fun books

Responding to disgruntled dogs nationwide, Mr. Mutt, Canine Counselor, has solutions to the most sticky dilemmas. But Mr. Mutt has his own problem to solve: the cat (aka The Queen), who has her own idea of who’s in charge. Now Mr. Mutt is the one who needs help--quick! (2008)

DOG BOOKS - JUST FOR FUN! A Bibliography Compiled by Andrea Loughry
Here are a few fun dog books having nothing to do with puppy raising. Email us with your favorites, and perhaps we will add them to the list, too!	Books	email us about your favorite dog book	Home

Picture Books
	Bub, or the Very Best Thing by Natalie Babbitt The King and Queen don't know what's best for the Prince. Nobody else knows either, except the Prince himself, and the Court Jester (who happens to be a golden retriever)–even though they're the only ones who aren't asked about it. (1994)

	Chewy Louie by Howie Schneider Chewy Louie is a cute black puppy with a penchant for chewing--everything he sees! Will his family have to get rid of him, or will he grow up in time? A hilariously perfect book for anyone who has survived their own dog's chewy puppyhood. (2000).

	Dear Mrs. LaRue; Letters from Obedience School By Mark Teague When Ike LaRue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy, he tries everything to get sent home--weepy letters to his owner, even illness. In reality, Brotweiler is more like camp than prison, but still, Ike's not cut out for life w/o Mrs. LaRue & his creature comforts. Finally, he runs away only to find himself back in Snort City--just in time to save Mrs. LaRue's life. (2002)

	Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book by Sandra Boynton Count (and bark) from one to ten with a pack of Boynton's delightful dogs. Serious silliness for all ages! (1995)

	The First Dog by Jan Brett In this exciting tale of adventure in prehistoric times, Jan Brett creates a spectacular Ice Age landscape populated with the massive animals of the time and bordered with images inspired by cave paintings and Ice Age artifacts. She convincingly portrays the growth of the warm bond between man and animal that must, long, long ago, have resulted in the first domesticated dog. (1992)

	Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day Delight as Carl, the baby sitting Rottweiler. leads his infant mistress on a wordless romp through the house, causing chaos and destruction, but managing to restore order just before Mother returns home! Carl and the baby's other adventures include Carl's Christmas, Carl's Afternoon at the Park and many others. (1991)

	The Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog! by Cynthia Rylant Gracie has always been a good dog, but when some noisy painters arrive, she barks at them for raising a racket and is put outside. When Gracie decides to go for a walk, the painters, the neighbors, and the garbage man all run after her. She can't figure out why, so she keeps running, causing the whole town to join in the chase. (2001)

	Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion Harry, a shaggy white dog with black spots, hated baths so much that one day he buried the scrubbing brush in the backyard, ran away from home, and had a wonderful day. Also by the author: Harry by the See, Harry & the Lady Next Door, No Roses for Harry (1956)

	Help Me, Mr. Mutt! Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel Responding to disgruntled dogs nationwide, Mr. Mutt, Canine Counselor, has solutions to the most sticky dilemmas. But Mr. Mutt has his own problem to solve: the cat (aka The Queen), who has her own idea of who’s in charge. Now Mr. Mutt is the one who needs help--quick! (2008)

	Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh Problems arise when Martha, the family dog, learns to speak after eating alphabet soup. Other books starring Martha include Martha Blah, Blah, Blah, and Martha Calling. (1995)

	My Big Dog by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel Merle, a very special cat, has his purrrrr-fect home ruined by a golden retriever puppy that wants to be friends–and won't stop growing! (1999)

	The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant An old woman discovers an abandoned puppy that she is afraid to name--or to even love. This moving story features Gary Larson-esque "(The Far Side)" visuals that will appeal to adults as well as kids. (1996).

	Only One Woof by James Herriot Gyp, a cheerful but always silent sheep dog, startles everyone with uncharacteristic behavior during the championship sheep dog trials. (1993).

	Romeow and Drooliet by Nina Laden This charming version of Shakespeare's classic play gives new meaning to the timeless love story, as it proves once and for all that cats and dogs can be friends. (2005)

	Sally Goes to the Vet by Stephen Huneck Huneck's irrepressible canine star, Sally the Black Labrador, returns in an adventure that leads her, unfortunately, to the vet's office. But the intrepid Sally quickly learns that a visit to the vet doesn't have to be scary. Sally's other adventures include: Sally Goes to the Beach, Sally Goes to the Mountains, and Sally Goes to the Farm. (2004)

	Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog by Sara Swan Miller Accompanied by lively illustrations, these three stories are all about the things dogs understand best--burglars, bones, and running free. "Any kid who owns a dog will recognize his or her lovable pet in these three short stories". (1995)

	*Unlovable* by Dan Yaccarino Alfred the pug dog thinks he's unlovable, but soon learns he's lovable just the way he is. Yaccarino has created a charming story about a little pug who learns the true meaning of friendship. (2002)

	Widget by Lyn Rossiter McFarland A stray dog pretends he's a cat in order to get a home, but when Mrs. Diggs takes a fall and doesn't get up, it's up to Widget to save the day with a particularly canine solution. (2001)

Books for Young Readers, Tweens & Teens

	Biscuit By Alyssa Satin Capucilli First in a series of beginning reader books staring Biscuit, a cute, adventerous golden retriever puppy, and his young mistress. (1995).

	Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard From the moment Danny sees the beautiful Irish setter, he knows Red is the dog for him. Together Danny and Red face many dangers in the harsh Wintapi wilderness that they call home. First in a series which includes Irish Red and Outlaw Red. (1945)

	The Boy Who Spoke Dog by Clay Morgan Washed up on a mysterious island, Jack tries to communicate with the dogs that live there. (2003)

	The Good Dog by Avi McKinley, a malamute, is the top dog of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. But trouble brews when a she-wolf named Lupin urges the dogs to break free and join her dwindling pack. McKinley is drawn to her wildness, and he's torn between his loyalty to humans and a desire to be free. (2003)

	The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford A Siamese cat, an old bull terrier, and a young Labrador retriever travel together 250 miles through the Canadian wilderness to find their family. (1961)

	*Lad: A Dog* by Alfred Payson Terhune Before there was Lassie, there was Lad--a dog whose loyalty and courage set him apart. Terhune's classic has touched countless readers. Lad is based upon one of Terhune's many collies. (1919)

	*Lassie Come Home* by Rosemary Wells, illustrated by Susan Jeffers Lassie, having been sold to the wealthy Duke of Rudling because Joe's father is out of work, runs away and braves starvation and treacherous conditions to follow the pull of her heart toward the family who loves her. Together, Rosemary Wells and Susan Jeffers have created a new edition of Eric Knight's 1938 classic that speaks to minds and imaginations of a new generation of readers. (1998)

	Lewis and Clark and Me: A Dog's Tale by Laurie Myers In 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set off to explore the vast territory west of the Mississippi River, and are joined by Lewis's dog, Seaman. From his first meeting with Lewis, to being mistaken for a bear by Indians who have never seen such a large dog, Seaman's tales are filled with adventure and are based on the explorers' journals. (2002)

	Old Yeller by Fred Gipson The moving story of a boy and his dog during the frontier days in the Texas hill country. Also by the author: Savage Sam. (1957)

	Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight -- and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun -- and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his? (1991)

	Stone Fox by Rohn Reynolds Gardiner A boy is determined to enter a sled race to save his ailing grandfather's farm. But to do so, he must beat Stone Fox, an silent and imposing Native American. Can Willy and Searchlight win the race? (1992)

	*Where the Red Fern Grows: The Story of Two Dogs and a Boy* by Wilson Rawls This classic about a 10-year-old boy growing up in the Ozark mountains with his inseparable pair of coonhounds will warm the hearts of young and old alike. (1976).

For Adults
	Beautiful Joe by Marshall Saunders A dog named Beautiful Joe recounts his horrifying life with cruel masters before being taken in by a kindly family. A remarkable early outcry against animal cruelty starkly contrasted by the redeeming capacity of the canine heart for love. Based on a true story. (1893)

	Call of the Wild by Jack London Classic story of Buck and his many adventures in the Yukon at the time of the gold rush. (1903). Also by Jack London: White Fang

	The Dogs of Bedlam Farm : An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me by Jon Katz The Dogs of Bedlam Farm recounts a harrowing winter Katz spent on a remote, windswept hillside in upstate New York with a few life-saving friends, ugly ghosts from the past, and more livestock than any novice should attempt to manage. Heartwarming, and full of drama, insight, and hard-won wisdom, it is the story of his several dogs forced Katz to confront his sense of humanity, and how he learned the places a dog could lead him and the ways a doge could change him. Also by Jon Katz: A Dog Year. (2004)

	Dog by Michelle Herman Single, childless, J.T. Rosen long ago gave up on the possibility of love; she has begun by now to give up on the possibility of friendship. When the dog enters her life, he takes over, as puppies do. As the days and weeks pass, the relationship that unfolds between dog and woman provides a glimpse for her of the possibilities that life still offers, of goodness that she begins to understand can be counted on in some inexplicable way. Dog is about how a person constructs a life for herself, about the bits and pieces that make up a life as one goes along, and about the possibility of goodness, always, among those pieces the possibility of love, and grace. (2005)

	The Dog Chapel: Welcome All Creeds, All Breeds, No Dogmas Allowed by Stephen Huneck In joyful celebration of the bond between humans and their canine companions, "The Dog Chapel" gives readers an introduction to Huneck, his renowned woodcuts and sculpture, and his artistic achievement: the chapel he built for dogs in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The book includes a preface by Huneck, color photos of the chapel, and more than 30 woodcuts. (2002)

	Dog Is My Co-Pilot: Great Writers on the World's Oldest Friendship The editors of "The Bark" newsletter present this anthology of essays, short stories, and expert commentaries exploring every aspect of human life with dogs and reflecting on the themes of true friendship, transformation, and loss. Subjects run the gamut, from the loss of a beloved pet to Stephen Kuusisto's "Blind Date" about the pleasure of meeting his guide dog, Corky. Includes pieces by Rick Bass, Erica Jong, Alice Walker, and others. (2003)

	Flawed Dogs: The Year-End Leftovers at the Piddleton "Last Chance" Dog Pound by Heidy Strudelberg (Author), and Berkeley Breathed (Illustrator) From the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of "Bloom County" comes the annual catalog of the fictional "Last Chance" Dog Pound, riotously depicting imperfect dogs that are available for adoption. (2003)

	*James Herriot's Dog Stories* by James Herriot Many of the beloved Yorkshire vet's best-loved tales are of man's best friends. Here is the complete collection of his stories about dogs and puppies, hounds and mutts--50 in all--including stories not available anywhere else. (1993)

	Lost History of the Canine Race: Our 15,000-Year Love Affair With Dogs by Mary Elizabeth Thurston From the mysterious healing dogs of ancient Rome to the canine conquistadors who helped claim the New World to the American doggie paratroopers of WWII, dogs have been our best friends and helpers from the Pliocene to the present day. Anthropologist Mary Elizabeth Thurston draws on ancient artifacts, documents, and contemporary photographs to dramatize the evolution of the human-dog relationship throughout the ages. (1997)

	Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog By John Grogan In this funny and poignant memoir about a wildly neurotic Labrador retriever named Marley, an unsuspecting young couple come to understand what really matters. Marley had no brakes on his loyalty, exuberance, or passion. (2005)

	Nop's Hope by Donald McCaig The poignant sequel to Nop's Trials follows Penny Burkholder, grieving over the deaths of her husband and daughter in an automobile accident, as she and her border collie, Hope, make their way along the sheepdog trial circuit. Piercing insight into the dog-human bond. (1994)

	Nop's Trials by Donald McCaig Here is the story of a family and two remarkable individuals -- Lewis Burkholder, a farmer in Virginia, and his young Border Collie, Nop. When the dog is stolen, Nop embarks on an ordeal of peril and hardship that he survives only through courage and love. The same qualities in Lewis enable him to search relentlessly for his sheep dog -- a search that takes him far from home and touches forgotten corners of his life. (1984)

	*The Pawprints of History: Dogs and the Course of Human Events* by Stanley Coren Stanley Coren, a renowned expert on dog-human interactions, has combed the annals of history and found captivating stories of how dogs have lent a helping paw and influenced the actions, decisions, and fates of well-known figures from every era and throughout the world. rom war to art, across the spectrum of human endeavor and achievement, there often stands, not only at his side but leading the way, man's beloved "best friend." For those who believe that behind every great person is a good dog, the uplifting stories in The Pawprints of History will be a lasting delight. (2002)

	*Plague Dogs* by Richard Adams The author of Watership Down, Richard Adams creates a lyrical and engrossing tale, a remarkable journey into the hearts and minds of two canine heroes, Snitter and Rowf, fugitives from the horrors of an animal research center who escape into the isolation--and terror--of the wilderness. (1979?).

	*Quotable Dog Lover* by Patricia M. Sherwood This comprehensive collection of the wisest, funniest, and most heartwarming comments about our canine friends includes quotes from Groucho Marx, T.S. Eliot, Eugene O'Neill, and others. (2000)

	Quotable Dog: a Dog Lover's Treasury of Observations on Our Canine Companions Featuring the words of Tennessee Williams, Mark Twain, James Thurber, Winston Churchill, Roger Caras, and many other dog admirers, this delightful collection of wise and witty sayings about man's (and woman's) best friend brings together whimsical remarks and poignant memories, astute observations and heartwarming sentiments in celebration of our most loyal companion and loving friend. (1994)

	Sight Hound by Pam Houston A very special love story between a woman and her dog, a wolfhound who teaches "his human" that love is stronger than fear. (2005)

	Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck At age 58 John Steinbeck and his venerable standard poodle, Charley, set out on a journey across America in a camper. For three months these companions traveled the nation, meeting friends, strangers, relatives and immersing themselves in the fabric of the country as it was at that time. (1961)

	Unleashed: Poems by Writers' Dogs by Amy Hempel and Jim Shepard Poems from the dogs' point of view, written by the well-known writers and poets who love them. Irresistible. (1999)

	You Are A Dog by Terry Bain What's really going on behind those patient eyes and wagging tails, that loving lick or plaintive bark? You Are a Dog reveals all in a series of whimsical yet profound vignettes told in the voice of "everydog." Readers will discover their dogs and themselves in passages so funny and so true that they'll read them out loud to friends and family. Filled with good-hearted humor, sweetness, and even pathos, You Are a Dog is an irresistible treat. (2004)

DOG BOOKS - JUST FOR FUN!