All About Animals: Recommended Reading
Primary Fiction
Charlotte’s Web
By EB White
A classic novel about a pig named Wilbur who is saved from the slaughterhouse by his human friend Fern and a spider named Charlotte.
The Chicken Gave It to Me
By Anne Fine
Wonderful, extraordinary novel about a rescued battery hen and her adventures.
Creepy-Crawly Stories
By Barbara Ireson
A compilation of short stories that feature different insects and mini-beasts.
The Deliverance of Dancing Bears
By Elizabeth Stanley
A dancing bear in Turkey dreams of a life without chains and bars before finally being freed by a kind peasant. A beautifully illustrated picture book.
The Lorax
By Dr Seuss
Everybody needs a thneed, but it comes at the expense of the air, the water and the beautiful truffula trees. A child-friendly look at environmental issues that’s presented in Dr Seuss’s fun rhyming style.
The Magic Finger
By Roald Dahl
A family of hunters switches places with a family of ducks and finds out what it’s like to be on the other end of the gun.
Mutt Dog
By Stephen Michael King
An easy-to-read picture book about a stray dog who finds a home. Addresses the different needs of animal companions and shows that animals have emotions.
One in a Million
By Nicholas Read
Joey is a dog in an animal shelter who learns that the most important thing for a dog is love. Looks at issues of responsible ownership.
Primary Non-Fiction
Amazing Animals to the Rescue
By Peter Hepplewhite and Neil Tonge
Fantastic short stories about real animals who have helped people.
50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals
By Ingrid Newkirk
Ideas and tips for young people who want to help animals.
Just for Elephants
By Carol Buckley
The true story of former circus elephants who meet each other in a sanctuary 23 years after they were separated. Shows the complex emotions of elephants.
My Life With the Chimpanzees
By Jane Goodall
An autobiography of Jane Goodall for young readers that focuses on the renowned primatologist’s experiences while observing the chimpanzees of the Gombe National Reserve.
Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
By Isabell Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr Paula Kahumbu
After being orphaned by the 2004 Asian tsunami, a baby hippopotamus named Owen befriends a giant tortoise named Mzee at an animal sanctuary.
Secondary Fiction
Black Beauty
Anna Sewell
A classic tale about the lives and treatment of horses, told from a horse’s point of view.
The Little Book of Vegan Poems
By Benjamin Zephaniah
Twenty-two poems about veganism and animals.
Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster
By Tim Winton
Teenage Lockie is literally thrown into an unlikely friendship with two other kids, and together they work to clean up the pollution in their small coastal town.
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
By Robert C O’Brien
A novel about a field mouse named Mrs Frisby who has to save her family as well as the strange rats who have escaped from a laboratory.
The Plague Dogs
By Richard Adams
A novel about two dogs on the run after escaping from the laboratory where they were experimented on.
Saving the Planet and Stuff
By Gail Gauthier
Michael is spending the summer helping out at an environmental magazine when he encounters people who have a worldview very different from his own. A funny novel.
Talking Turkeys
By Benjamin Zephaniah
A collection of poems from the poet of the streets.
Under the Stairs
By Mary Brady
A novel for teenagers about Peter, who has to re-evaluate life when he meets a family of animal activists.
Secondary Non-Fiction
Born to Be Wild
By Juliet Gellatley
A teenager’s guide to animal issues and campaigning for a kinder world.
Dogs Never Lie About Love
By Jeffrey Masson
A wonderful read for those who want to understand the complexities of their canine friends.
The Livewire Guide to Going, Being and Staying Veggie
By Juliet Gellatley
A guide for teenagers who are contemplating going vegetarian or who are already vegetarian but want more information about the vegetarian lifestyle.
Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life and Avoid Being Cruel to Animals
By Ingrid Newkirk
A look at how small changes in the decisions that we make can affect animals for the better.
One Can Make a Difference
By Ingrid Newkirk
A collection of stories and essays from people around the world who have helped to make the world a better place.
The Philosophy Files
By Stephen Law
An easy-to-understand introduction to philosophy and ethics.
The Pig Who Sang to the Moon
By Jeffrey Masson
Reveals the complex emotional lives and amazing abilities of animals who are farmed for their meat, milk and eggs.
Roar! Animal Rights Handbook for Kids
By Peter Hoggarth
A handbook for all young people who want to save the world.
Sacred Cows and Golden Geese
By Dr Ray Greek and Dr Jean Greek
A medical doctor and a veterinarian expose the truth about animal experimentation.
The Silent Ark
By Juliet Gellatley and Tony Wardle
A look at the British meat industry.
Striking at the Roots
By Mark Hawthorn
A step-by-step practical guide to becoming an activist for animals.
Thanking the Monkey
By Karen Dawn
An easy-to-understand and balanced introduction to animal rights issues.
The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter
By Peter Singer and Jim Mason
Information on modern farming and what different labels actually mean.
When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals
By Jeffery Masson and Susan McCarthy
Looks at the range of complex emotions that animals experience.
You Can Save the Animals: 251 Ways to Stop Thoughtless Cruelty
By Ingrid Newkirk
Everyday ways to make a difference for our animal friends.