Animals in Literature

The selections in this Collection explore the common motif of animals in literature. From classic novels to contemporary poetry and nonfiction, these titles delve into the relationships between humans and animals, shedding light on the profound impact animals have on our lives and exploring humanity's relationship with the natural world.

Tracker

by Gary Paulsen

Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture, Death, Animals

Tags Action & Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Animals, Science & Nature

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Travels With Charley

by John Steinbeck

Publication year 1962

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Place, Fear, Hope, Nostalgia, Memory, Masculinity, Aging, Future, The Past, Self Discovery, Beauty, Justice, Language, Community

Tags Travel Literature, Action & Adventure, American Literature, Animals, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, Classic Fiction, Biography

Published in 1962, Travels With Charley: In Search of America is a narrative travelogue by John Steinbeck. The book follows a cross-country road trip the author took with his dog, a brown poodle named Charley. They travel in a camper-style pickup truck named Rosinante, which Steinbeck had custom built for the trip. Steinbeck embarked on the journey because he felt disconnected from the larger picture of American life after years of living in New York... Read Travels With Charley Summary

Turtle in Paradise

by Jennifer L. Holm

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Fear, Apathy, Memory, Regret, Childhood & Youth, Environment, Plants, Food, Community, Economics, Appearance & Reality, Social Class, Literature, Art, Music, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Friendship, Grandparents, Mothers

Tags Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Great Depression, Animals, Realistic Fiction, World History

Turtle in Paradise is a 2010 historical fiction children’s novel by Jennifer L. Holm. Set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression, the novel follows an 11-year-old girl’s struggles and successes as she visits her aunt and cousins in the town where her mother grew up. The novel won the Golden Kite Award and is a Newbery Honor Book as well as a Junior Library Guild selection. Other works by this author include The... Read Turtle in Paradise Summary

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

by Jules Verne

Publication year 1870

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Place, Revenge, Science & Technology, Environment, Power & Greed

Tags Science Fiction, Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure, French Literature, Animals, Technology, Science & Nature, Fantasy

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a science fiction adventure novel by French author Jules Verne. It was originally published in serialized form in 1869 under the title Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, and later as a book in 1870. In 1873, the first English-language translation was released. The book was highly acclaimed at the time of its publication and was one of several successful novels by Verne. Others include Journey to the... Read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Summary

Unlikely Animals

by Annie Hartnett

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Family, Community, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Memory, Mental Health, Death, The Past, Animals, Environment, Fathers, Siblings

Tags Magical Realism, Humor, Animals, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

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Varjak Paw

by S. F. Said

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Animals, Friendship, Self Discovery, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Animals

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War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Friendship, Fear, Loneliness, Death, Coming of Age

Tags Military & War, Historical Fiction, Animals, Social Class, Children`s Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

War Horse is a children’s historical fiction novel by Michael Morpurgo. The book was first published in Great Britain in 1982 by Kaye & Ward and was a runner-up for the Whitbread Book Award in the same year. The book is told from the point of view of a young horse named Joey and chronicles his journey and the relationships he builds with his various owners during World War I. The beloved novel is a... Read War Horse Summary

Watership Down

by Richard Adams

Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Community, Conflict, Perseverance

Tags Fantasy, Animals, Action & Adventure, Leadership, Children`s Literature, Classic Fiction

Published in 1972, Watership Down, by Richard Adams, is a fantasy-adventure novel for middle-grade readers and above that follows a group of rabbits as they search for a new home and defend it against enemies. Widely considered a children’s literature classic, the book is also beloved by adults for its engaging characters, action sequences, and lyrical descriptions of landscape. Its resemblance to great human sagas such as the Trojan War, the biblical Exodus, and the... Read Watership Down Summary

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

by Karen Joy Fowler

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Love, Animals, Memory

Tags Psychology, Incarceration, Animals, Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves is Karen Joy Fowler’s seventh novel. The book was first published in 2013. The following year, it won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Fowler said that the book takes inspiration from a real 1930s experiment. In an interview with Carmen Maria Machado published in The American Reader, Fowler states that she believes that using animals for research purposes is wrong, and... Read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Summary

Where the Red Fern Grows

by Wilson Rawls

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age

Tags Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Wilson Rawls was born in 1913 in the Ozark Mountains in the Oklahoma/Arkansas region of the United States, where Rawls time spent roaming the hills with his dogs. His level of formal education left him unsure of his formal writing ability, and he disposed of his manuscripts. However, his wife encouraged him to start again, leading to the publication of Where the Red Fern Grows in 1961 and The Summer of the Monkeys 15 years... Read Where the Red Fern Grows Summary

White Fang

by Jack London

Publication year 1906

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Animals, Nature Versus Nurture

Tags Animals, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature

White Fang (1906) is a short novel by American author Jack London. The novel explores themes of survival, nature versus nurture, and improving oneself through discipline and adaptability. White Fang’s protagonist is a wild-born wolfdog named White Fang whose struggle for survival and eventual domestication comprise the novel’s narrative arc. London’s novel challenges humanity’s claim to superiority over nature and celebrates animals’ resilience, simple logic, and instinct. White Fang has been adapted into over a... Read White Fang Summary

Why Fish Don't Exist

by Lulu Miller

Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Equality, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Conflict

Tags Science & Nature, Philosophy, Animals, Race & Racism, World History, Philosophy, Biography

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Wildoak

by C. C. Harrington

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Environment, Community

Tags Children`s Literature, Animals, Science & Nature, Realistic Fiction, World History, Historical Fiction

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