Animal-themed books
One thing we wanted to do is offer our recommendations on things to do, buy, read, see, and wear from our AnnieWear experts. Note, these are not things that are exclusively available at the AnnieWear store, but rather things that may be interesting to our readers and customers. So keep checking in to see our recommendations for your family and your pets.
I went looking for some children’s books and started searching through Barnes and Noble. As I looked, I began to fondly remember the books I LOVED when I was a child. Oddly enough, they were all animal-themed (foreshadowing, as it were…), and they all provided me great lessons for growing up.
We at AnnieWear are happy to share our recommendations as to the top animal-themed books for children and why we think they are worth reading. Please go to Barnes and Nobel.com or Amazon.com to purchase the following.
Harry the Dirty Dog, by Gene Zion, was originally published in 1956. It chronicles the adventures of a runaway dog who hates baths but loves to get dirty. One day he gets so dirty his family doesn’t recognize him, at least until he is happily scrubbed clean. I was captivated by Harry as a child and totally identified with his perspective on life. What child likes baths? I know I did not, I liked climbing trees and fences and, yes, getting dirty. But the lesson that no matter how much you “mess up,” your parents still love you and your home is where the heart is. Due to its overwhelming success, Harry evolved into a book series. They are ideal for ages 3-8.
The Story of Ferdinand, first published in 1936, is one of our very favorite children’s books. It might have something to do with the fact that I am a Taurus. My mother craftily used that connection while reading this story to me and I just fell in love with Ferdinand.
The story is set in Spain where all the bulls like to run and charge each other, hoping to be selected for the bullfight. Ferdinand, however, would rather sit under a tree and smell the flowers. One day the matadors come looking for the strongest bull and, as luck would have it, Ferdinand is stung by a bee at that very instant and goes crazy…running around and snorting. Of course, they select him for the bullfight as he is clearly the strongest bull.
The day he is put into the ring, he is not interested in fighting and even stops to smell the flowers in the Senora’s hair around the ring. Following his command performance, Ferdinand is sent back to the pasture to live a peaceful life. The lesson here is simple, follow your own path.
The author, Munro Leaf, decided to write this children’s book for his friend, the illustrator Robert Lawson. He chose a bull because he felt that dogs, cats, rabbits, and mice had been already over done. The book did cause some controversy but it’s such a lovely story that Gandhi proclaimed it to be his favorite book.
The Mitten, by Jan Brett This is a story of Nicki, a young boy from the Ukraine who wants his grandmother (Baba) to knit him white mittens. She is hesitant, as she knows the mittens will be difficult to find if dropped in the snow. Which is exactly what he does. This is where the fun begins….
A mole immediately crawls inside the lost mitten, followed by a rabbit, a hedgehog, an owl, a badger and a fox. A black bear comes sniffing around and decides he wants in the wool cave as well and crawls in. Suddenly a little mouse squeezes inside but her whiskers tickle the bear’s nose and he lets out a loud sneeze. All of the animals then fly out and the mitten soars in the air, quickly spotted by Nicki. He retrieves his lost mitten and goes home to his Baba.
The Mitten is a beautiful story of sharing but what you and your child will really enjoy is Jan Brett’s unique style of illustration. She has a particular affinity for drawing animals. As she states, “the best part of telling a story is drawing the pictures.” You certainly see her point when you pick up The Mitten.
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