Favorite Animals

It would be easy to make a catalog of all the pets we've had over the years, but that's not the kind of "favorite animals" we're talking about. Favorite animals are those animals that have most thoroughly captured the imagination and love of humans. Okay, so maybe love is the wrong word to describe the dragon-craze or our enduring fascination with dinosaurs, but it surely applies to horses, dogs and cats.

The philosopher Plato had an idea that subsequent thinkers called "idealism." They didn't mean that Mr. Plato was an idealist in the way we'd call Rosa Parks or Gandhi idealists: the term idealism referred to the concept that for everything in the world (trees, chairs, noses), there was an ideal form or version of that thing in the spiritual realm.

According to Plato's theory, the azalea bush in your front yard is simply a physical representation of the perfect Azalea Bush floating who-knows-where in the infinite void. While we don't want to start any kind of philosophical war here, that's kind of the idea we're going for in this category. The animals you'll encounter in these stories, coloring books, and reference volumes embody "horseness," "catness," and "dragon-ness."

After all, the image Fred Gipson paints of Old Yeller is just a bit too good to be true. Sure, many of us have had a favorite dog who could do no wrong in our forgiving eyes, but Old Yeller is like every awesome dog who ever lived rolled into one mangy mutt. Which is the whole point—by creating a slightly unrealistic portrait of an old doggy, Gipson is able to celebrate doghood itself.

In a culture that generally looks only at the way things sometimes appear to be, however, it's easy to value animals too highly. Sure, they deserve our attention and care as representatives of creation, but no more. The Creator who made them is the only One deserving all our praise, glory and love; the animals He's made are simply avenues through which to show our worship and gratitude.

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.

Did you find this review helpful?
64 Items found Print
Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8), Hardcover, Used Books & Materials
Adventures of Tim
by Edward Ardizzone
from Chancellor Press
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Book Treasuries (Location: PIC-TRE)
$50.00 (1 in stock)
Answers Book for Kids Volume 2
by Ken Ham
from Master Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Worldview & Apologetics for Kids (Location: BIBWV-APK)
$6.39 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Babar and Zephir / Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
by Jean de Brunhoff (Babar) and Beatrix Potter (Squirrel Nutkin)
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Backyard Bear
by Jim Murphy, illustrated by Jeffrey Greene
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond
from HarperCollins
Animal Fantasy for 2nd-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$15.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Benjamin's Treasure
by Garth Williams
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Billy, the Condominium Cat
by Esphyr Slobodkina
from Addison Wesley
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.00 (1 in stock)
Bony
by Frances Zweifel; illustrated by Whitney Darrow, Jr.
from Harper & Row
for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
by Bill Martin Jr.; illustrated by Eric Carle
Second Edition, 25th Anniversary Edition from Henry Holt and Company
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Cats
Usborne Beginners
by Anna Milbourne
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Cats from Away
by Peter Parnall
from Macmillan
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Charlotte's Web
by E. B. White
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-6th grade
1953 Newbery Honor Book
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Cowboys with Penny the Mustang Pony
by Barbara Knight, Illustrated by Dale "Wink" Burgess
from Mustang Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
CS: Call of the Wild
Classic Starts
by Jack London
Abridged from Sterling Publishing Co.
for 2nd-4th grade
in Sterling Classic Starts (Location: SER-SCS)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Dick Whittington and His Cat
by Margaret Hodges, illustrated by Melisande Potter
from Holiday House
for Preschool-2nd grade
1951 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Dogs
Usborne Beginners
by Emma Helbrough
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Elephant and Piggie Complete Collection - Boxed Set
by Mo Willems
from Disney-Hyperion
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$95.00 (1 in stock)
Elephant's Child
by Rudyard Kipling
2nd Printing from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Elephant's Dilemma
A Bonnie Book
by Dee Thomas, illustrated by Kippy
from John Martin's House, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Elephants
Usborne Beginners
by James MacLaine
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Flip / I'm Tired of Lions
by Wesley Dennis & Zhenya Gay
from Viking Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Foundling
by Carol Carrick, illustrated by Donald Carrick
from Seabury Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Go, Dog, Go!
by P. D. Eastman
from Random House
Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Go, Dog, Go!
by P. D. Eastman
Kohls Cares For Kids from Random House
Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Good Neighbors
by Diane Redfield Massie
from American Education Publications
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$8.25 (1 in stock)
Great Big Elephant & the Very Small Elephant
by Barbara Seuling
from Crown Publishers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Horses and Ponies
Usborne Beginners
by Anna Milbourne
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Horton Hears a Who!
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
Animal Fantasy for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
How Fletcher Was Hatched
by Wende and Harry Devlin
from Parents Magazine Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$11.25 (3 in stock)
I'm Not Moving, Mama!
by Nancy White Carlstrom, Illustrated by Thor Wickstrom
from Macmillan
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Infamous Ratsos: Project Fluffy
by Kara LaReau, Illustrated by Matt Myers
from Candlewick Press
for 1st-4th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Jumbo
from Bradbury Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Lilly's Big Day
by Kevin Henkes
from Greenwillow Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Little Polar Bear, Take Me Home!
by Hans de Beer
from North-South Books
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Living Fossils
by Caroline Arnold, illustrated by Andrew Plant
from Charlesbridge
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Dinosaurs & Fossils (Location: SCI-DINO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Look to the North
by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Lucia Washburn
from HarperCollins
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Dog Books (Location: SCI-MAMDOG)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Miles and Miles of Reptiles
by Tish Rabe
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Cat in the Hat's Learning Library (Location: EAR-CAT)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Molly and the Storm
by Christine Leeson, illustrated by Gaby Hansen
from Little Tiger Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
More About Paddington
by Michael Bond
from Houghton Mifflin
for 2nd-5th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire!
by Mrs. Bunny, translated from the Rabbit by Polly Horvath, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
from Schwartz & Wade
for 2nd-6th grade
in Animal Stories (Location: FIC-ANI)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Muggins' Big Balloon
by Marjorie Barrows, illustrated by Anne Sellers Leaf
from Rand McNally
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
No Mouse for Me
by Robert Quackenbush
from Franklin Watts
for 2nd-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur?
by Bonnie Worth, illustrated by Steve Haefele
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 2nd-4th grade
in Cat in the Hat's Learning Library (Location: EAR-CAT)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Once Upon an Elephant
by Linda Stanek, illustrated by Shennen Bersani
from Arbordale Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in Mammals (Location: SCI-MAM)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Part-Time Dog
by Jane Thayer, illustrated by Seymour Fleishman
from William Morrow & Company
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Pet Dragon
by Christoph Niemann
from Greenwillow Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Piggins and the Royal Wedding
by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jane Dyer
from Harcourt Brace Jovanich
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Poppleton Everyday
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague
from Blue Sky press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Rare Treasure
by Don Brown
from Houghton Mifflin
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Rescue with Penny the Mustang Pony
by Barbara Knight, Illustrated by Dale "Wink" Burgess
2nd printing, 2006 from Mustang Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Sam, Bangs & Moonshine
by Evaline Ness
from Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Allegorical and Moral Stories for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1967 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Sir Bertie & the Wyvern
by Nicholas Wilde
from Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Storm with Penny the Mustang Pony
by Barbara Knight, Illustrated by Dale "Wink" Burgess
from Mustang Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Story of Dick Whittington and His Cat
by Muriel Levy, illustrated by Evelyn Bowman
Ninth Edition from Wills & Hepworth
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$6.75 (1 in stock)
Sweetest Fig
by Chris Van Allsburg
from Houghton Mifflin
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Tale of Little Pig Robinson
Book 19
by Beatrix Potter
from Frederick Warne & Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Peter Rabbit & Friends (Location: FIC-PETER)
$6.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Temple Cat
by Andrew Clements
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Three Pigs
by David Wiesner
1st edition from Clarion Books
for Preschool-2nd grade
2002 Caldecott Medal winner
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$18.99 $11.00 (1 in stock)
True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!
by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith
from Viking Press
Twisted Fairy Tale for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Uncle Mugsy and the Terrible Twins of Christmas
by Eric Metaxas, illustrated by Tim Raglin
from Madison Square Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
$29.00 (1 in stock)
Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams, illustrated by Michael Green
from Running Press
Personification for 1st-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Wildwing
by Phoebe Erickson
from Harper & Brothers
for 2nd-4th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Wolves
by James Maclaine, illustrated by John Francis and Kimberley Scott
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
World of Pooh
by A. A. Milne
from Dutton Juvenile
for 1st-4th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.00 (1 in stock)