Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for our SLAV online Book Club on Wednesday May 15th, 2024, to discuss the topic: Pets and Animals. There are so many iconic books featuring animals that we were absolutely inundated with book recommendations from many attendees, which is always a good sign! We had everything from pet dogs, to horses and wolves, to dingoes and whales, and pirate’s parrots. We even had some pets join our session; two cats and four dogs.
Our lovely members really brought their all with a flood of recommendations, with many new texts suggested alongside some classics and little-known titles. It was so lovely to hear the experiences shared between members who’d read the same books.
We absolutely encourage you to reach out to the wonderful Deb at The Younger Sun as an invaluable resource, for further information and recommendations. The staff at The Younger Sun are incredibly knowledgeable!
Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and student’s needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.
Picture Books:
Tough Boris – Mem Fox
Junior Fiction/Middle Grade:
Redwall – Brian Jacques
Toby Alone – Timothee de Fombelle
Grimmelings – Rachael King
Wolves of Greycoat Hall – Lucinda Gifford
Tweet – Morris Gleitzman
Tyger – S.F. Said’
Skandar and the Unicorn Thief – A. F. Steadman
Kip of the Mountain – Emma Gourlay
I Am Rebel – Ross Montgomery
Tiny Dogs – Rose Lihou
Love That Dog – Sharon Creech
The Way of Dog – Zana Fraillon
October October – Katya Balen
Silver Brumby – Elyne Mitchell
Call of the Wild – Jack London
White Fang – Jack London
Runt – Craig Silvey
Charlotte’s Web – E. B. White
One and Only Ivan – K.A. Applegate
Grace and Mr Milligan
Marley and Me – John Grogan
A Dog’s Purpose – W. Bruce Cameron
Tale of Despereaux – Kate DiCamillo
Finding Bear – Hannah Gold
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Paws by Kate Foster
Peggy and Molly – Juliette Wells
Pawcasso – Remi Lai
Honey and the Valley of Horses – Wendy Orr
Funny Folktales
Unlikely Friendships – Jennifer S. Holland
Penguin Bloom – Cameron Bloom
Until the Road Ends – Phil Earle
Bad Guys – Aaron Blabey
Real Pigeons – Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood
Deborah Abela – The Kindness Project
Cora Seen and Heard – Zanni Louise
The Apprentice Witnesser – Bren Macdibble
A Small Collection of Happinesses – Zana Fraillon
Blueback – Tim Winton
“Cozy Reading Dogs” by Enokson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.