Kids Animal Story
THE HEDGEHOG OF OZ by Cory Leonardo
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Marcel the hedgehog has spent six months living in the Emerald City Movie Theater. He passes the time by nibbling popcorn off the floor, chatting with the two hens in the balcony, and of course watching the Wizard of Oz matinee every afternoon. But really he’s waiting for Dorothy. His Dorothy, who adopted him from the animal shelter, who he lost one afternoon at the park, and who he is sure will come find him someday. But instead of Dorothy, it’s an animal control officer who comes for Marcel. And when he’s released into the wild, he finds himself in Mousekinland and further from Dorothy and home than he’s ever been before. With the help of a reckless mouseling, a grumpy elderly squirrel, a terrified baby raccoon, and a cocoon named Toto, Marcel begins the journey back to the Emerald City Theater where he’s sure his Dorothy must be waiting.
THE HEDGEHOG OF OZ begins with slapstick humor but develops into a heartwarming–and occasionally heartbreaking–tale. In a twist on the classic, Marcel learns to trust his own ingenuity, compassion, and courage as he leads his new friends through the wilderness. And in the end, he realizes he must stop waiting for Dorothy to come to him and find his own way home. It will resonate most with readers who are familiar with the Wizard of Oz story, either from the movie or the books. (Honestly, though Marcel focuses on the movie, the extended denouement of this novel where each character finds their way back home reminded me more of the book.)
A note: I would have said this book skewed young until I got to the ending…. I don’t want to spoil, but if you’re going to recommend or read aloud to a young reader, read chapter 25 in advance so that you know whether it may upset your young reader and/or so that you can prepare for the conversations that will need to surround the reading of that particular chapter. Think CHARLOTTE’S WEB. Again, this is just a heads up if you’re reading it aloud to your kindergartener or handing it to your precocious second grader. If you’re recommending it to your typical MG reader, I don’t think it’s an issue. All of the content is developmentally appropriate and similar to content in other MG books.
MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
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The first time Timothy fell ill, he had been a tiny mouseling and Jonathan Frisby had still been alive. But when Timothy falls ill with pneumonia, the widowed Mrs. Frisby must care for Timothy all on her own. The doctor mouse, Mr. Ages, advises Timothy to stay in bed for at least another month. Unfortunately, the Spring comes early and the Frisbys will be forced to move out of their home in the field before the farmer begins to plow. Fearing that the move will kill Timothy, Mrs. Frisby is prepared to take drastic measures to find a solution to her problem–even if it means visiting the wise old owl in his lair in the forest. But the meeting with the bird of prey is nothing like Mrs. Frisby expected. Although the owl is initially unwilling to help her, as soon as he learns her husband’s name, his demeanor changes. He advises her to visit the colony of rats living in the rosebush and to tell them her husband’s name. Confused, Mrs. Frisby does as the owl says. What she finds behind the rosebush is beyond anything she has ever dreamed, and she quickly learns that the rats of Nimh are no ordinary rats–and Jonathan Frisby was no ordinary mouse.
It is clear why this book has remained so popular for so long. The winner of the 1972 Newbery Medal is a brilliantly imagined book with an intricate and creative animal world and a thread of mystery and suspense that keeps the reader engaged to the very end. Through the actions of Mrs. Frisby’s family and the rats of Nimh, O’Brien illustrates the value of love, friendship, and self-sacrifice. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy animal stories, the inventors/scientists/gadgets side of science fiction, and stories where strong but ordinary characters act heroically.
If you liked Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, you might like Mousenet, I, Freddy, Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, and Babe: the Gallant Pig.
WOLF BROTHER by Michelle Paver
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Torak can remember the exact moment that his life changed. He and Fa had been setting up camp, happy and laughing, when the bear exploded from the forest—the great demon bear that no hunter could destroy—and attacked Fa. Numb with shock and grief, Torak swears to Fa’s dying request. He will find the mountain of the World Spirit that no man has ever seen. He will trust the guide that the spirits send him, whoever or whatever it may be. And he will stay away from the clans, avoiding people at all costs, so that they do not hinder him. He will fulfill his quest or die trying.
The guide is certainly not what Torak expected. Almost as soon as Torak finds the orphaned wolf cub, he feels a connection between them. Though he does not know how, Torak can communicate with the wolf, understanding his wolf speech and speaking back with grunts, whines, and growls. Realizing that the wolf must be his guide, Torak follows the cub through the forest, hoping that the young wolf will lead him to the mountain of the World Spirit. But Torak forgets his father’s hunting advice—“Look behind you, Torak”—and before his quest is fully underway, he is captured by hunters from the Raven clan. Yet if he had not been captured, he never would have met Renn, learned about the prophecy, or discovered the secrets of his father’s past and the demon bear. Now, Torak is more determined than ever to find the mountain of the World Spirit—but first he must escape the clutches of the Ravens. . . .
I cannot recommend this audiobook highly enough! Sir Ian McKellen’s narration is phenomenal. The story itself is dark, suspenseful, and very exciting. It has all of the story elements you could ask for: action, mystery, complex and evolving characters, friendships and rivalries, puzzles to solve, and evil to defeat. I especially recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction and/or high fantasy and to dog lovers. Wolf Brother is the first in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series.
If you liked Wolf Brother, you might like The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner, Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, or Dreamwood by Heather Mackey.
EMMY AND THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING RAT by Lynne Jonell
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Emmy used to be happy, back when people noticed her, before her parents got rich and forgot she existed, traveling sometimes for months at a time and leaving Emmy with her terrible new nanny, Miss Barmy. Now the students in her class seem to look right through her; her teacher can’t even remember her name. In fact, the only creature who notices Emmy is her class pet rat–and for some reason, Emmy can hear him speak. One day, in a fit of rebelliousness, Emmy sets her rat free and decides to skip her gymnastics class and explore her town instead. That is how she happens upon Professor Vole’s rodent shop and sees Miss Barmy place a mysterious, secret order for rodents. What’s more, she finds a caged rat in the shop that is identical to the rat she set free. And the twin rat, along with all of the other rodents, are labeled with strange special powers. Sure that something sinister is happening, Emmy is determined to find out the secret of the rats and to stop Miss Barmy and Professor Vole from whatever evil they might be plotting. Unfortunately, Miss Barmy is on to her and it will take all of Emmy’s cleverness–and a lot of help from her friends Joe and the Rat–to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
This book is a fun, silly, and suspenseful story. It has plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep you turning pages, as long as you have a taste for the absurd and unbelievable. Personally, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to middle grade readers who like fantasy set in the real world.
If you liked Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat ,you might also like Mousenet and Whales on Stilts.
BABE: THE GALLANT PIG by Dick King Smith
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When Farmer Hogget wins a piglet at the fair, he isn’t quite sure what to do with it. Mrs. Hogget is excited for the prospect of a nice ham at Christmas. But the piglet, Babe, has other ideas. After watching his adopted mother, the sheepdog, do her work and befriending one of the sheep himself, Babe discovers that he has a talent as a sheep pig. When Farmer Hogget notices the same talent, he begins to get new ideas for the pig’s future.
This classic story is short and sweet, with a touch of humor. Readers who enjoy animal stories will love reading about Babe and his friends on the farm. Babe would also make a great family read aloud.
If you liked Babe, you might like I, Freddy, Mousenet, or The Incredible Journey.
(Also, the 1995 film adaptation of the same name is truly excellent–very close to the book with just a bit of added drama.)
MOUSENET by Prudence Breitrose
When an inventor created the world’s smallest computer–the Thumbtop–the Mouse Nation knew that they were about to enter a new age. Finally, a computer that was the perfect size for a mouse to operate! No more jumping back and forth across the letters on a keyboard! No more skulking around after the humans went to sleep! At last, the mice would take their rightful place in the technological age, along side their intellectual equals, the humans. That is, if they are able to win over the inventor’s niece, Megan, and establish the world’s first human-mouse alliance.
Mousenet was a light read. There was very little suspense or major obstacles for the characters to overcome, and most tasks that the characters undertook seemed to work out unbelievably smoothly. In addition, the environmental message was incorporated slightly clumsily and came off as heavy-handed. Still, the Mouse Nation the author created was a fun fantasy to imagine and the characters themselves were overall believable and likeable. I would recommend this to readers in grades 4-6 who enjoy animal stories.
If you liked Mousenet, you might also enjoy Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell, Freddy by Dietlof Reiche or Babe, the Gallant Pig by Dick King Smith.
THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY by Sheila Burnford
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When a Canadian family travels to Europe for six months, they must leave their three pets–an old bull terrier, a young Labrador retriever, and a Siamese cat–in the care of a friend who lives several hundred miles East of the family’s home. While the bull terrier and the Siamese cat settle into life with their new caretaker, the Labrador is restless. He knows that he is far from home and longs to be with his family again. So, when the opportunity presents itself, he leads his two companions to escape from their caretaker and journey across the Canadian wilderness toward home. But with bears, porcupines, and other hazards to face along the way, all three animals may not make it home alive.
The Incredible Journey is the book on which the film Homeward Bound was based. The book is less humorous than the movie, but it is filled with the same adventure and heartwarming moments. The imagery is dense and the reading level may be above the interest level. But the book would make a great family read aloud for families who have pets or love animals and have children in grades 2-5.
If you liked The Incredible Journey, you might like Babe, the Gallant Pig by Dick King Smith.
THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate DiCamillo
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Edward Tulane is a finely crafted china rabbit who belongs to a girl called Abilene. He is very proud of his craftsmanship and his fancy clothes and spends most of his time thinking about how wonderful he is. Although Abilene loves him, Edward doesn’t love anyone but himself. When Abilene’s grandmother tells a story about a witch who cast a horrible spell on a selfish man because he didn’t know how to love, Edward doesn’t think the story has anything to do with him. But when Abilene takes him along on an ocean voyage and he falls overboard, Edward realizes that the witch’s curse may have affected him as well. So begins Edward’s incredible journey through the ocean and on land as his adventures teach him how to love.
Winner of a Christopher Award for “affirming high values of the human spirit,” this simple novel reads like a fairy tale. Although on the reading level for 3rd-4th graders, it would make a great read-aloud for younger children in grades K-2 as well.
If you liked The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, you might also like The Velveteen Rabbit, which has a similar tone and message. If you are up for a longer read, you may enjoy The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
BAD KITTY FOR PRESIDENT by Nick Bruel
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When Old Kitty retires as president of the Neighborhood Cat Club, all of the kitties, from both the Left and the Right sides of the street are vying for his position. After the primaries (a rigorous round of baby-kissing), Kitty is nominated to represent the Right in a fierce contest with the Left’s candidate, Big Kitty. After both Kitty and Big Kitty fail to get an endorsement from Old Kitty, they begin their campaigns in earnest. But will a snazzy website and mudslinging TV ads be enough to win Kitty the election?
Bad Kitty for President is a great read for election year. One of the more educational of the Bad Kitty books, the story includes a fairly detailed description of the election process, including definitions of key election-related terms. And of course, the story is hilarious, narrated as though the author is speaking to the cat, advising and admonishing her as her devious mind comes up with new schemes. I am convinced that all cats are as devious as Bad Kitty. I highly recommend the Bad Kitty series to 3rd-4th grade readers who enjoy humor and/or animal stories.
Susan the Librarian 