Attention all dog lovers! Our reference librarian Teresa has created a list of some great fiction and non-fiction works featuring humans’ best friend. It wasn’t “ruff” to put this together. We hope reading these books is a howling good time!
1. Dog on It: a Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn – This is the first book in the Chet and Bernie series featuring canine detective Chet and his human partner PI Bernie Little. Follow Chet and Bernie as they search for a missing teenage girl, as narrated by Chet.
Also available as an audiobook on Hoopla and an ebook on Overdrive.
2. Roam: a Novel with Music by Alan Lazar – This story is told from the perspective of Nelson, a half-poodle, half-beagle mix who wanders away from home one day after his curiosity gets the better of him. Follow his adventures as he seeks to find his way home to his loving owner.
Also available as an audiobook on Hoopla.
3. Dancing Dogs: Stories by Jon Katz – This collection of 16 short stories by well-known author Katz (The Dogs of Bedlam Farm) explores the bond between dogs and their owners.
Also available as an audiobook on Hoopla.
4. Timbuktu: a Novel by Paul Auster – Another story told through the eyes, ears, and nose of a dog, Mr. Bones, and his life with the somewhat demented Willy G. Christmas. After Willy’s death Mr. Bones sets out to find a new home in what turns out to be a spiritual journey. Read to find out why the book’s title is “Timbuktu”.
5. The Friend by Sigrid Nunez – After the death of her best friend and mentor, a woman takes on the care of her friend’s dog, a Great Dane traumatized by the loss of his master.
Also available as an ebook on Overdrive.
6. Two Dogs and a Parrot: What Our Animal Friends Can Teach Us about Life by Joan Chittister – Chittister is a Benedictine nun and author of inspirational books. Here she discusses the spiritual connection and lessons to be learned between humans and their animal companions. She illustrates this bond using stories about her own pets, her dogs Danny and Duffy, and Lady, a caique parrot.
7. The Book of Joe: about a Dog and his Man by Vincent Price – Actor Vincent Price tells the story of his love for his dog Joe, a puppy when purchased at a pet store and the fourteen years they spent together.
Also available as an ebook and an audiobook on Hoopla.
8. Through a Dog’s Eyes by Jennifer Arnold – The author is the founder of Canine Assistants, a nonprofit that trains and provide service dogs to people with disabilities. She shares her training techniques and stories that reveal canine intelligence, sensitivity, and language comprehension.
9. A Big Little Life: a Memoir of a Joyful Dog by Dean Koontz – Bestselling author Dean Koontz tells the touching and humorous true story of Trixie, his adopted golden retriever.
Also available as an ebook on Overdrive.
10. Yorkie Doodle Dandy: a Memoir by William A. Wynne – The true story of Smoky, the Yorkshire Terrier who became a World War II hero and recipient of the rare Australian RSPCA Purple Cross. This memoir is by the GI who adopted her while stationed in Papua New Guinea.
