6 Books for Aspiring Young Veterinarians

Doctor Nice, by Valeri Gorbachev
This picture book takes us through a day at the office with Doctor Nice, who fixes a crow’s broken foot (skiing accident), cures a goat kid’s headaches (hockey game), and mends Mrs. Cow’s tail (slipped on the ice). At the end, when mom pops her head into the “doctor’s office,” we see that maybe Doctor Nice is actually not a doctor after all, and his patients may just be stuffed animals. Seems like this character is an aspiring vet as well!

Weird and Wild Animal Facts, by Jessica Loy
You may already be aware that giraffes are the tallest land mammals on the planet, but did you know that they can clean their ears with their 21″ black tongues?! This books is filled with “weird and wild” facts like this one about fourteen different animals, from seahorses, to warthogs, to tarantulas (eek!).

All the Awake Animals Are Almost Asleep, by Crescent Dragonwagon and David McPhail
This soothing read that is the perfect bedtime story for any aspiring vet who doesn’t want to go to sleep. Your young animal lover will most likely be sound asleep by the time you reach the zebras (and perhaps even by the Quetzal, who, “wrapped in her quilt of feathers, grows quiet”). Poetic and lovely, this book is a gorgeously illustrated nighttime treat.

Beastly Feasts: A Mischievous Menagerie in Rhyme, by Bob Forbes and Ronald Searle 
Beastly Feasts, a delightful book of animal themed poems, is perfect for your young doctor who also has a poetic bent. Great to read out loud together, this book is filled with fun illustrations that will keep even the reluctant readers entertained. (There’s a mouse hidden somewhere  in each illustration.)

I want to Be a Veterinarian, by Stephanie Maze
This informative book (filled with color photographs) will teach your young reader all about what becoming a vet actually involves, as well as all of the different types of vets they can one day become.

A Day in the Life of a Veterinarian, by Heather Adamson
The next best thing to an internship! This book follows a veterinarian, Dr. Kipp, around for a day of work and shows just what it’s like to walk in her shoes. A cool way to experience the job, hour by hour, for curious young animal-lovers.