Animal (Fiction and Nonfiction)

It's a wild world and we're just living in it. Try this list for reads about wildlife, ecology, and human/animal connections that matter for survival.

Updated June 6, 2024
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What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds
Ackerman, Jennifer
Paper Book
For centuries, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented over 30,000 years ago, in the Chauvet cave paintings in southern France, and our enduring awareness and curiosity of their forward gaze and nearly silent flight has cemented the owl...
Eat, poop, die : how animals make our world
Roman, Joe
Paper Book
NAMED A TOP-TEN BEST BOOK OF 2023 BY SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN A "fascinating" exploration (Elizabeth Kolbert) of how ecosystems are sculpted and sustained by animals eating, pooping, and dying--and how these fundamental functions could help save us from climate...
Eight bears : mythic past and imperiled future
Dickie, Gloria
Paper Book
Bears have always held a central place in our collective memory, from Indigenous folklore and Greek mythology to nineteenth-century fairytales and the modern toy shop. But as humans and bears come into ever-closer contact, our relationship nears a tipping point. Today, most of the eight remaining...
Bird life
Smaill, Anna
Paper Book
'Astonishing' Emily Perkins, author of Lioness 'Beautifully lyrical' Mat Osman, bassist of Suede and author of The Ghost Theatre A lyrical and ambitious exploration of madness and what it is like to experience the world differently, from the Booker Prize-longlisted...
George : a magpie memoir
Hughes, Frieda
Paper Book
'He was a hectic, unprincipled bird, but it was impossible not to love him' ... a memoir of love, obsession and feathers
The Other Family Doctor : A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us about Love, Life, and Mortality
Fine, Karen
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . Calling all animal lovers! A heartwarming memoir about one woman's career as a vet and the unique role pets play in our lives."Filled with compassion and wisdom, Karen Fine is a healer whose own wounds have deepened her gifts for bringing animals and their...
On animals
Orlean, Susan
Paper Book
A delightful and entertaining collection of a lifetime of musings, meditations and in-depth profiles about animals, by the bestselling author of The Orchid Thief and The Library Book.
The age of cats : from the savannah to your sofa
Losos, Jonathan B.
Paper Book
The past, present and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover. 'Engaging and wide-ranging ... The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy' Washington Post
Pony confidential
Lynch, Christina
Paper Book
Pony has been passed from owner to owner for longer than he can remember. Fed up, he busts out and goes on a cross-country mission to reunite with the only little girl he ever loved, Penny, who he was separated from and hasn't seen in years. Penny, now an adult, is living an ordinary life when she...
Remarkably bright creatures
Van Pelt, Shelby
Paper Book
**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** OVER 1.5 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK OVER 60,000 5 STAR REVIEWS GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BEST BOOKS OF 2022 GLAMOUR BEST BOOKS OF 2022 'Remarkably Bright...
The Blanket Cats
Shigematsu, Kiyoshi.
Paper Book
Is three days with a cat enough to change your life?The troubled and anxious of Tokyo are desperate to find out. They all have their problems - and they all want to believe that a temporary feline companion from a unique pet shop can help them find a solution. Or at least provide a few days'...
My Beloved Monster
Carr, Caleb
Paper Book
Caleb Carr lived with cats ever since he was a young boy. He grew up in a turbulent household - where famous Beat poets, artists and addicts came and went - and his steadiest companions were pets. Since then, he had many feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human...

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