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Lots of Goats, Two Owls, and One Lost Puppy: 5 Chapter Books for Animal Lovers
As the parent of a kindergartner who loves animals, especially when she can follow them on silly and mysterious adventures, we’re both ready to settle in for these kinds of stories. Whether they’re about a boy trying to save a pup from landing in the animal shelter or a princess stopping monsters from threatening goats, here are five illustrated chapter books for both younger and more independent readers.
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Wallace and Grace and the Lost Puppy, by Heather Alexander and Laura Zarrin
This sweet friendship story is the third book in the Wallace and Grace series with lots of colorful illustrations and a thread of mystery. My five-year-old is not a big fan of what she calls “repeating books” and this story definitely has a lot of repetitive lines (“The puppy was sad. The puppy was dirty. The puppy was smelly. Really, really smelly!”), but she loved the full-color cartoonish art. This story of two resourceful owl friends is probably a great bet for children transition from picture to chapter books, or for newly independent readers.
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The Princess in Black, by Shannon and Dean Hale
A preschool mom introduced us to the Princess in Black series and we fell hard for this princess, who ditches her flouncy dresses to stop the monsters from attacking the goats.
In this girl-powered action-packed story with illustrations by the incredibly talented LeUyen Pham, Princess Magnolia has to sneak away to transform into her alter ego and defeat the monsters before anyone discovers her secret. Including Duff the goat boy, who “was not part goat and part boy. That would have been interesting. But Duff was just a boy who took care of goats.”
Understandably, readers might ask why she has to keep this all a secret, but I appreciate the message: you can’t judge a princess by her fancy dress.
Waylon! Even More Awesome, by Sara Pennypacker
Because I love Sara Pennypacker’s Clementine books, I had a feeling I’d feel the same way about Waylon. In the second book in this trilogy, Dumpster Eddy the stray dog reappears.
Waylon is cautious about working with his classmate Baxter, but when Eddy is in trouble—he’s supposed to be sent away to a shelter in 10 days—will the two boys be able to come together to save him?
How awesome to meet protagonist like Waylon, a sensitive and thoughtful a fourth-grader who loves science. (P.S. Clementine even makes a brief appearance in the story!)
Who Gives a Hoot?: Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet, by Jacqueline Kelly
When Callie spots an owl in the water, she knows it’s in trouble. With quick thinking and quick action, she and Granddaddy bring the bird aboard their boat—but will they be able to save its life?
Six years after the first The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate came out, here’s the third title in Jacqueline Kelly’s illustrated chapter book series about budding veterinarian/naturalist Calpurnia Tate in the early 1900s. You’ll learn lots about early Texas history, animal life, and how restricted life was for women in the early-20th-century.
With lots of text and new vocabulary, this story is definitely for older readers, and most of all the story’s message about respecting nature is very important.
Frog and Toad Are Friends (I Can Read Picture Book Series) (Caldecott Honor Book)
Arnold Lobel
Hardcover
$7.00
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Frog and Toad, by Arnold Lobel
Lastly, a classic first published in 1970, this series symbolizes the power of animal-friendship between neurotic Toad and rational Frog.
My favorite stories here are “A Lost Button,” in which the friends retrace their steps to find Toad’s missing button, and “The Letter,” in which Toad feels sad because he never gets any mail. I’ll take a pass on “A Swim” because of all the teasing, especially when all the animals laugh at Toad for looking funny in his bathing suit (although he handles it with dignity).
What chapter books for animal lovers would you recommend?