My nine-year-old has loved animals since she was really little. And now that love is showing itself in her obsession with anthropomorphic animal adventure stories. Richly imagined worlds, battles between good and evil, cute cuddly creatures… what types of stories can beat these? Just remember when you first read the Narnia series; didn’t you just want to live with Aslan and that adorable fawn?
To feed my daughter’s reading habit (and help you with your own animal-obsessed readers), I gathered some of the best chapter books with anthropomorphic animals (animals acting like humans). We have Animal Fantasies, Adventure Stories and Funny Animal Stories.
There’s even a free printable list of all these books that you can take to the library and check off when your child has read them (at the bottom of this post).
(Remember, these book links are Amazon affiliate links.)
ANIMAL FANTASIES
Green Ember (series), S.D. Smith – The two young and courageous rabbits in this series battle between good and evil and the future of their kingdom is at stake. It’s an action-packed and suspenseful series that is great for 2nd to 3rd grader independent reading or for a family read-aloud for the younger crowd.
Redwall (series), Brian Jacques – Fast paced with well-crafted dialogue, this book series will take you inside a richly imagined world of anthropomorphic animals battling amongst an abbey and nearby forests. This witty series has even been compared to Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings.
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread, Kate DiCamillo – This book comes from the author of many of our favorite books in this house: Because of Winn-Dixie, Mercy Watson and even Bink & Gollie. So, it’s no surprise we’d also love this upbeat and suspenseful book of a mouse who falls in love with a princess. Unfortunately, he ends up in a dungeon. Short chapters, witty writing and a fairy-tale feel make this a guaranteed pick.
The Last (The Endling series), Katherine Applegate – This is a newer series but it’s sure to capture the interest of 4th-7thgraders. It’s set in an entirely newly-imagined world called Nedarra and follows a creature that’s worried that she’s the last of her species; that she’s an Endling. An unusual group of creatures rescue each other and end up on a desperate quest to stay alive.
Poppy (Poppy and Friends series), Avi – This chapter book starts off quickly with a terrifying owl and nimble little mice. It’s a suspenseful read that deeply develops it’s characters and gives our namesake mouse a chance to undertake a character-defining journey to clear her name. This is a great selection for read-alouds as well as independent reading.
Time Stops for No Mouse (Hermux Tantamoq Adventures), Michael Hoeye – Step into the underground world of Hermux Tantamoq, an older mouse watchmaker. He’s drawn into a mystery when an “adventuress” doesn’t return for her watch. The further he finds himself in his search for Ms. Linka Perflinger, the more concerned he becomes for the fate of everyone, including himself. This would make for a great read-aloud with the short chapters.
A Mouse Called Wolf, Dick King-Smith – Yes, this mouse does have an unusual name. Though this runt of the litter is teased so horribly, he proves to have a mighty talent for singing. This is a simple story with a positive message and a feel-good tone. If you love this book, you may also love the author’s other fantastic book, The Water Horse.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Robert O’Brien – This classic, award winning chapter book is about Mrs. Frisby and her four small mouse children. She encounters an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, the rats of NIMH, when she’s in a desperate situation. This book has the power of making children love reading. It’s definitely a must-read.
ADVENTURE STORIES
Ricky Ricotta’s Might Robot (Ricky Ricotta series), Dav Pilkey – This humorous and plot driven series is a fun way for children to get used to reading chapter books. They’ll enjoy characters like the Evil Dr. Stinky McNasty and plots involving the local school as well as outer space creatures. The short chapters are also helpful to keep the young reader’s interest.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Ralph the Mouse series), Beverly Cleary – Readers of a certain generation *cough* mine *cough* will remember this book from our own childhood. It still holds up. A mouse finds a young boy’s toy motorcycle and decides to befriend the boy and ride the motorcycle. The two youngsters (of human and mouse kind) find friendship and help in this timeless book.
FUNNY ANIMAL STORIES
Gooseberry Park (Gooseberry Park series), Cynthia Rylant – This author has entertained readers for years with the Mr. Putter series of early reader books, the Henry and Mudge series, The Beautiful Stories of Life, Snow and many other wonderful books. Gooseberry Park is a sweet tale of friendship and camaraderie among animals. An ice storm threatens some baby squirrels and it’s up to an odd assortment of animals to rescue them.
Geronimo Stilton Series, Geronimo Stilton (pseudonym) – A mouse detective solves mysteries in his silly cheese-filled world with many other mouse friends. Very funny, colorful and inventive text and short chapters will keep young readers interested in the dozens of books in this (and its related) series. This series are a lighthearted and wholesome way for children to practice their new skill of independent reading.
Take this list with you
Do you use the library as often as we do? Well, you’ll love this printable version of the booklist. It even has reading level and a place for your child to record their opinion of the book after reading it.
You may also enjoy:
Before you go, please pin this!
