Books for Kids: Books from an Animals Point of View

Check out this list generated by our Youth Services Librarians for the Scotch Plains Public Library's annual summer reading challenge.

Updated April 27, 2023
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The true blue scouts of Sugar Man Swamp
Appelt, Kathi
Digital file
The one and only Ivan
Applegate, Katherine.
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is now a major motion picture streaming on Disney+ This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of...
Life according to Og the frog
Birney, Betty G.
Paper Book
The adventures in Humphrey's Room 26 are hopping back into the spotlight, from the perspective of Og the Frog! When Og the Frog first comes to Room 26, he doesn't know what to think. He misses his friends from the pond, there are all kinds of strange noises, and the water is his...
The world according to Humphrey
Birney, Betty G.
Paper Book
The first in the series about everyone's favorite classroom pet! You can learn a lot about life by observing another species. That's what Humphrey was told when he was first brought to Room 26. And boy is it true! There are always adventures in the classroom and each weekend he gets to...
Mouseheart
Fiedler, Lisa
Paper Book
The Warriors series meets Redwall in this first book in an epic animal adventure series set in the subway tunnels of Brooklyn and for "fans of Erin Hunter, Brian Jaques, and Kathryn Lasky" (School Library Journal). Hopper is just an ordinary pet shop mouse before he...
I am bat
Hood, Morag
Paper Book
I am bat. I love cherries. They are juicy and red and delicious and... My cherries! Some of them are missing. Who took my cherries? Was it YOU? Join the grumpily adorable Bat as he searches for his missing cherries in this vibrant and hilarious picture book.
We found a hat
Klassen, Jon
Paper Book
Hold on to your hats for the conclusion of the celebrated hat trilogy by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen, who gives his deadpan finale a surprising twist. Two turtles have found a hat. The hat looks good on both of them. But there are two turtles. And there is only one hat. . . ....
The quest of the cubs
Lasky, Kathryn
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of His Dark Materials! A gripping adventure where "nature, magic, and legend combine to create a world like no other." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewFor generations, the noble polar bears have ruled the Northern Kingdoms. But now, their society is on the brink...
The capture
Lasky, Kathryn.
Paper Book
A classic hero mythology about the fight between good and evil, Guardians of Ga'Hoole is filled with adventure, suspense, and heart.Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, evil that threatens to shatter Tyto's peace and...
The simple art of flying
Leonardo, Cory
Paper Book
"Delightfully quirky." --Kirkus Reviews Perfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan, this irresistible debut novel combines plucky humor and a whole lot of heart in a story about the true meaning of family. Sometimes flying means keeping your feet...
Night animals
Marino, Gianna
Paper Book
Something's out there in the dark! First Possum hears it. Then Skunk. Then Wolf comes running. "What could it possibly be?" asks Bat. "Night Animals!" the animals declare. "But you are night animals," Bat informs this not-so-smart crew. ...
Rescue on the Oregon trail
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Meet Ranger! He's a time-traveling golden retriever who has a nose for trouble . . . and always saves the day!Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but can't officially pass the test because he's always getting distracted by squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a...
Pardon me!
Miyares, Daniel
Paper Book
A little bird just wants some peace and quiet--but he's about to get a whole lot more than he bargained for in this clever picture book debut, in the tradition of Jon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back. It's a beautiful, sunny day in the swamp when a little yellow bird settles...
A wolf called Wander
Parry, Rosanne
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! "Don't miss this dazzling tour de force."--Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal winning author of The One and Only Ivan This gripping novel about survival and family is based on the real story of one wolf's incredible journey to find a safe place to...
Dog diaries
Patterson, James
Paper Book
The first book in the doggone awesome, howl-ariously illustrated, bestselling series from the creator of Middle School! Lovable dog Junior's illustrated diary is perfect for fans of The Owl Diaries, Humphrey, and Mercy Watson. ...
Pax
Pennypacker, Sara
Paper Book
New York Times Bestseller * National Book Award Longlist  From bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic,...
Nuts to you
Perkins, Lynne Rae.
Paper Book
How far would you go for a friend In Nuts to You, the funny and moving illustrated novel by Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins, two squirrels go very far indeed to save a friend who has been snatched up by a hawk. Nuts to You "begs to be read aloud . . . another completely original...
I don't want to be a frog
Petty, Dev.
Paper Book
The hit book about a willful young frog with a serious identity crisis and his heard-it-all-before father. Perfect for fans of Mo Willems's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Jon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back! Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog....
Creepy carrots!
Reynolds, Aaron
CD
In this Caldecott Honor-winning picture book, The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch as a rabbit fears his favorite treats are out to get him. Jasper Rabbit loves carrots--especially Crackenhopper Field carrots. He eats them on the way to school. He eats...
The true story of the 3 little pigs
Scieszka, Jon.
CD
A spoof on the three little pigs story, this time told from the wolf's point of view. Lane Smith also illustrated Hallowe'en ABC which was one of The New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year.
I, Cosmo
Sorosiak, Carlie
Paper Book
A golden retriever narrates a hilarious, heart-tugging tale of a dog and his humans as he tries to keep his family together while everything around them falls apart. Ever since Cosmo became a big brother to Max ten years ago, he's known what his job was: to protect his boy and...
They all saw a cat
Wenzel, Brendan
Paper Book
New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Medal winner They All Saw a Cat is a visual delight and a charming read-aloud that invites kids and parents to explore the concept of perception. The cat walked through the world, with its...
Charlotte's web
White, E. B.
Paper Book
Don't miss one of America's top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS's The Great American Read. This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This paperback edition includes...
The story of Diva and Flea
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Diva, a small yet brave dog, and Flea, a curious streetwise cat, develop an unexpected friendship in this unforgettable tale of discovery. For as long as she could remember, Diva lived at 11 avenue Le Play in Paris, France. For as long as he could remember, Flea also lived in Paris,...

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