Top Ten Tuesday: Animal Companions

May 27, 2025 By 23 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

My favorite sorts of stories about animal companions are the ones that focus on the relationships between humans and their dogs, cats, birds, elephants, horses, ferrets, spiders, and other animals. There’s nothing like reading about cross-species relationships and how they can thrive!

1. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

2. That Quail, Robert by Margaret A. Stanger

3. Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O’Brien

4. The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

5. King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry

6. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Dave Manak

7. We Wish You A Ferret Christmas by Nikki Lynn Barrett

8. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

9. My Life with Leopards by Fransje van Riel

10. The Gift From Little Raccoon: A Pandemic Tale by Carolyn Watson-Dubisch

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: , ,

If Not for the Cat – Haiku by Jack Prelutsky and paintings by Ted Rand

June 21, 2023 By Leave a Comment


If Not for the Cat – Haiku by Jack Prelutsky and paintings by Ted Rand
Publisher: Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins
Genre: Childrens (6+ yrs), Contemporary, Poetry, Animals
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Seventeen haiku composed by master poet Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by renowned artist Ted Rand ask you to think about seventeen favorite residents of the animal kingdom in a new way.

On these glorious and colorful pages you will meet a mouse, a skunk, a beaver, a hummingbird, ants, bald eagles, jellyfish, and many others. Who is who? The answer is right in front of you. But how can you tell? Think and wonder and look and puzzle it out!

A creature whispers:

If not for the cat,
And the scarcity of cheese,
I could be content.

Who is this creature?
What does it like to eat?
Can you solve the riddle?

How would life be if there wasn’t a cat?

This book doesn’t delve deeply on that subject, but what it does is show haiku about animals and makes the reader think. If not for the cat chasing him and the lack of cheese, the mouse would be happy. This book encourages discussion and has some beautiful paintings within.

I picked up this book thinking it might be a humorous book, but it was thought-provoking instead and I liked it. I liked how each haiku discusses the animal pictured and does it in a way that opens up discussion. What does the reader think?

The paintings are fantastic, and this book is good for younger readers or those being read to. It’s great for asking questions and wondering.

If you’re looking for something different, then this is the book for you.

Filed Under: Poetry, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Llama or Alpaca? by Jamie Rice

June 20, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Llama or Alpaca? (Bullfrog Books: Spot the Differences) by Jamie Rice
Publisher: Bullfrog Books
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary, Animals, Childrens (6+ yrs)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In Llama or Alpaca?, beginning readers will learn to spot the differences between these mammals. Carefully leveled text relays what the mammals look like and how they behave. Each page then asks readers to name which one is shown in the photo. Answers appear upside down on the bottom of each page, making reading for learning interactive and fun. A See and Compare spread shows and labels each insect side by side, while a Quick Facts feature lists even more information about their similarities and differences. Children can learn more about llamas and alpacas online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Llama or Alpaca? also features reading tips for teachers and parents, photo labels, a picture glossary, a table of contents, and an index. Llama or Alpaca? is part of Jump!’s Spot the Differences series.

Llama? Alpaca? With this book, you’ll know the difference.

I’ll admit it. I had no idea that there was a difference between llamas and alpacas. Why? Because I’d never read about them. I’ve done that now and I feel a lot stronger about telling them apart. This book not only explains the differences but shows them on the pages. It’s written in an easy manner that will be good for emerging readers or those being read to. There’s even a fun test at the back to reinforce what’s been learned.

If you’re even a little interested in llamas and alpacas, then this is the book to check out.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard

January 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart by Dion Leonard
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Animals
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Finding Gobi is the miraculous tale of Dion Leonard, a seasoned ultramarathon runner who crosses paths with a stray dog while competing in a 155-mile race through the Gobi Desert in China. The lovable pup, who would later earn the name Gobi, went step for step with Dion over the Tian Shan Mountains and across massive sand dunes, keeping pace with him for 77 miles.

As Dion witnessed the incredible determination and heart of this small animal, he found his own heart undergoing a change as well. Whereas in the past these races were all about winning and being the best, his goal now was to make sure he and Gobi’s friendship continued well after the finish line.

However, before he could take her home, Gobi went missing in the sprawling Chinese city where she was being kept. Dion, with the help of strangers and a viral outpouring of assistance on the internet, set out to track her down, and reunite with the dog that changed his life.

Read this inspiring story and discover how miracles truly are possible—and find your own heart changing as well.

This little dog is truly amazing.

Having just lost my dog, I wasn’t sure I’d want to read anything about dogs or animals, but I picked this one up a while back and decided to give it a try. Gobi is a real trip of a dog. She managed to run along for almost 70 miles while Dion, her eventual owner, ran an endurance race. There is a lot about racing and running, so if that’s something that interests you, this might be a draw. There is a lot about the relationship between Dion and Gobi, as well as Dion and his wife, who helped him really decide he’d take Gobi home. He meets Gobi in the Gobi Desert and can’t leave the little dog in China. There is a huge chunk dedicated to getting Gobi to the UK and how hard it is to move a pet between countries. I had no idea how hard it would be. This book also showed me the depths of human meanness, too. I hated that Dion and his wife had to deal with the nastiness from the internet because the dog they weren’t able to bring home and had decided to retrieve, had gone missing. I know, it seems crazy. Just read the book.

If you’re looking for a book about the bond between people and dogs, then this is the book for you. It’s a great read.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,