Children campaign for a pet the way attorneys campaign for a verdict: with evidence, with character witnesses, with a written schedule of exactly who will do the walking. Then the animal actually arrives, and it turns out to be a very small roommate who sheds on the couch, escapes its cage at two in the morning, eats a library book, and somehow becomes the first family member a child talks to after a bad day at school. The best pet books know that the animal is only half the story—the other half is the person learning to be responsible for something that never once reads the schedule.
Drawing on Bookroo’s collection of 4,352 pet books, our editors chose stories for every stage of that relationship: the negotiation, the clumsy first week of feeding and cleaning, the classroom hamster who goes home with a different family each weekend, the pet who is quietly somebody’s whole heart, and the goodbye that eventually comes. Start with our shortlist of 13 favorites—two of them written specifically for a child grieving an animal—then browse the shelves below by age and reading stage.
Lift the flaps to find the perfect pet from the zoo's animal surprises.
A pigeon desperately wants a puppy. Is he ready for the responsibility?
A boy and his mother argue by handwritten note over whether a baby iguana can move in.
A boy's overfed fish grows to an enormous size, causing chaos.
An old couple must choose one cat from millions. How will they decide?
A boy secretly adopts a penguin, leading to unexpected surprises.
A man who has grown lonely goes looking for a kitten and comes home with an old cat instead.
A big cat teaches a new kitten how everything is done, until the day the big cat doesn’t come back.
Asked to name ten good things about his cat at the funeral, a boy can only think of nine.
A classroom hamster spends each weekend with a different family and quietly starts repairing their lives.
The family dog and cat become convinced that the rescued rabbit is draining the vegetables at night.
A girl finally gets to pick out a puppy, then learns she is allergic to nearly every animal with fur.
Two dogs and a Siamese cat leave the house where they were boarded and head hundreds of miles home.
Lift-the-flap first pets, gentle hands, hiding puppies, and animals a toddler can name before breakfast — ages 0–3.
A person teaches their dog 100 words and various tasks, impressing their friends and community.
Discover colors with playful dogs in an interactive adventure.
A puppy and his dad share joyful adventures and heartwarming moments.
A puppy's birthday party promises surprises and fun with friends.
Help Doug find his missing dog through interactive clues and a surprise ending.
Can George resist temptation when left alone at home?
Restless sheep can't sleep until a collie helps.
It's picture day, and your llama's hair is a wild mess. Can you tame it in time?
Can you stop an elephant from sneezing and spreading the sniffles?
A pet giraffe leads to unexpected adventures.
A beloved cat's favorite toy vanishes. Can she find it before it's too late?
A puppy's first Christmas brings unexpected friendship and holiday spirit.
Campaigns for a puppy, overfed goldfish, escaped hamsters, ridiculous pet shows, and the gentle books that help with a goodbye — ages 3–8.
A boy secretly takes his classroom hamster on a field trip to the science museum, leading to unexpected adventures and discoveries.
A dog learns to dig and unearths unexpected chaos in town.
A sled dog races through Alaska to deliver life-saving medicine.
A biography of George Washington's life, highlighting his love for animals and his role in the American Revolution.
A cat suspects the new pet rabbit is a vampire. Can he protect the family?
A lonely boy finds friendship with a giant dog.
A small dog challenges perceptions to prove size doesn't matter.
A young dog's day in the snow takes an unexpected turn when his friend gets lost.
A young girl navigates the challenges of learning a new language and growing up in Colombia
A man and his cat participate in a library's story time event with his neighbor and her dog.
A group of students learn about push and pull forces in their science class.
A puppy finds a new home with a young boy and learns to take care of him.
Classroom pets, shelter dogs, long journeys home, and honest novels about loving an animal — independent readers ages 6–12.
A boy's dream of owning two dogs leads to triumph and tragedy in the Ozarks.
A tiny mouse embarks on a daring quest to find his missing friend.
A cricket's hidden talent may change the heart of New York City.
A boy risks everything to protect a runaway dog from its abusive owner.
A pig befriends a spider who devises a plan to save his life from slaughter.
A young girl investigates the disappearance of a neighbor's dog in her new neighborhood
A family's life is turned upside down when their bed falls into a hole in the floor
A young girl navigates a new town and a new life with the help of a stray dog she adopts.
Siblings must solve a scroll's mystery or risk being trapped in biblical history forever.
A math genius must tackle her toughest challenge yet: middle school.
A pug named Baron von Bubbles helps his owner Bella with an invention challenge at school
Two solitary souls find unexpected family by the sea's embrace.
