Owen & Mzee

Koko's Kitten by Francine Patterson
The real life experience of Koko, a gorilla in California who uses sign language, with a young kitten whom she loved and grieved over when it died. Recommended for grades K-5.

Moses the Kitten by James Herriot
A bedraggled orphaned kitten is nursed back to health on a Yorkshire farm and when he recovers turns out to have a very unusual idea of who his mother is. Recommended for grades K-4.

Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb by James Herriot
Smudge is an adorable black-and-white lamb, who lives in Farmer Cobb's farmyard with his mother and many other animals. One fine spring day, though, Smudge decides to see the world outside Farmer Cobb's fence, and finds himself on a glorious adventure--until he discovers that he can't get back in. Recommended for grades K-4.

Blossom Comes Home by James Herriot
To make room for a younger cow, Farmer Dakin reluctantly takes his old cow Blossom to market with surprising results. Recommended for grades K-4.

Puppy Love: True Stories of Animal Friends by Kate Tym
Relates fascinating facts and tales of bravery, love and loyalty of animals and pets. Recommended for grades 1-6.

Dick King-Smith’s Animal Friends: Thirty-one True Life Stories by Dick King-Smith
A collection of anecdotes about the author's encounters with animals beginning with his first elephant ride at the zoo and continuing through his years as a dairy farmer. Dick King-Smith is the author of many books for children including Babe: the Gallant Pig and The School Mouse. Recommended for grades 1-6.

With Love by Jane Goodall
A collection of stories based on the author's experiences with chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania over a period of almost forty years. Recommended for grades 2-6.

Dolphins: What They Can Teach Us by Mary M. Cerullo
Focuses on the behavior of these large sea animals, their interactions with humans, and ways in which dolphins and people can benefit each other. Recommended for grades 2-6.

Mosey: The Remarkable Friendship of a Boy and His Elephant by Ralph Helfer
Tells the true story of a boy's devotion to a beloved circus elephant and the ordeals they endured to stay together. Recommended for grades 2-6.

Panda: A Guide Horse for Ann by Rosanna Hansen
Everyone knows about guide dogs for the blind. But guide horses? Panda is a miniature horse, one of the first to be trained to help Ann Edie, a blind woman.

Water Buffalo Days: Growing Up in Vietnam by Huynh Qyang Nhuong
The author describes his close relationship to two water buffalo that were part of his family when he was growing up in a village in the central highlands of Vietnam. Recommended for grades 3-6.

Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers: Reflections on Being Raised by a Pack of Sled Dogs by Gary Paulsen
Minnesota author and dog musher Gary Paulsen reflects on the growth of his sled dogs as he and his animals discover the world around them. Recommended for grades 3-7.

My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen
The author describes some of the dogs that have had special places in his life, including his first dog, Snowball, in the Phillippines; Dirk, who protected him from bullies; and Cookie, who saved his life. Recommended for grades 5-12.

Slippers at Home by Andrew Clements
Written from the point of view of a puppy, this story about Slippers and his family of four people is simple enough to engage toddlers and funny enough to amuse beginning readers. Recommended for grades pre-K to 1.

Rickie & Henri by Jane Goodall
When her human guardian goes on a business trip, Ricki, an orphaned chimpanzee infant, adopts Henri, a shaggy dog, as her "mother."

Nutik, the Wolf Pup by Jean Craighead George
When his older sister Julie brings home two small wolf pups, Amaroq takes care of the one called Nutik and grows to love it, even though Julie tells him it cannot stay. Recommended for grades K-3.

Rugby & Rosie by Nan Parson Rossiter
Tells the story of a family that trains a puppy to be a guide dog to the blind. They and their dog become very attached to the puppy. Recommended for grades K-4.

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
At New York City's Central Park Zoo, two male penguins fall in love and start a family by taking turns sitting on an abandoned egg until it hatches.

The Boy Who Lived with the Seals by Rafe Martin
A lost boy who has grown up in the sea with seals returns to his tribe but is strangely changed. Recommended for grades 2-5.

A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin
Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal.

The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse
After rescuing an adolescent girl from the sea, researchers learn she has been raised by dolphins and attempt to rehabilitate her to the human world. Recommended for grades 5-8.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
While running away from home and an unwanted marriage, a thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl becomes lost on the North Slope of Alaska and is befriended by a wolf pack. Recommended for grades 6-9.

Black Beauty: The Autobiography of a Horse by Anna Sewell
A horse in nineteenth-century England recounts his experiences with both good and bad masters. Recommended for grades 6 and up.