719-395-2737
DONATE

Gift Book Suggestion for Pet Loving Kids and Teens (and adults, too)

Gift Book Suggestion for Pet Loving Kids and Teens (and adults, too)
by
December 04, 2025
in Humane Education Column
No Comments
3452

By: Judy Lore, AVHS Volunteer columnist

It’s the time of year for gift-giving. If you are searching for excellent books and some award winners for kids and teens, here are several suggestions.

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. Ages 9-12. A Newberry Honor Book. Ten-year-old Opal goes to the local supermarket and brings home a dog.

Sounder by William H. Armstrong. Ages 9-12. Winner of the John Newberry Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American Literature for Children. The boy knows times are tough for his family. There is never enough to eat. Sounder, a coon dog, accompanies the boy’s father out hunting some game to put food on the table. The next morning the boy smells the sweet smell of a ham being prepared. But the boy’s father is being handcuffed and arrested. Now the boy must grow up fast. He loves Sounder and must care for him in place of his father.

What the Dogs Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren. Teens. Exploring the extraordinary abilities and life-saving talents of working dogs. Long Listed for the Literary Award from Pen America.

Waiting. A Caldecott Honor Winner. 2-5 yrs. An owl, puppy, bear and a pig. A Picture book.

The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly Robertsus. 4-8 yrs. Baxter the Basset Hound is miserable and lonely and ignored since Eloise had kittens. When he finally interacts with the kittens, he becomes happier than ever.

Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd. 8-12 yrs. When her beloved rescuer and human becomes too sick to care for her, Haven seeks help in the forest with a wilderness-savvy fox helping her. Her strength is tested.

Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac. 8-12 yrs. A Powerful story of a girl who learns about her Penacook heritage while sheltering in place with her grandparents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan and Tim Muller. Ages 1-6. “You’ll never look at horses or dogs the same way again,” claims Jon Stewart of The Daily Show.

If You Give a Dog a Doughnut. Ages 2-5. A story of snacks, surprises, and the joy of imagination.

And my ALL-TIME favorite dog book: The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be by Farley Mowat. Ages 8-11. I had my eighth graders read this and answer questions and I must admit they loved it. Personally, I think adults will find it a fun and delightful book about the adventures of Mutt, the dog bought for 4 cents in Saskatchewan, Canada in the 1930s. Starting when he was a boy, Mowat shared ten years worth of adventures with Mutt and his father. Early camping adventures. Hunting ducks. Mutt wearing goggles on dusty roads. And more. It’s a keeper of a book.

Share

Recommended Posts