Guides: Recommended Reading: Animal Stories

October & November 2020

Animals are the stars of this month’s Recommended Reading selections. Immerse yourself in a range of fictional stories: sheep investigating the murder of their shepherd, the experience of growing up with a chimpanzee as a sister, a cat’s road trip across Japan, or becoming aware that you yourself have taken on a different form--perhaps a cockroach? Learn more about how animals think and feel, in such books as How Animals Grieve, the Social Behavior of Older Animals, or Sex in the Sea: Our Intimate Connection with Sex-Changing Fish, Romantic Lobsters, Kinky Squid, and Other Salty Erotica of the Deep. Watch fascinating TED talks, such as Paul Nicken: Animal Tales from Icy Wonderlands, or listen to Playing Music with Animals: interspecies communication of Jim Nollman with 300 turkeys, 12 wolves, and 20 orcas. Finally, go out in the wild and participate in next year’s Great Backyard Bird Count or one of the several other projects listed.

Questions or comments? Please send us your feedback about this month's recommended reading.

Read: Fiction

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM FOX 2000 STARRING MILO VENTIMIGLIA, AMANDA SEYFRIED, AND KEVIN COSTNER MEET THE DOG WHO WILL SHOW THE WORLD HOW TO BE HUMAN The New York Times bestselling novel from Garth Stein--a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope--a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. "Splendid." --People "The perfect book for anyone who knows that compassion isn't only for humans, and that the relationship between two souls who are meant for each other never really comes to an end. Every now and then I'm lucky enough to read a novel I can't stop thinking about: this is one of them." --Jodi Picoult "It's impossible not to love Enzo." --Minneapolis Star Tribune "This old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human. I loved this book." --Sara Gruen
Call Number: PS 3569.T3655 A88 2008
The Call of the Wild by Jack London Buck is a big dog living a comfortable life in California. When gold is discovered in Canada, he is stolen from his home, taken up to the Klondike region, and forced to pull dog sleds. As time passes, Buck discovers the instincts of his ancestors and learns how to survive in the wild, endure freezing conditions, and deal with cruel men and dogs. Finally, Buck finds a kind master, but in the end, the call of the wild may be too strong. This is an unabridged version of Jack London's classic American survival story, first published in 1903.
Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov; George Bird (Translator) A masterful tale set in post-Soviet Kiev that's both darkly-funny and ominous... In the widely hailed prequel to Penguin Lost, aspiring writer Viktor Zolotaryov leads a down-and-out life in poverty-and-violence-wracked Kiev--he's out of work and his only friend is a penguin, Misha, that he rescued when the local zoo started getting rid of animals. Even more nerve-wracking: a local mobster has taken a shine to Misha and wants to keep borrowing him for events. But Viktor thinks he's finally caught a break when he lands a well-paying job at the Kiev newspaper writing "living obituaries" of local dignitaries--articles to be filed for use when the time comes. The only thing is, it seems the time always comes as soon as Viktor writes the article. Slowly understanding that his own life may be in jeopardy, Viktor also realizes that the only thing that might be keeping him alive is his penguin.
Call Number: PG 3482.8.U6756 S613 2011

The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka; Christopher Moncrieff (Translator) When the young salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning transformed into a monstrous insect, his shock and incomprehension are coupled with the panic of being late for work and having to reveal his appearance to family and colleagues. Although over the following weeks he gradually becomes used to this new existence confined within the bounds of the apartment, and his parents and sister adapt to living with a grotesque bug, Gregor notices that their attitudes towards him are changing and he feels increasingly alienated.
Call Number: PT 2621.A26 A24 2014
Mink River by Brian Doyle The story of the small Oregon coast town of Neawanaka and its people.
Call Number: PS 3604.O9547 M56 2010
Moby Dick, or, the Whale by Herman Melville
Call Number: online
Tales from Watership Down by Richard Adams Here is the enchanting sequel to the beloved classic Watership Down, which introduced millions of readers to an extraordinary world of rabbits--including Fiver, Hazel, Bigwig, Dandelion, and the legendary hero El-ahrairah. Tales From Watership Down returns to these unforgettable characters, and also presents new heroes as they struggle to survive the cruelties of nature and the shortsighted selfishness of humankind, embark on new adventures, and recount traditional stories of rabbit mythology, charming us once again with imagination, heart, and wonder. A spellbinding book of courage and survival, these tales are an exciting invitation to come home to a beloved world.
Call Number: PR 6051.D345 T3 1996
Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd. On a hillside near the cozy Irish village of Glennkill, the members of the flock gather around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared for the sheep, reading them a plethora of books every night. The daily exposure to literature has made them far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George’s killer. The A-team of investigators includes Othello, the “bad-boy” black ram; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a pensive black-faced ewe with a weakness for abysses. Joined by other members of the richly talented flock, they engage in nightlong discussions about the crime and wild metaphysical speculations, and they embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, a village newcomer with a secret and a scheme; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a very odd flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love. Three Bags Full is already an international hit. “It’s rather as if Agatha Christie had re-written The Wind in the Willows, and I ended by loving it, ”Jane Jakeman wrote in The Independent. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful breed of detectives to American readers.
Call Number: PT 2721.W36 G5413 2008
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa; Philip Gabriel (Translator) A book that "speak[s] volumes about our need for connection--human, feline or otherwise" (The San Francisco Chronicle), The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a life-affirming anthem to kindness and self-sacrifice that shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy--the perfect gift for cat lovers and travellers! We take journeys to explore exotic new places and to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances and to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts... An instant international bestseller and indie bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru's longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe...  With his crooked tail--a sign of good fortune--and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love. On New York Post's Required Reading List
Call Number: PL 867.5.R54 T3313 2018
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen Over 10,000,000 copies in print worldwide #1 New York Times Bestseller A Los Angeles Times Bestseller A Wall Street Journal Bestseller A Newsday Favorite Book of 2006 A USA Today Bestseller A Major Motion Picture starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz   Jacob Janowski's luck had run out―orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was the Great Depression and for Jacob the circus was both his salvation and a living hell. There he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but brutal animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this group of misfits was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.
Call Number: PS 3607.R696 W38 2006
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler The New York Times bestselling author of The Jane Austen Book Club introduces a middle-class American family that is ordinary in every way but one in this novel that won the PEN/Faulkner Award and was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize.   Meet the Cooke family: Mother and Dad, brother Lowell, sister Fern, and Rosemary, who begins her story in the middle. She has her reasons. "I was raised with a chimpanzee," she explains. "I tell you Fern was a chimp and already you aren't thinking of her as my sister. But until Fern's expulsion...she was my twin, my funhouse mirror, my whirlwind other half and I loved her as a sister." As a child, Rosemary never stopped talking. Then, something happened, and Rosemary wrapped herself in silence. In We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler weaves her most accomplished work to date--a tale of loving but fallible people whose well-intentioned actions lead to heartbreaking consequences. "A gripping, big-hearted book...through the tender voice of her protagonist, Fowler has a lot to say about family, memory, language, science, and indeed the question of what constitutes a human being."--Khaled Hosseini 
Call Number: PS 3556.O844 W4 2013
World Folklore for Storytellers: Tales of Wonder, Wisdom, Fools, and Heroes Here is a treasury of favorite and little known tales from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Oceania, gracefully retold and accompanied by fascinating, detailed information of their historic and cultural backgrounds. The introduction provides an informative overview of folklore, its purpose in world cultures and in contemporary society and popular culture. Following this, the main sections of the book are arranged by tale type, covering wonder tales, hero tales, tales of kindness repaid and hope and redemption, and finally tales of fools and wise people. Each section begins by comparing the tales cross-culturally, explaining similarities and differences in the folkloric narratives. Tales from diverse cultures are then presented, introduced, and retold in a highly readable fashion.