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6 Incredible Animal Friends in YA Fiction
Have you ever watched a cute video of a puppy rolling around or a kitten learning to meow and thought, wow, what did humans do to deserve these creatures? The relationship between animals and humans is so fascinating, from the typical cat or dog pet to dolphins helping people with disabilities to humans creating sanctuaries for endangered species. I love when novels bring in an animal(s) to the story because, directly or indirectly, animals and nature shape so much of human life and vice versa. Sometimes, the inclusion of an animal character takes the form of a human-animal magical bond, like in Julia Ember’s The Tiger’s Watch, and sometimes the form looks a little more familiar like Harry Potter’s pet owl, Hedwig. No matter how they’re included, they add a beautiful spark to a good story, as you can see in these six YA books featuring furry (or scaly) companions.
The Tiger’s Watch, by Julia Ember
Ember’s latest release, The Tiger’s Watch, features Katala, a powerful tiger bonded to protagonist Tashi. They are connected soldiers that fight together, and one day, will die together. When the capital falls, Tashi must flee to a monastery in hiding, but before long, enemies catch up and turn the monastery into a hospital base for wounded soldiers. Tashi must hide in plain sight while Katala hides nearby if they hope for any chance of survival. Ember makes Tashi and Katala’s relationship clear: Katala is not a pet, but an individual part of a bonded companionship.
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Even the Darkest Stars, by Heather Fawcett
In Heather Fawcett’s Even the Darkest Stars, Kamzin longs to explore the world outside her small village. When a chance arises to accompany River Shara, a famous explorer, to climb the tallest mountain, Raksha, she seizes it. Alongside her is her familiar, a spunky and adorable fox. What I love most about Fawcett’s depiction of their relationship is the way Kamzin’s familiar refuses to leave her side and how Kamzin protects him. Though Kamzin is on a very dangerous journey filled with witches, snowy mountain ranges, and deception, her familiar stays by her side, even when she tells him not to. If anyone has had a beloved pet before, you know how loyal they can be and how much you’ll fight to make sure they stay safe and happy.
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling
Choosing an animal from the Harry Potter universe was a hard task. The Harry Potter series includes animals, both real and mythical, in every book, each with their own special personality. Hagrid’s brief time with Norbert was our introduction to his kind, but worrisome, fondness for potentially dangerous creatures. Buckbeak was Sirius’s companion through some of his darkest times on the run. And of course, who can forget Hermione’s rascally cat, Crookshanks, who was the only one to distrust Scabbers? However, I think the most memorable of all the HP animals is Harry’s owl, Hedwig. Hagrid bought Hedwig for Harry in book one, and, aside from Hagrid, was Harry’s first friend in his life. Hedwig brought and delivered mail for Harry year after year, helped keep mice away from Hogwarts, and became dear to all. *Stubbornly ignores the tragedy of Hedwig’s fate*
Scorched, by Mari Mancusi
Mari Mancusi’s Scorched series introduces us to the pet we’ve all secretly wanted (or wait, maybe that’s just me): a dragon. When Trinity starts hearing a mysterious voice nearby, she definitely doesn’t think it’s the voice of a dragon egg that her grandfather believes is in their West Texas town. But when Trinity meets two visitors from the future, one here to destroy the dragon egg and one here to save it, she realizes her world is a lot bigger than she thought. When she meets Emmy, the dragon she’s been hearing, there’s an instant connection. Trinity soon realizes that, regardless of what the future holds, it’s her and Emmy against the world.
Rescued, by Eliot Schrefer
Many of Eliot Schrefer’s books explore the relationship between humans, animals, and the environment, but this particularly tale, Rescued, addresses a rarely discussed issue in YA: exotic pets. Numerous animals are not appropriate to be pets, like Raja, the orangutan stolen and placed in a home as a pet to a small child, John. John and Raja grew up together, and while they forge a deep bond, Raja is not meant to live in a human space. Through this powerful story, Schrefer brings up the dangers of exotic pet trading and how animals are still important and meaningful, no matter if they aren’t fit for typical human interaction like a pet is.
Vicarious, by Paula Stokes
As surprising as it may be, I’ve rarely read contemporary or mystery YA that has pets in it, at least any that are mentioned more than once or twice. This is fairly strange as so many households have pets, but then again, many contemporary YA stories focus on school life, rather than home life. Paula Stokes’s mystery/thriller duology, beginning with Vicarious, has the lovely cat, Miso. While Miso isn’t a main character, Winter Kim, a young woman who does stunts and other dangerous activities for Vicarious Sensory Experiences, loves Miso dearly and makes it clear that Miso is part of her every day life. When Winter’s sister, Rose, vanishes, Winter has to do some serious sleuthing, and she makes sure Miso is taken care of while she’s away. This might be the only story I’ve read that mentions getting a pet-sitter, which I love. Those small details are part of what makes contemporary stories so true to life.