Tag Archives: Animal-Human Relationships

YA – Pupposites Attract

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Natsuna, Hono. Pupposites Attract, Vol.1. Kodansha Comics, 2024. 979-8-888-77289-8. 160 p. $13.99. Grades 7-12.

Dog lovers unite! A cute romance following two pet owners and their unlikely pets as they have their meet cute and grow their relationship. Petite teacher, Chiharu, loves her intense looking but cuddly Rottweiler, Tsubu-chan and surprises many people on her daily walks. One of those people is shy but handsome Kiyotaka who dotes on his Pomeranian, Monjuro. As the dogs become fast friends and love their walks together, Chiharu and Kiyotaka bond over their love of dogs. As they continue to have random encounters, their relationship grows as they learn more about each other. 

THOUGHTS: A manga that is full of fluff, both the romantic and four legged kind. The story builds off of the opposites angle with a petite woman with a big scary looking dog and a big buff man with a cutesy little ball of fur. As the reader, we get to see into the lives of both main characters, Kiyotaka, the firefighter who lives with his little brother and absolutely pampers this tiny little dog that he rescued, and Chiharu, who has such a soft spot for the gentle giant that is Tsubu-chan. It has the slow burn build up of neighbors who bump into each other and blush and then begin to see each other more and more around their daily lives. Great for YA and even some middle grade shelves.

Romance

Elem. -This Wolf Was Different

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Slivensky, Katie. This Wolf Was Different. Beach Lane Books, 2024. 978-1-665-90095-9. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades 1-3.

Thousands of years ago, a wolf pup was born in the forest.  This small wolf did not share the lupine characteristics of her brothers and sisters. Instead, she was gentle and curious, preferring to follow a snail than engage in wolfish behaviors like wrestling, chasing voles, and traveling in packs. Still the little creature wanted to be more like her siblings. One day she was so engrossed in tracking an insect that she became separated from the pack. Despite howling and sniffing for them, the wolf was not able to find them and realized that she was now all alone. One day, she crosses paths with an interesting creature – a young girl. Tentatively, the pair learn to trust each other as they explore the forest. The wolf is content to be part of the child’s family, thinking how “lucky I am to be something new.” In this engaging picture book, the author presents a possible explanation of how a wolf-like creature became domesticated and eventually evolved into the modern dog. In the author’s note, Slivensky discusses the timeline of the dog’s evolution and how wolves and dogs are related in the evolutionary process. The illustrations by Sayler are outstanding and are done using charcoal and pencil and rendered digitally. The front cover depicts the upper part of the wolf’s face, whose green eyes contain an indistinct image of the girl and the wolf. The back cover features the back of the wolf’s head as she looks at her human friend. The drawings are soft and dreamy with some characters portrayed in shadows. Readers will enjoy poring over the pictures for small details.

THOUGHTS: This wonderful picture book will appeal to young readers, especially dog lovers, who will want to read it again and again. It works well as a read aloud and is highly recommended for elementary collections.

Picture Book

Elem. – The Girl Who Lost a Leopard

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Farook, Nizrana. The Girl Who Lost a Leopard. Peachtree, 2023. 978-1-682-63581-0. 196 p. $16.99. Grades 3-5.

Selvi is a twelve year old girl who lives on the island of Serendib with her widowed mother. Until recently, she was home-schooled and enjoyed her solitary life exploring the mountains that were full of wildlife. One day, the girl observes some hunters trying to capture a leopard. This was a special leopard with a beautiful coat that she often observed on her mountain journeys. Selvi managed to prevent Jansz from killing the big cat, but he threatened her if she told others about his poaching attempt, because hunting leopards was against the law. The leopard, which she called Lokka, was her mountain companion and hid his wild nature around her, allowing her to be near him as he rested in a tree. A boy at school called Amir finds out about the girl’s secret rendezvous with Lokka and teams up with her to save the leopard. In addition to the poachers, Selvi has to deal with her overbearing rich uncle who disapproves of the girl’s free spirited ways. Things come to a head when Lokka is captured, and Selvi realizes that enemies can be closer than imagined. With help from unexpected sources, the girl is determined to rescue her beloved animal friend, despite the danger. This story is set in Serendib, which is a fictional island inspired by the author’s home country of Sri Lanka. The text has an attractive cover and a map of the island is found in the front pages.

THOUGHTS: This adventure story, with its short chapters, is a real page turner. Readers who enjoy this one may want to check out the author’s other two books: The Girl Who Stole An Elephant and The Boy Who Met a Whale. Highly recommended for elementary collections and a great choice for those who love animal or adventure stories.

Adventure

Elem. – Singing with Elephants

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Engle, Margarita.  Singing with Elephants. Viking, 2022.  978-0-593-20669-0. 217 p. $16.99. Grades 4-6.

This Newbery Honor and Pura Belpre Award winning author’s latest offering is a historical novel in free verse set in 1947 California. A young girl called Oriol is finding life in Santa Barbara challenging. Her veterinarian parents, her abuelita, and her older sister came to the United States from Cuba. After the death of her beloved grandmother, Oriol has found it harder to cope with her classmates who call her a smelly “zoo beast” and mock her accent and appearance. One day she meets her neighbor Gabriela Mistral, the celebrated Latin poet (la poeta) and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Gabriela becomes a mentor to Oriol and encourages her to deal with her feelings by writing poetry.  The young girl learns about a pregnant elephant under her parents’ care at a movie star’s ranch. Her encounters with the elephant inspire her writing, and the family is thrilled when the elephant delivers twins, Song and Dance. When one of the baby elephants goes missing, suspicion falls on the actor, who believes he can teach the animal to do tricks and even talk. Oriol is determined to reunite Dance with her mother and brother and needs to enlist the help of the community to save her and other animals from abuse. In helping the animals, Oriol comes to realize her own strength. This uplifting lyrical text is peppered throughout with Spanish words. The author’s note discusses the life of Gabriela Mistral, who was also a peace activist and teacher. One of her poems is included.

THOUGHTS: A gem of a book, which will surely delight readers. Highly recommended for elementary collections.

Historical Fiction          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member
Novel in Verse

Elem. – Horse Power: How Horses Changed the World

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Thermes, Jennifer. Horse Power: How Horses Changed the World. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-1-419-74945-2. $18.99. Grades 2-5.

For thousands of years, horses have worked, played, and lived side-by-side with humans. Throughout time, the use of a horse has evolved and adapted with the increase in life and technology of the human race. Horses have been used for farming, transporting people and goods, and entertainment. As the world has changed and evolved, horses have moved throughout six different continents, ranging in a variety of species, showing the true power of a horse.

THOUGHTS: A picture-book set-up of the history of horses throughout time. This book, meant for elementary readers, provides illustrations, labels, and interesting facts that explain how horses have helped mankind.

636.1 Horses          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Negative Cat

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Blackall, Sophie. Negative Cat. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2021. 978-0-399-25719-3. 32 p. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

After 427 days of asking, a young boy’s family finally agrees to let him adopt a cat. Part of the deal is that he has to feed it, clean up after it, keep his room neat, write to his grandmother, and read for 20 minutes every day. The boy admits he isn’t such a great reader, but he agrees to the conditions before his parents change their minds. He picks out the perfect cat at the rescue shelter, renaming his new pet Max. He’s excited to show Max his new bed, toys, and treats, but Max seems unimpressed. He also doesn’t show any reaction to being tickled, listening to jokes, or seeing his scratching post. Instead, Max stares at the wall, puts his tail in the butter, and leaves hairballs on the rug. The boy’s sister labels Max a negative cat, and his parents call the shelter to have a conversation. It’s only when the boy begins his dreaded task of reading – sounding out words slowly while reading them aloud – that Max begins to show some affection and form a bond with his new owner. An Author’s Note at the end of the book credits the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania for inspiring the book’s ending. Blackall describes how she read an article about the Rescue League’s Book Buddies program which encourages children to practice their fluency by reading out loud to cats. 

THOUGHTS: Readers will enjoy Blackall’s spirited digital artwork, particularly the emotions displayed by Max the cat and the rest of the family members. Share this title with animal lovers and reluctant readers who may just need a little feline inspiration to jump-start their own reading. 

Picture Book          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – Best Day Ever!

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Singer, Marilyn. Best Day Ever! Illustrated by Leah Nixon. Clarion Books, 2021. 978-1-328-98783-9. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

Told from the point of view of a very energetic little puppy, Best Day Ever! follows two friends through a day that starts out great and ends up with some trouble. From stealing hot dogs (not the bun) to swimming in the lake, this pup has a day full of adventure. When he makes a mess of himself, though, the best day suddenly becomes the worst day. Can sweet this duo find their way back to the best day ever? Digital illustrations bring these characters to life. The pet’s human is a boy in a wheelchair who can do a lot of the same activities that able-bodied children do. Illustrated by a paralyzed artist, this title has disability representation as a subtle message for children.

THOUGHTS: Readers will love brainstorming about their own best days and talking about things pets do. Best Day Ever! lends itself well to a writing prompt about best days or a creative writing piece about the silly things pets might be thinking. Hand this one to any pet lover.

Picture Book          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – The Longest Letsgoboy

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Wilder, Derick. The Longest Letsgoboy. Chronicle Books. 978-1-452-17716-8. 32 p. $16.99. Grades K-3. 

This is the story of one old dog’s final walk with the child he refers to as his “foreverfriend.” The dog’s playful first-person narration allows readers to experience the world through his eyes and through his made-up language. On the last day of his life, he and a young girl take a long walk through an autumn woods. The dog smells familiar scents and sees the same animals and trees he’s seen many times before, but on this walk, he moves slowly and feels tired. With his one good ear, he listens carefully to bird calls, telling him they will keep an eye on his “foreverfriend.” Later that evening, as shadows stretch across the yard, the dog circles and settles one final time. Although this is one of the most emotional sections of the book, Catia Chien’s masterful abstract illustrations lighten the tone and communicate what is happening to the dog in an age-appropriate way. The beautiful pages show the dog passing peacefully into a sky filled with bright colors, and it’s clear he feels no pain. Throughout the book, the colors in the mixed media illustrations morph to deftly match the emotions being expressed throughout the seasons of the year and the seasons of life. 

THOUGHTS: While this is clearly a story about loss, it’s also a story about love. The special bond between the girl and her dog is beautifully portrayed, and both the text and the illustrations will strike a chord with any reader who has experienced the loss of a pet. Share this title with guidance counselors to begin conversations with students who may be grieving their own loss. 

Picture Book     Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

MG – Alone

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Freeman, Megan E. Alone. Aladdin, 2021. 978-1-534-46756-9. 404 p. $17.99. Grades 5-8.

Maddie, a twelve year old girl, plans the perfect sleepover night at her Grandmas. Unfortunately, her friends cancel, and Maddie spends the night alone – only to wake up to everyone gone. Maddie learns that an “imminent threat” has forced mass evacuations and her divorced parents never knew that Maddie was alone. Maddie must now fend for herself and hope that help comes soon. Maddie visits the empty homes and starts to gather items necessary to survive for the next few weeks. But weeks turn into months, and months into years and Maddie’s only company is a rottweiler named George. On her own Maddie faces looters, tornadoes, a devastating fire, and a flash flood while navigating springtime at her mom’s house and winters at her father’s home. Maddie uses her local library to gain knowledge, and find hope that rescue will soon arrive.

THOUGHTS: A wonderful survival story with a strong female character that will leave you rooting for her. The story is well written, and fans of Life as We Knew It and Hatchet will enjoy this adventure. The author provides a variety of challenges for Maddie to face, while showing how to be brave and creative in overcoming obstacles.

Adventure          Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh Middle School

Elem. – This Old Dog

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Brockenbrough, Martha. This Old Dog. Levine Querido, 2020. $17.99. Unpaged. Grades K-2. 

Old dog is happy to see another day though his old knees hurt and his old back aches. “The speed of life since the girl was born is fast fast fast, and old dog likes to take things slow.” While the story explains that he wants plenty of time to find a just-right rock or smell each blade of grass, the illustrations show that old dog just doesn’t get that time anymore because “…the rest of the world has lots to do.” Old dog wishes for a friend who wants to take their time on walks and savor the delights of nature. Much to his delight, his family’s daughter starts to walk and toddles directly to him! Suddenly, old dog and his girl are inseparable and enjoy plenty of time together smelling the grass, finding those just-right rocks, and walking together through the world.

THOUGHTS: As a parent with two old dogs and two small kids, this book really tugged at my heartstrings. A sweet story for any dog lover.

Picture Book          Lindsey Long, Lower Dauphin SD