There are several wonderful animal books that children just love.
One of the top picks is The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John. This is available in paperback and tells the story of a young girl who moves to Africa to live with her grandmother after her parents are killed in a fire. The book is engaging and kids just can't put it down. The main character has a special connection with animals and ends up saving a rare white giraffe. The book also chronicles her struggles to make friends at school where she feels very much the outsider. This story continues with Dolphin Song which I think is even better than the first book. It has wonderful teaching themes such as things are not what they appear to be (a very unpleasant boy at school turns out to be a surprise). I ordered the third book, The Last Leopard, from England as it is not yet available here. I paid more for postage than the book, but it was worth it. There will be more books in the future.
Dog Lost by Ingrid Lee is the story of a young boy, Mackenzie, and his pit bull puppy. His neglectful father wins the dog in a card game and brings it home. The boy falls in love with the dog and, of course, the dog loves the boy. Deciding that it is too expensive to feed a dog, the father abandons the dog at the town dump. While Mackenzie searches for his dog and the town tries to pass anti-pit bull legislation, the dog becomes a hero by helping a variety of people. The different characters are woven into a satisfying finish. I highly recommend this book.
The Good Dog by Avi stars McKinley, the head dog in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He lives with Jack, the human "pup." While McKinley tries to maintain his status as head of the town pack and help a runaway abused dog, a wolf, Lupin, appears in town. This wolf is the last in the pack and wants the dogs in town to join her. She tries to convince them that being subservient to humans is degrading and beneath the dignity of wolves. McKinley must choose between his wild, wolf-like side and the human-loving side while at the same time protect Jack from his impulsive decision to follow the wolf. Because the book tells the story from McKinley's point of view, it can be used in the classroom as a great "point of view" teaching tool. A wonderful read.
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