Animal stories are not only for children but also for grown-ups. Adolescents and adults need stories – even animal stories – that will enlighten their minds, strengthen their wills, reinforce their beliefs, and help them look at life from a different perspective.
Here is a list of animal stories that should appeal to grown-ups for the lessons they impart:
- William and Tibby Forever by Lynda Hamblen
Published poet and essayist Lynda Hamblen has lived a life blessed with cats that she decided to write her first novel about a cat’s view of life, heaven, and eternity. William and Tibby are two cats that live with their beloved Second Mom in a small gray house on a hill. Their idyllic life is shattered when William is killed. When William next opens his eyes, he finds himself in heaven Before the hour is out, he has moved in with Third Mom and all thirteen of Second Mom’s previous cats. Meanwhile, Tibby must contend with her grief for William. An uplifting book, William and Tibby Forever is a cat’s tale about life that never ends and love that never dies – the love of a mother for her children, the love of a man for a woman, and the love of that woman for her cats.
- Hector: At Ground Level a Very Simple Love Story by Gary Finnan
Gary Finnan shows potential as a contemporary fabulist with his book Hector: At Ground Level, A Very Simple Love Story. Published in 2013, the book tells the story of a hedgehog named Hector, who somewhat mirrors the contemporary man. His entry into middle age pushes him to examine his existence and reflect on his life and the decisions he had made. Adult readers will see themselves in Hector and identify with his life’s ups and downs and flaws and doubts. Hector’s story of his life “at ground level” will help readers come into terms with their past, as well as welcome the hope and opportunities of the future.
- Oscar the Osprey: The Bird Who Was Afraid of Heights by Edward Martin Polansky
Published in 2015, the book is written in the first-person narrative from the perspective of a young osprey that struggles to overcome its fear of heights so it could be able to fly. Oscar develops a fear of heights after falling out of his nest while trying to catch a butterfly. Oscar’s phobia interferes with his inability to fly and survive in the wild, and for this reason, he has to endure the insults coming from other ospreys. With winter approaching and dangerous animals lurking in the wild, Oscar must learn to overcome his handicap so he could survive through the wild and bitter cold.
- Little Mouse: The mouse who lived with Henry David Thoreau at Walden Pond by Bill Montague
First published in 1993, Little Mouse is described by the author as “a factual fairy tale about the little mouse who became friends with Henry David Thoreau at Walden Pond when he built his little house there.” The book isinspired by Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden (first published in 1854) and his “Journal”. In Walden, in the chapter titled “Brute Neighbors”, while building his house, Thoreau mentioned about a mouse that became friendly with him just after he had laid down the first layer of floorboards. Thoreau’s interesting statements in his “Journal” are woven into Little Mouse, which the author wrote to inspire readers to read Walden.
- The Black Dolphin of Atlantis by Peter Andras Deme
Written in the first-person narrative style, The Black Dolphin of Atlantis tells the surreal and magnificent encounter between Peter, who grieves over the loss of his dog Rosemary, and a black dolphin, which he eventually names after his late dog. One day, while feeding the seals, Peter meets Rosemary and soon become friends. He later realizes Rosemary is more than just an animal but “a fellow thinking being”. The black dolphin then takes Peter into the deep to meet the Old Man of Atlantis, the last living citizen of the lost continent. He does not want Atlantis to die with him and to keep it alive, at least one human being should know the secret of Atlantis, the last refuge for humans and where humans and dolphins could coexist harmoniously. For this reason, he sent Rosemary to bring Peter to him. Peter learns that his dog is still alive – and waiting for him outside the universe.
- The Ghetto Dog: A True Story by Fran Rathmann
The Ghetto Dog is an eye-opening, heart-wrenching animal survival story that reflects human conditions. The book is told in the first-person narrative from a part-hound ‘ghetto’ dog, who, after the disappearance of his mother, leaves his shelter in the ghetto in search of food, water, and perhaps, some love. As he roams the city streets, he encounters many adventures, good and bad, while avoiding the dogcatchers. Through the lens of a homeless stray dog, readers will get to explore the different issues that affect society, such as homelessness, poverty, crime, and socioeconomic inequality.
Happy reading!
The Damsel’s Files 