I’ve always been a dog lover and grew up having a wagging tailed friend following me around. There’s something about teaching a child to care for something besides themselves, that I think brings out the compassion in them.
Well, this was the theory I went with while raising my own kids.
I’ve noticed that Hallmark movies almost always have some kind of furry character. Dogs, of course, but I’ve seen llamas, donkeys, horses, and even goats. Did I miss any? (I’m talking to you Hallmark lovers out there.) Ha!
I’ve added my own cast of four-legged friends in my books, too.
<—(Yes, I’m taking this opportunity to show off my little buddy, Banjo. Isn’t he a handsome fellow?)
Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast has ol’ Wally who loves chasing his ball and is always willing to cuddle up when needed.
The Lavender Vale Farm three book series has several animals. There’s the ornery goose that snaps at everyone. That character was inspired by a similar goose at one of the walking parks I frequent. I make sure to avoid that beaked beast! I added the goats because I love watching baby goat videos. Chase’s dog Ginger was actually inspired by my own little cocker-mix by the same name.
My Ginger was tough and didn’t like any critters invading her yard. Whenever we went out somewhere, she’d greet us at the big bay window by the backdoor when we came home with a happy wave of her paw. True story. 
After Ginger crossed the rainbow bridge, I just had to put her in a story. She was one of our special sweeties. (picture is of my son when he was much, much younger and his girl, Ginger.)
In my lastest Grimwood Legacy series, there’s a reef shark named Murphy… and a mermaid, but I’ll have to talk more about that next time.
Do you enjoy reading books with animals?
Do you have any favorite literary animal heroes?
Leave a comment below with your thoughts and I’ll pick a winner for a $5 Amazon gift card. Maybe you can go buy your favorite book that has animals in it. =)
Jackie Castle is the author of The White Road Chronicles a fantasy series, The Sentinel Archives for school-age readers, and newly released Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast romance series. She has also published articles and short stories in numerous magazines. She’s enjoyed many crazy adventures from working as a hairstylist, to her bravest quest: teaching children in daycare and elementary schools. Eventually, she settled down to a somewhat safer pursuit of being a Story-weaver. Now she lives in her comfortable Texas home where she spins marvelous tales and enjoys relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild. She looks for the extraordinary in every ordinary day that she experiences.
BLACK BEAUTY comes to mind. I re-read it not long ago. It still made me cry even reading as a grown up.
Animals in stories tend to highlight character traits beautifully. Who could resist a hero who rescues a puppy for example?
You left out cats! I am scared of dogs but growing up one of my favourite tv shows was The Littlest Hobo who was a German Shepard I think. I think Jack London wrote about him but not sure. I do know he wrote White Fang which I also loved.
Cheryl Wyatt had Psych the cat in her Eagle point books. While cats can be brats (well one of mine is) they can be very loving. having now either looked after a couple of cats and then getting my own in the last year I know they have had a positive impact on my life. (although there are times I would like to give them away when they are playing up or waking me up) but they give love and cuddles. They also have me well trained.
I enjoy reading books with animals! One memorable book is Karen Witemeyer’s More Than Meets the Eye which had a pet pig. :)
Definitely cats! They are such hilarious trouble makers and make for good additions to a story.
Lassie! I had a collie named Laddie growing up and he was a wonderful dog.
Well I love dogs and cats I have a cat that is a little psych at time but he cuddles with me the other cat will anyone pet her but she doesn’t like to be picked up or to cuddle. My daughter has love dogs since she was a toddler especially beagles.
Hi Jackie! Always enjoying reading stories that include animals, especially unusual ones. Maybe because besides having cats and dogs, we also had an escape artist Hermie, the hermit crab, and a paper nibbling canary winged bee bee parrot named Laura. Shelties will always be our favorite dog breed. After loosing all our aging fur babies in our family this year, our oldest son just welcomed Ivy a nine week blue merle Sheltie into his family. Some unusual animals in books have been a stray homing pigeon, a tortoise, a rooster, a pig, goats, and Mathilde the moose. Each animal, as well as the characters, in the story had a unique personality and added conflict or chaos to the plot. Thanks for sharing. Happy writing.
I love books about animals & with animals in them. Have 3 aging cats now. Loved Farley’s horse books, Terhune’s collie books & Col. S.P. Week’s books (never see these anymore).
I love Barnabas from the the Mitford books.
As a dog lover I do enjoy stories with dogs in them. I also like them with horses. It is fun when an uncommon pet like a squirrel or chicken are in a story.
I love stories with pets! Alexa has had a few I enjoyed, and Autumn has a piggy that is adorable, Marion has featured a dog I remember and the Chapel Cove series even has an adorable parrot……..then of course there is Pansy the goat from Valerie that will always have a special place in my heart!
I totally agree.
I like books with animals in them! From Charlotte’s Web to the Tales of the Grace Chapel Inn, to Chapel Cove!! In Irene Hannon’s Hope Harbor series, she has some, too! I love cats, but at this season, can’t have one. Mom and I always said when she got to where she couldn’t travel, we’d have a cat. Now that that time has come, she couldn’t see it if we had one, so we can’t have one. I’d be afraid it’d trip her, or she step on it. We had cats when I was growing up. My Daddy didn’t like them, until the last one we owned. Smokey won him over!
Ha, you’re right. I didn’t mean to leave out cats. I’m a dog person, but I’ve come across some really great cats in the past.
And they do bring something valuable to our lives, don’t they?
I bet that was fun to write!
I’m going to have to write a book with a cat in it. I can see it now…. =)
Loved Lassy while growing up.
How sweet. You never know with a cat, do you? Will they let you pet them? Or not? I’m always a little wary at first. lol
Thank you, Renate.
I recall a book that had a moose in it, but couldn’t remember which one. There have been some funny stories with odd pets.
I’ll have to check them out. =)
Dare I ask what or who Barnabas is? What a great name. lol
I follow a lady on facebook that rehabilitates raccoons. I can tell you there have been a few story ideas pop into my head watching their antics and her interacting with them.
I just think adding a pet to a story makes it fun. I like fun stories.
Yeah, my husband isn’t a cat lover or I would have given a cat a try in the past.
I love Charlotte’s Web. It’s one of my all-time favorite books.
Sounds like my two cats. They are nine-year-old litter mates with opposite purrrrrsonalities!
I love stories with animals and I love writing them!! Anyone who knows me knows I live surrounded by animals and I wouldn’t want to live any other way. I have:
Sheep (and lambs right now)
Miniature Nubian dairy goats (just now having babies as of yesterday)
Horses
A goose
Chickens
Cats
Dogs
A tortoise
Beta fish
And sugar gliders.
That’s after paring down quite a bit!
I am an avid reader and DO love stories with animals! Right now I am reading a LI by Roxanne Rustand. The guy has a dog, and the girl has rescue animals……makes for a great read. We’ve had dogs most of our married life, but at present…NONE due to our age/health.
Thanks for your giveaway.
I thought of Charlotte’s Web. I loved that book. Most of the characters are animals. We’ve had our share of cats, dogs, hamsters, fish, and birds, but I’m really a cat person. We don’t have any pets now, but when I’m too old to travel, I think I’ll get another cat or two.
I was born a cat lover, so always enjoy cats in books. I just loaned a friend Paul Gallico’s classic “The Three Lives of Thomasina.”
I love people who are real animal lovers. Wow, look at that list!!
You’re welcome Jackie Smith. Thanks for commenting.
Travel does make it hard to have pets. That’s one of my favorite books, too.
I’ll have to check it out. Thanks
I’ll have to check that one out. Thanks.
That’s Col. Meek (I hate autocorrect!) He wrote books about horses & dogs.
I really enjoy reading stories that have animals in them. I remember reading Rascal and Lassie in school.
Yes, Rascal! I forgot about that one. =)
Hi Jackie, I’m chiming in late and wanted to add that I love reading stories with animals in them. :)