If you like reading about animals, here are true books about real animals and stories about all sorts of animals from familiar pets to exotic creatures, to even imaginary ones.  The Youth librarians at the Ferguson Library enthusiastically recommend the following animal books; and don’t forget, your librarians can help you with additional suggestions of books to read by these and other authors. GRADES 1 AND 2 | GRADES 3 AND 4 | GRADES 5 AND UP

Cover image of Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.

GRADES 1 AND 2

Amanda Pig (Series) by Jean Van Leeuwen
A precocious little pig has adventures with her best friend Lollipop and her brother Oliver.  E Beg

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Eric A. Kimmel
Anansi the spider uses a mysterious moss-covered rock in the forest to trick all his animal friends.  E398.2 K

Animal Antics: The Beast Jokes Ever by Sam Schultz    
Jokes about all kinds of animals to tickle your funny bone.  J 827 S

Animal Faces by Darlyne Murawski
This photographic book features all the important parts of animal faces whether furry, scaly or feathered.  E 573.87

Commander Toad (Series) by Jane Yolen    
Commander Toad and the crew of spaceship Star Warts fight evil all over the galaxy.  E Beg

Dogs by Seymour Simon   
This book about man’s best friend gives a visual overview to a very popular pet.  E 636.7 S

Frog and Toad (Series) by Arnold Lobel    
From sledding to eating ice cream on hot summer days, these best friends stick together all year round.  E Beg

Gigantic!: How Big Were the Dinosaurs? By Patrick O’Brien  
Colossal dinosaurs are compared to familiar objects to portray their awesome actual sizes. E 567.9 O

Gus and Gertie and the Lucky Charms by Joan Lowry Nixon  
These penguins take part in the Animal Winter Olympics.  J Beg

Inspector Hopper by Doug Cushman                                           
Inspector Hopper, with the help of his trusty assistant McBug, attempts to solve the case of the missing Mrs. Ladybug.  E Beg

Little Bear (Series) by Else Holmelund Minarik  
Little Bear is a friendly bear cub who has gentle adventures with his friends Duck, Hen and Cat.  E Beg

The Magic Schoolbus Inside a Beehive by Joanna Cole
With a mixture of magic and scientific fact, Miss Frizzle’s class travels inside a beehive in their magic shrunken bus.   J 595.799 C

Minnie and Moo (Series) by Denys Cazet    
This pair of cows really know how to get things done from saving Christmas to tackling runaway beds. E Beg

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss 
Simple words, exciting pictures and enjoyable rhymes engage new readers with word play.  E Beg

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Abel's Island by William Steig   
Abel, the mouse who has it all, is swept away to a deserted island and must learn to survive by himself.  J Fic

Animal Disguises by Belinda Weber     
Are you a shape shifter? Can you turn green when you lie in the grass? Learn about how different animals disguise themselves to keep themselves safe from predators.  J 591.472 W

Baby Whale Rescue: The True Story of J. J.  by Caroline Arnold and Richard Hewett  
J.J., an orphaned baby gray whale, is taken to live at Sea World and later returned to the wild.  J 599.522A

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
A sweet pig named Wilbur becomes an overnight sensation when his friend Charlotte the spider spins special phrases into the webs she weaves above his barnyard pen.  J Fic

Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine      
Is Tuffy the cat a cold blooded killer or merely a misunderstood feline?  J Beg

The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl    
The Enormous Crocodile is hungry and on a mission to discover whether children are tough and chewy, or juicy and yummy!  J Beg

Higgelty Piggelty Pop!   by Maurice Sendak   
Jenni, a selfish terrier dog, wants to be the star of the World Mother Goose theatre, but first must get a little life experience. J Beg

How to Talk to Your Cat  by Judith St. George   E 636.7 G 
How to Talk to Your Dog by Judith St. George  E 636.8 G 
Learn how your pet communicates through their behavior and sounds and how you can talk back to them.

Jake: A Labrador Puppy at Work and Play by Robert. F. Jones
Follow the first year of Jake’s life as he grows from an adorable Lab puppy to a full grown, trained hunting dog. J 636.752 J

Little Rat Sets Sail  by Monika Bang-Campbell    
She can’t swim and is afraid of the water – so what will Little Rat do when her parents sign her up for sailing lessons? J Beg

Mean Margaret by Tor Seidler
Newlywed woodchucks Phoebe and Fred are happy until they discover a cranky toddler named Margaret on their doorstep. J Fic

Rikki Tikki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling; Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney  
A brave little mongoose protects a boy and his family from the evil cobra snakes. J Beg

Socks by Beverly Cleary
An adorable young tabby cat, is happy living with Mr. and Mrs.  Bricker – until the baby comes!  J Fic

The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog  (Series) by John R. Erickson
He’s not too cute and he’s not too smart, but Hank the Cowdog, “Head of Ranch Security” finds himself in plenty of trouble in this first book of the hysterical series.  J Pbk

Third Grade Pet by Judy Cox
Can animal-loving Rosemary get over her fear of the new class pet in time to save him from danger? J Beg

Wackiest White House Pets by Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Did you know that the White house has been home to not only Presidents, but also to the dogs, cats, grizzly bears and alligators that were their pets? J 636.088D

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A Bear Named Trouble by Marion Dane Bauer.
Jonathan, an animal lover, is excited to see a wild bear up close—until one of Jonathan’s favorite zoo animals crosses the bear’s path.

Birds of Prey: Explore the Fascinating Worlds of Eagles, Falcons, Owls, Vultures  by Laura Evert
Everything you need to know about these beautiful birds, including what they eat, where they hunt, and why some of them are endangered. J598.9 E

ER Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room by Donna M. Jackson.
From swallowed bottlecaps to broken wings, emergency room veterinarians can deal with all sorts of animal emergencies. J 636.089 J

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Manus Pinkwater. 
Arthur goes to the butcher to pick up a turkey for Thanksgiving, but comes back with a live 266-lb. chicken.

I, Freddy by Dietlof Reiche.  
Freddy, a golden hamster, learns to read and type on a computer, then decides to escape captivity and live on his own

I Was a Rat by Philip Pullman.          
A boy named Roger wreaks havoc in the streets of London when he insists that he used to be a rat.

Jackie's Wild Seattle by Will Hobbs.
Even in a big city like Seattle, Shannon and her brother find lots of wild animals that need help at the rescue center.

The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans  by Sy Montgomery
The enchanted forest known as the Sundarban Tiger Reserve is home to more than five hundred tigers. And only here do the tigers actively hunt men. J 599.756 M

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH  by RobertO’Brien. 
When Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse, learns that her home is in danger, she asks for help from the brilliant laboratory rats who learned to read at the lab before they escaped.

Poppy by Avi.
A timid deer mouse finds the courage to stand up to Ocax, the fearsome owl.                                                    

Shark Life: True Stories About Sharks and the Sea by Peter Benchley.
Combining high adventure with real information about sharks, this book includes how to avoid an attack whenever possible. J 597.3 W

Tiger, Tiger  by Lynne Reid Banks.
Two tiger cubs are taken to live in ancient Rome—one the cherished pet of Caesar’s daughter, the other a ferocious man-eater in the Colosseum.

Whittington by Alan Armstrong.
When a cat called Whittington arrives at a rundown barnyard, he not only keeps the rat problem under control, but he also gives a boy the courage to learn to read.

Working like a Dog: The Story of Working Dogs Through History:  by Gena K. Gorrell.
Some dogs are happiest with a job to do.  Learn which jobs are best for which breeds, and see how some dogs can even become heroes.  J 636.73 G