All About Animals discussion

Which book has left the most lasting impression on you?

I've been immersed in books about animals for so many years, it's hard to say, but Marc Bekoff's The Emotional Lives of Animals, Frans de Waal's books and Jon Katz's Rose, all influenced me. IOh, way back Donlald Griffith's Animal Minds--and a treatise on the social lives of mice living in a silo-[-wonderful, but I can't remember its name. 'M ALMOST DONE WITH MY BOOK "HUMANS, DOGS, AND CIVILIZATION." after 6 years of intense research, preceded by a lifetime of interest in animals and reading everything I could find about them.

Life of Pi is a book with a lot of animals but its really about people. I loved that book. Black Beauty is the one that left the strongest impression form a book that was truly written about and FOR animals in that it was written in gratitude to horses and to help humans to understand and respect them better, in the hope their treatment by humans would improve.It worked. What an inspiration.

There are so very, very many.

Today I was reminded of my 8-year-old self reading Rascal by Sterling North and how I blubbed, wondering if it would have the same power over me today and still felt those bittersweet memories wash over me.

I Just saw this Question & felt compelled to share my silly answer. Like Jazzy my book hails from roughly the age of 7 or 8ish. It's Fiction, but I've loved the series my entire 36 years & still talk about it & occasionally reread it when I feel the need to be nostalgic or just laugh. So, after all that build up, my answer is the Bunnicula series by James Howe & his late wife. That includes The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Howliday Inn,& Nighty-Nightmare. There are more recent ones, but I never got to those, perhaps I'll eventually get around to them, but I'm not sure they would effect me the same as the original 4. Anyone who hasn't already read them should, even though they are childrens books they can easily be appreciated by any age (a must read). This series made me fall in love with reading. It showed me how much fun reading can be if you can find the genre that interests you the most. I even named one of my dogs after the cat in the series, Chester. I know that sounds weird considering the story had 2 perfectly good dog characters in it too, but I can already tell I'm starting to bbable & in the hopes of making this comment shorter I'll save that story for another day, LOL. I don't think there has been a book that has effected me so deeply & shaped me so much since. I will say thatA Dog's Purpose comes close though. I guess Bunnicula shows that my love for animals & the supernatural go way back. Now that I've thoroughly embarrassed myself I will stop babbling & let ya all go for now. As Tigger would say, "TTFN"!

Jolene, I have never read those books you mentioned as a kid.

Barb wrote: "Jolene, I have never read those books you mentioned as a kid."

Well, I think Bunnicula was written around 1979 & the others throughout the 80's. The basic idea is that the new pet bunny is a vampire that sucks the juices out of vegetables, leaving nothing but white husks for the family to find in their kitchen & the rabbit cage by morning. The family cat, Chester (who happens to be very literate & named after an Encyclopedia set), is constantly trying to out Bunnicula (so named because the father & son found him outside the theater after a screening of Dracula) to the rest of the family. And Howard, the family dog just thinks Bunnicula is just a sweet little bunny & that Chester & his overactive imagination need to leave the poor thing alone. The story is told in the first person from the Howard the dog's POV / voice. Actually, James Howe the actual author writes the story as if the dog delivered the manuscript to him in an envelope on his doorstep. It is awesome & I believe one of the most imaginative series to date. It's a sweet, quick read & you should check it out Barb. Let me know if you ever do ;-)

I will Jolene.

My favorite children's book right now is Dear Mrs. LaRue. Such a cute story about a dog who gets sent away to obedience school and writes home everyday to complain especially about the cats. Check it out.

Barb wrote: "I will Jolene.

My favorite children's book right now is Dear Mrs. LaRue. Such a cute story about a dog who gets sent away to obedience school and writes home everyday to complain especially about..."

OMG! That sounds awesome! I am totally going to have to find a copy of that. Thanks Barb ;-)

Here it is Jolene...

The most lasting impressions of books are anything from Angela Hunt. There is one in particular called "Uncharted". It really makes you think.


Love the book "Kings of Colorado".

Hmmm, I was writing this and it disappeared so I get to start again. I am sort of affiliated with Red Rover (formerly UAN, United Animal Nation(s)) which assists animals in disasters. I received my training in 01. Today's email has a list of humane books for children and I was happy to see some of my recommendations there.

Buddy Unchained and Max Talks to Me are by Gryphon Press and tackle difficult subjects in a lovely way. I reviewed A Home for Dakota in the same series (http://dogevals.blogspot.com/2014/09/...) and would have put it in the best books of the year list, had I read it when it came out.

I also liked "Let's Get a Pup," Said Kate.

Perhaps some month when we may not read much (December?), we could each nominate one children's book that our library probably has - and discuss them.

Love that idea Skye about the children's books. Fast reads so no worries about several of the being nominated.

Cowboy and Wills
http://dogevals.blogspot.com/2013/08/...
This is our discussion book for November but I just found my review of it from a few years ago and thought I would post the link. This book is one that has stayed with me. . . . I can't wait to hear what you all think about it. Themes: independence, autism, puppy mills. . . .

Skye wrote: "Cowboy and Wills..."

I ordered this book online and am waiting to get it.