Books for animal lovers

November 17, 2024 10:27 AM

My eleven year old loved "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo. Can you recommend sensitive, smart books about girls and their special animals? (NOT horses, please). That treat their readers seriously and don't talk down to them? Thanks!
posted by Omnomnom to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

I HIGHLY recommend The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and its sequel for sensitive and smart and treating young readers seriously. Many animals, not just one.
posted by nkknkk at 10:35 AM on November 17, 2024

Tamora Pierce's "Protector of the Small" series, starting with First Test is truly special. It's fantasy, about a earnest, kind young woman who is the first girl to train to be a knight.
She's an animal lover and while there are horses in the story, it's about all the many creatures she takes into her care. It's an earnest, kind, compassionate book, with an unusual young heroine. I liked the way it dealt with body image and puberty issues, as well as the subtle and realistic, but nuanced way it deals with the sexism the main character encounters.
posted by Zumbador at 1:10 AM on November 18, 2024

I loved Protecting Marie when I was around eleven.
posted by cheesegrater at 1:31 PM on November 21, 2024

Saucy by author Cynthia Kadohata might fit
posted by Fence at 5:30 AM on November 23, 2024

Maybe try Jodi Kendall's The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City, and sequel Dog Days in the City.
posted by gudrun at 8:43 PM on November 23, 2024