Books About Animal Friendships

The Best Animal Friendships Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for our other guide?

Explore our editor-reviewed guide to Friendship, featuring 10 favorites and recommendations by age.

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Looking for excellent children's books about animal friendships? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Animal Friendships

Hope for Winter
Sale price
$674
Picture Book · Ages 4–10 · 2014

Hope for Winter

By David Yates, Craig Hatkoff, Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff

An injured, orphaned baby dolphin struggles to survive. Can a team of rescuers save her?

40 pages· 1,547 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud
4.3 Goodreads · 158 ratings
$6.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Five years after Winter, the tailless dolphin, was rescued, another injured and orphaned baby dolphin was found just miles away. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium team fought to nurse her back to health, and the little dolphin grew strong. Named Hope, she now lives alongside Winter. Photographs tell the true story of her rescue and the friendship between the two dolphins.
Little Pink Pup
Sale price
$1597
Picture Book · Ages 3–5 · 2010

Little Pink Pup

By Johanna Kerby

A runt piglet finds an unexpected family with a dachshund mom.

32 pages· 457 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud
4.2 Goodreads · 674 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: When the Kerby family rescues a tiny piglet named Pink, they never expect him to find a new mother in Tink, a nurturing dachshund. As Pink grows alongside his puppy siblings, he discovers a heartwarming bond that defies appearances. Will this unlikely family thrive against the odds? Discover the touching tale of Pink and Tink, where love knows no bounds and family comes in all shapes and sizes.
The Hork-Bajir Chronicles
Sale price
$574
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 1998

The Hork-Bajir Chronicles

By K.A. Applegate · Animorphs: The Andalite Chronicles series

A peaceful race faces invasion by parasitic foes.

206 pages· 39,188 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 4,455 ratings
$5.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: On a distant world, Aldrea, an Andalite, and Dak, a Hork-Bajir, confront a dire threat as the parasitic Yeerks seek to enslave Dak's gentle people. Can they resist the invasion and protect their world from Visser Three's ruthless grasp?
Friends
Sale price
$1597
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 2011

Friends

By Catherine Thimmesh

Discover the truth behind unlikely animal friendships that defy expectations.

32 pages· 1,226 words· Est. 10 min read-aloud
4.2 Goodreads · 323 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Explore the enchanting world of unlikely animal friendships, where a camel bonds with a pig and a polar bear befriends a sled dog. These true stories, captured from Siberia to Japan, challenge our views on compatibility and highlight the beauty of tolerance and kindness in both animals and humans. What secrets do these unique bonds hold?
The Secret Zoo
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2007

The Secret Zoo

By Bryan Chick · Book #1 in the The Secret Zoo series

Monkeys escape the zoo. A girl vanishes. Friends uncover hidden secrets.

295 pages· 50,968 words· Est. 5.5 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 8,131 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Noah and his friends face a mystery when his sister Megan vanishes after noticing strange animal behavior at the Clarksville City Zoo. As they sneak in to find her, they uncover secrets beyond their wildest imaginations. What mysteries lie within the zoo's walls, and can they solve them before it's too late?
Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door
Sale price
$958
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 2011

Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door

By Adam Rubin, Daniel Salmieri (Illustrator) · Book #2 in the Those Darn Squirrels! series

A grumpy man's yard is disrupted by a mischievous cat. Can the squirrels save the day?

32 pages· 964 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud
4.0 Goodreads · 1,285 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Old Man Fookwire's peaceful yard is turned upside down when Little Old Lady Hu and her troublesome cat, Muffins, move in next door. Muffins terrorizes the birds and causes chaos, leaving Fookwire and the squirrels in distress. But these clever squirrels have a plan to outsmart the feline menace. Will their scheme succeed, or will Muffins continue his reign of terror? Dive into this hilarious tale of unlikely heroes and unexpected alliances, where the stakes are high and the antics are endless.
Howliday Inn
Sale price
$759
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1982

Howliday Inn

By James Howe, Lynn Munsinger (Illustrator) · Book #2 in the Bunnicula series

Strange howls and vanishing animals haunt a pet hotel. Can Harold and Chester solve the mystery?

195 pages· 29,362 words· Est. 4 hour read
4.0 Goodreads · 15,019 ratings
$7.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Harold the dog and Chester the cat are left at Chateau Bow-Wow while their family vacations. The eerie howls at night suggest werewolves, but soon animals start disappearing. As whispers of murder spread, Harold and Chester must unravel the mystery before it's too late. Will they uncover the truth behind the chilling sounds and missing pets, or will they become the next victims at this unsettling inn?
Spike in the Kennel
Sale price
$1248
Picture Book · Ages 2–6 · 2001

Spike in the Kennel

By Paulette Bogan

A dog's first kennel stay turns from scary to fun with new friends.

32 pages· 228 words· Est. 2 min read-aloud
3.3 Goodreads · 34 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Hardcover
Summary: Spike faces his first kennel stay with fear and confusion. Surrounded by strange dogs and unfamiliar routines, he feels homesick. But when the other dogs invite him for a secret nighttime adventure, Spike discovers that making friends can turn a daunting experience into an exciting one. Will he embrace this new world and find joy in unexpected places? Join Spike as he learns that change can be the start of something wonderful.
Blackberry Juice
Sale price
$674
Chapter Book · Ages 6–10 · 2016

Blackberry Juice

By Sara Cassidy, Helen Flook (Illustrator) · Orca Echoes series

Cyrus finds an unexpected ally when stranded by the tide in a strange new home.

80 pages· 5,994 words· Est. 1 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 25 ratings
$6.95Save 3%
Paperback
Summary: Nine-year-old Cyrus struggles to adapt to his new life in a quirky farmhouse, where nothing feels right. From blindingly yellow egg yolks to a donkey that can't bray, everything is off-kilter. But when the tide leaves him stranded, Cyrus discovers an unexpected friend who might just change everything. Can this unlikely bond help him find his place in this unfamiliar world?
Lone Wolf
Sale price
$1697
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2010

Lone Wolf

By Kathryn Lasky · Book #1 in the Wolves of the Beyond series

Abandoned on a frozen hill for being born different, a wolf pup refuses to die.

240 pages· 42,144 words· Est. 6 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 12,194 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Born with a twisted paw, the wolf pup Faolan is left on a desolate hill to die, as the harsh code of his pack demands. But Faolan survives alone in the wilderness, and his struggle to live and find where he belongs could change the Wolves of the Beyond forever. A spinoff from the Guardians of Ga'hoole.
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