Skip to main content

SOCIAL MEDIA

Books With Animal Characters

Friday, September 10, 2021

 


Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!  Today's post will feature books with animals as the main characters.  I've had a very busy week, and the weekend will also be busy, so I'm keeping my reviews very short and sweet.

I bought these books (not the library book) at Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor.  It is now a favorite Indie bookstore of mine, and they are known for their manual typewriter where patrons can leave little notes:





DISCLOSURE:  All book covers below are IndieBound affiliate links.



Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org


This book is my least favorite of the three simply because it's dystopian (not my favorite genre).  However, I am still giving it 5 out of 5 stars because it's very well-written, and it maintained my attention.  Basically the story is about a council of animals that meet to determine the fate of humanity.  Humans have caused a global event called The Calamity, and some animals think it's best to kill the remaining humans and eat them, and others are in favor of saving humanity because of their past positive contributions to the world.  Animals are fairly split, the politics are dirty, and the animals have certainly learned much from observing humans.



Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org


I loved this memoir (checked our from our library) written by animal journalist and writer Sy Montgomery.  She's written prolifically for both adults and children, and she is also known for writing books about Temple Grandin.  How To Be a Good Creature is a fairly quick read, and Sy shares the lessons she learned from observing creatures, both family pets and animals from the field.  She is very observant, and this trait has enabled her to join many scientific studies in her quest to share amazing animals from all over the globe.  One of the animals that interested me was the Matschie's Tree Kangaroo from Papua New Guinea.  I was so intrigued that I checked-out Sy Montgomery's children's book about them to learn more.



Matschies Tree Kangaroo




Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org


Perestroika in Paris is one of my favorite books, but I must disclose that Jane Smiley is a favorite writer of mine: I love The Accidental Tourist and One Thousand Acres.  Perestroika, or "Paras" for short, is a curious horse.  After winning a race, she escapes her stall, takes her trainer's purse (after all, she thought it belonged to her because racehorses win "purses"), and ends-up in nearby Paris.  She meets several friends including a dog and a gregarious raven.  But when she befriends a young boy named Étienne and he takes her home with him to his great-grandmother's rambling home and garden, things get very interesting, especially as Christmas approaches.  Arm wrestle (and win!) for the right to choose this book for your next book club selection.





Do you like books with animal characters?  What are you reading this weekend?


Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill




6 comments

  1. Well, these certainly sound unusual! The one about the horse in Paris sounds delightful!
    Jenna

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't thought much about books with animals as main characters so this is interesting. I love Jane Smiley too and will put this one on my 'to read' list! Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. These all sound wonderful, especially Perestroika in Paris! Thanks, RJ!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think I would enjoy the Paris read, I may have to add it to my huge collection of all books Paris! A wonderful selection of books.........

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do like books with animal characters. Maybe it's my elementary school teaching background. Interesting selections. I think I might be adding Perestroika In Paris to the list!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are friendly!


Hello!

I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

Follow me on Instagram