human nature?

In the case of Black Beauty, the horse narrator has a surprisingly firm grasp of human emotion, and understands the behavior of her owners to an extent many homo sapiens would not. As for Bambi, while he acts like a real deer, he's also sentient and able to have relationships with his fellow forest animals that closely resemble those enjoyed by members of the human race.

Another kind of animal story is really about people, and simply uses animals as the hook, or as a foil for the humans in the story. The Black Stallion or Billy and Blaze books, for instance, are more about the boy heroes than the horses, though the bond between animal and rider is also explored. Jim Kjelgaard's dog stories are similar, chronicling the adventures of boys with their beloved dogs.

As with any genre, animal stories should be read primarily to be enjoyed. It is only then that the deep wisdom found in the best of them can speak to us as readers, can open up our minds and hearts to see more than just furry or scaly creatures do things they may or may not do in the real world. Besides, who's to say there isn't a talking monkey or cat somewhere in the real world? As far as books are part of the real world, there are plenty such animals, and plenty of opportunities to meet and be changed by them.

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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Adventures of Reddy Fox
Thornton Burgess Peter Cottontail Books #5
by Thornton W. Burgess
from Dover Publications
Animal Stories: Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$4.00 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop, edited by Ann McGovern
from Scholastic Inc.
for Nursery-2nd grade
$2.50 (3 in stock)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop
from Wordsworth Classics
for Nursery-2nd grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Ben and Me
by Robert Lawson
from Little, Brown & Company
Humor/historical fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Biggest Bear
by Lynd Ward
from Houghton Mifflin
Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade
1953 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Black Stallion Revolts
Black Stallion #9
by Walter Farley
from Scholastic Press
Realistic Animal Fiction for 5th-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Black Stallion's Ghost
Black Stallion #18
by Walter Farley
from Random House
Realistic Animal Fiction for 5th-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$6.99 $3.50 (1 in stock)
Bravest Dog Ever
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)
Call of the Wild
Dover Thrift Editions
by Jack London
from Dover Publications
Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$3.00 $2.00 (1 in stock)
Call of the Wild
Puffin Classics
by Jack London
from Puffin Books
for 6th-10th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Cat Who Went to Heaven
by Elizabeth Coatsworth
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Eastern Fairy Tale for 3rd-6th grade
1931 Newbery Medal winner
$2.50 (2 in stock)
Cat Who Went to Heaven
by Elizabeth Coatsworth
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Eastern Fairy Tale for 3rd-6th grade
1931 Newbery Medal winner
$6.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
Day No Pigs Would Die
by Robert Newton Peck
1994 Printing from Random House
Realistic Stories for 6th-9th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Dolphin Adventure
by Wayne Grover
from HarperTrophy
for 3rd-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.99 $3.50 (4 in stock)
Dolphin Treasure
by Wayne Grover
from HarperTrophy
for Ages 8-12
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$5.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
Edward, Hoppy and Joe
by Robert Lawson
1972 Printing from Dell Yearling
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Fables
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Preschool-3rd grade
1981 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Father Bear Comes Home
An I Can Read Book Level 1
by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Fledgling
by Jane Langton
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
1981 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (1 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)
Frightful's Mountain
by Jean Craighead George
from Puffin Books
Adventure for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Frog and Toad Are Friends
An I Can Read Book Level 2 (Reading with Help)
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
1971 Caldecott Honor Book
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
Grand Escape
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
from Yearling
for 3rd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Great Rescue Operation
by Jean Van Leeuwen, illustrated by Margot Apple
from Puffin Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Happy Day
by Ruth Krauss; illustrated by Marc Simont
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$1.50 (2 in stock)
Horse and His Boy
Chronicles of Narnia Book 3
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Julie of the Wolves
"Julie" Trilogy Book 1
by Jean Craighead George
from Scholastic Inc.
Adventure for 4th-8th grade
1973 Newbery Medal winner
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Julie's Wolf Pack
"Julie" Trilogy Book 3
by Jean Craighead George
from HarperCollins
Adventure for 4th-8th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Just So Stories
Puffin Classics
by Rudyard Kipling
from Puffin Books
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Kensuke's Kingdom
by Michael Morpurgo
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-7th grade
in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
$5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Last Battle
Chronicles of Narnia Book 7
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $5.00 (5 in stock)
Last Battle
Chronicles of Narnia Book 7
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Last Battle
Chronicles of Narnia Book 7
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Chronicles of Narnia Book 2
by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Little Bear
An I Can Read Book Level 1
by Else Minarik & Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Mistress Masham's Repose
by T. H. White
from Berkley Books
Fantasy for 7th-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (2 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)
Mouse Tales
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
National Velvet
by Enid Bagnold
from Avon Books
Realistic Fiction for 4th-7th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Newbery Animals Boxed Set
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Old Yeller
by Fred Gipson
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade
1957 Newbery Honor Book
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Prince Caspian
Chronicles of Narnia Book 2
by C. S. Lewis
1972 Printing from Collier Books
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Ralph S. Mouse
Mouse & the Motorcycle #3
by Beverly Cleary
from Scholastic Inc.
Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$3.00 (2 in stock)
Rascal
by Sterling North
from Puffin Books
Biography for 4th-8th grade
1964 Newbery Honor Book
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
Rascal
by Sterling North
from Puffin Books
Biography for 4th-8th grade
1964 Newbery Honor Book
in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Runaway Ralph
Mouse & the Motorcycle #2
by Beverly Cleary
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99 $3.00 (1 in stock)
Shiloh
Shiloh #1
by Phyllis R. Naylor
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Animal Stories for 5th-8th grade
1992 Newbery Medal winner
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Shiloh Christmas
Shiloh #4
by Phyllis R. Naylor
from Scholastic Inc.
Realistic Animal Stories for 5th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Silver Chair
Chronicles of Narnia Book 4
by C. S. Lewis
from Macmillan
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$3.50 (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)
Trumpet of the Swan
by E. B. White
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$1.50 (9 in stock)
Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams, illustrated by William Nicholson
from Avon Books
Personification for 1st-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Where the Red Fern Grows
by Wilson Rawls
from Bantam Books
Realistic Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
White Fang
Dover Thrift Editions
by Jack London
from Dover Publications
Action/Adventure for 10th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$6.00 $3.00 (1 in stock)
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