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Soon after India Opal and her father, a preacher, move to a small Florida town, Opal meets an ugly stray mutt in the local grocery store, and names him after it. Opal and Winn Dixie build a unique family from an assortment of town residents for a poignant and very funny novel told from Opal’s point of view.

Set in the time of the Crusades, this is a horse story, a war story, and a love story, all in one tale of historical fiction. This book is the first in a trilogy, but completely satisfying on its own.

The Flint Future Detectives are back for another wacky adventure in which the dog owned by Steven’s friend, Russell (first introduced in Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money) inadvertently launches an out-of-this-world series of events. Readers will see the satire in this improbable, funny, and fast-reading novel.

The murder of a young knight, a white wolfhound, and a faithful page in medieval France all come together to create a fast-paced, gripping mystery.

The elderly Lizzie’s tale of how her mother saved a young elephant from the WWII bombing of Dresden (Germany) unfolds as she gradually reveals it to her nurse.

Maggie lives with her grandmother who is a veterinarian and owner of the animal clinic called Wild at Heart. In this first in the series, Maggie and other volunteers find the puppy mill responsible for the sick animals brought to the clinic — and help shut it down.

Luther, a high school sophomore, works for a vet who rehabilitates falcons. His work with these birds leads him to support forest preservation and puts him in conflict with his stepfather, a long-time logger.

When Darryl finds an injured racing pigeon, he nurses it back to health and hopes to return it to its rightful owner. When he learns that the owner might kill the untraceable bird, Daryl decides to keep the pigeon.

Sunita, a volunteer at the Wild at Heart Animal Clinic, desperately wants a cat of her own, but her parents won’t hear of it. Eventually, Sunita gets her animal as readers learn about feral cats and the need for animal control.

Younger readers will enjoy this dragon fantasy set in the present day. While running away from his unwanted crush Mary Lou, Jeremy discovers a magic shop where he purchases an egg. When dragon Tiamat hatches, the adventure begins, and so do Jeremy’s responsibilities toward the growing dragon. A perfect introduction to fantasy.

The letters and thoughts of Thomas Jefferson, members of the Corps of Discovery, their guide Sacagawea, and Captain Lewis’s Newfoundland dog, all tell of the historic exploratory expedition to seek a water route to the Pacific Ocean.

Living in a family with two perfect sisters and parents who just don’t get her, Ant MacPherson finds it easier to lie. After all, the only one who appreciates her is her dog, Pistachio. But when a concerned teacher sees the truth behind Ant’s lies, it seems as though she might be in for a change 

Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein). Not everyone understands Rose’s obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make her different — not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father. When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, the roads are flooded, and Rain goes missing. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Though Rose’s story is often heartbreaking, her matter-of-fact narration provides moments of humor. Readers will empathize with Rose, who finds strength and empowerment through her unique way of looking at the world.

The shocking cruelty of legal animal abuse is exposed through the story of Baby, a poodle who lost a leg after years of mistreatment at a puppy mill. Rescued by Jana Kohl, they now work together with celebrity friends and politicians to raise awareness about animal rights.

Eleven-year-old Marty must decide whether or not to return an abused beagle to its rightful owner, an unkind man. His dilemma includes hiding the dog, Shiloh, telling his parents the truth, and more in this riveting, award-winning novel which is ideal to read aloud with slightly sophisticated listeners. It was adapted into a live action film in 2000.

Melissa Fuller, a New York City gossip columnist, lives a life filled with shopping, man troubles, and frivolity. But when her elderly neighbor is attacked, Melissa assumes responsibility for the woman’s pets, with help from the neighbor’s playboy nephew. Or so she thinks. This novel is written entirely in emails.

When Amra’s best friend said they couldn’t speak anymore, she realized that this was the first sign her world was changing. Amra, who was Muslim, lived in Bihac, Bosnia. Then Muslim refugees from other Bosnian cities started arriving, fleeing Serbian persecution. When the tanks rolled into Bihac, bringing her own city under seige, Amra’s happy life in her peaceful city vanished. But there is light even in the darkest of times, and she discovered that light in the warm, bonfire eyes of a stray cat. Here is the stunning true story of a teen who, even in the brutality of war, never wavered in her determination to obtain an education, maintain friendships, and even find a first love ― and the cat who gave comfort, hope, and maybe even served as the family’s guardian spirit. YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist.

Twelve-year old Alice must face issues beyond her years. Her sister has run off, her mother won’t get out of bed, and the family horse farm is failing. Can she keep the family from falling apart?

The addition of a runt pig to their New Hampshire farm — as a pet, not for the plate — allowed the author to observe close-up how affection (even inter-species) builds community and friendship. Personal recollections of family, how Christopher Hogwood (the pig named after the British conductor) helped develop camaraderie is combined with animal fact in this engrossing memoir.

The feline adventures begin when Marco and Polo, always indoor cats, taste freedom (and the Burger King dump). The cat brothers meet others memorable mousers along the way in this first of a series of books about the Cat Pack.