Books for Animal Lovers

There’s something about animal stories that tug at the heart, bringing smiles and tears as we follow the journey of a particular pet or wild critter.

For animal lovers, the best ones involve a connection between animals and humans, and the following books will give you that warm, fuzzy (or hairy, furry or feathery) feeling.

A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

This fictional account of one dog’s quest for his purpose is funny and heartwarming. Told in the first-doggie point of view, the story follows the dog into his several lives as he keeps being reborn as a puppy. Be sure to have a good supply of tissues.

Tell Me Where it Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout

The subtitle of this book, A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon, says it all. With a view from the vet’s side of the examination table, Trout teaches us what it’s like to be a veterinarian with humor and compassion. The book will confirm why we love our animals.

Extraordinary Pigs by Stephen Green-Armytage

Cute, funny-looking, spotted, wrinkled and curly-coated—this book is full of all kinds of pigs. The book features 38 pigs from around the world, including Vietnam, Africa and Hungary.

Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives by Thomas French

Photo-journalist French takes the reader behind the scenes at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. You’ll learn from the author’s six years of research by following some of the zoo’s inhabitants, including a chimp that prefers blondes and a tiger that loves perfume.

Alex & Me by Irene M. Pepperberg

This sweet story tells (per the book’s subtitle) “How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence - and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process.” Alex was an African gray parrot who, while working with Pepperberg, leaned more than 100 words. Their 30-year relationship is an amazing story.

Check the or for these good reads.