Books With Animals in the Title: Must-Read Picks from My Shelf
Hoohoo, avid readers! Did you know how much I adore crafting lists? It’s true! Whether it’s a simple shopping list or, my absolute favorite, a compilation of books, the process of identifying shared characteristics and bringing them together is incredibly satisfying. That passion has led me to embark on a new series of book lists specifically focused on titles and covers.
If you’re tackling reading challenges and need some inspiration for prompts like “a title that includes [something],” or perhaps you simply find certain elements on the outside of books intriguing, this space is for you. I’m doing this purely for enjoyment, but I hope it might also assist you with those tricky reading challenge prompts. And since my love for animals runs deep, the inaugural list in this series is dedicated to Books With Animals In The Title that reside on my personal shelves. Please note, this isn’t an exhaustive global compilation, but rather a look at the creature-themed titles I currently own. I may update this list over time as I discover or acquire more such books. So, let’s dive in, shall we? books with animals in title
Please note that if a title is part of a series featuring different animals in subsequent book titles, I will generally list only the first book and make a note about the following installments. If a book title includes more than one animal from different categories, I will list it under each relevant category.
In This List You’ll Discover Titles Featuring:
- Mammals
- Inhabitants of the Sea
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Mythical Beings
- Insects
Mammals
The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes
Sarah’s life in a gritty London neighborhood changes when her grandfather gifts her a beautiful horse named Boo, nurturing her dream of joining an elite French riding school. She trains quietly in city parks and alleys, but when her grandfather falls ill, she balances horsemanship with school and hospital visits. Meanwhile, Natasha, a young lawyer struggling after a failed marriage and professional setbacks, finds her path crossing with the willful fourteen-year-old Sarah. Natasha decides to mentor the girl, unaware that Sarah harbors a secret that will profoundly impact everyone involved. (goodreads)
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Hig is a survivor of a devastating flu pandemic that claimed the lives of everyone he knew, including his wife and friends. He now lives in an abandoned airport hangar with his loyal dog, Jasper, and a challenging, armed companion named Bangley. Hope sparks when a random voice crackles through the radio of his vintage 1956 Cessna, suggesting the possibility of a better life beyond their controlled perimeter. Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return, following the static-broken signal, only to discover a reality that is both more promising and more perilous than he could have imagined.
Cover art for The Dog Stars featuring a dog sitting near a plane wreckage(goodreads)
Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan
Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the most epic summer of her life, but several obstacles stand in her way: She’s landed a job at Magic Castle Playland… dressed as a giant dancing hot dog. Her crush, the charming Diving Pirate Nick, is already dating the park’s Princess. Lou, who’s never felt this strongly about anyone, wants her own chance at a fairy tale. Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, is unusually hesitant when it comes to Lou’s attempts to set her up or Lou’s plan to get closer to Nick. To top it off, this is set to be the last summer for Magic Castle Playland unless Lou can find a way to save it.
Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes? by Holly Bourne
Welcome to Camp Reset, a summer camp with a unique purpose. It’s a place offering a shot at “normality” for Olive, a girl grappling with mental health challenges, and for the unexpected friends she makes – each with their own reasons for being there. Olive arrives with a plan to solve all their problems, but she soon discovers the daunting challenge of fixing the world when she can’t even fix herself.
Book cover showing illustrated figures walking down a path with abstract shapes(goodreads)
The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic
Neil Josten joins the Palmetto State University Exy team. He’s short, fast, and full of potential – and secretly the runaway son of a notorious crime lord known as The Butcher. Joining the high-profile PSU Foxes team is risky; media attention could expose his identity, which would be a death sentence. His carefully constructed lies won’t hold up forever under scrutiny. However, Neil isn’t the only one with secrets on the team. One teammate is a figure from his past, and Neil can’t abandon him again. For eight years, Neil has survived by running, but perhaps he has finally found something and someone worth fighting for.
Book cover showing illustrated figures walking down a path with abstract shapes(goodreads)
The 2nd book in this series is titled The Raven King, which appears in the Birds section below.
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
Captain Kel Cheris is disgraced within the hexarchate for using unconventional methods during a battle against heretics. Kel Command offers her a chance at redemption: retake the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a strategically vital star fortress captured by the heretics. More than Cheris’s career is at stake; the hexarchate itself is threatened. Her best hope lies in an alliance with the undead tactician Shuos Jedao. The good news: Jedao has never lost a battle and might be the only one capable of planning a successful siege. The bad news: Jedao went insane in his first life and massacred two armies, including his own. As the siege progresses, Cheris must gauge how far she can trust Jedao, as she might be his next victim.
Cover art for Ninefox Gambit featuring abstract sci-fi elements and a prominent fox(goodreads)
The second book in this series is called Raven Stratagem.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
In the Russian wilderness, where winter dominates and snowdrifts tower, Vasilisa finds solace in her nurse’s fairy tales by the fire, especially the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him and honor the spirits that protect their homes. After her mother’s death, Vasilisa’s devout, city-bred stepmother forbids honoring the household spirits. The family complies, but Vasilisa senses deeper consequences. Crops fail, evil forest creatures draw near, and misfortune plagues the village. Meanwhile, her stepmother pressures her toward marriage or a convent. As danger mounts, Vasilisa must defy loved ones and embrace hidden, dangerous gifts to protect her family from a threat seemingly born from her nurse’s most terrifying tales. These stories often feature wild animals, both real and fantastical, adding to the atmosphere of the wilderness. wild animals in st lucia
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
It’s 1889, Paris is buzzing with industry and the Exposition Universelle, dredging up ancient secrets. Treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie excels at keeping tabs on dark truths. Coerced by the powerful Order of Babel to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered an unimaginable treasure: his true inheritance. To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin assembles a team of unlikely experts: a debt-ridden engineer, a banished historian, a dancer with a sinister past, and a close friend. Together, they venture into the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find could change history, but only if they can survive. The title hints at the predatory nature lurking beneath a glittering facade.
Cover art for The Gilded Wolves featuring elaborate gold and blue design with wolf imagery(goodreads)
White Stag by Kara Barbieri
Raised as a male heir due to being the last child in a family of daughters, seventeen-year-old Janneke is skilled in hunting, tracking, and fighting while her sisters learned domestic roles. When her village is destroyed and she’s the sole survivor, she’s captured by the malicious Lydian and eventually sent to work for his nephew, Soren. Janneke’s survival in the court of merciless monsters has severed her connection to the human world. When the Goblin King dies, sparking an ancient hunt for the next king, Soren sees an opportunity for her to fully embrace the brutal ways of the Permafrost realm. However, his attempts to pull her deeper into his world only reveal that a touch of humanity isn’t necessarily a weakness, especially towards those you care about. Through shared battles, her loyalty to Soren deepens. As dangerous truths emerge, Janneke must choose between clinging to or releasing her last ties to a world she no longer fits into. Her choice will determine the fate of both worlds.
Inhabitants of the Sea
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Kiko Himura struggles to articulate her thoughts. With a mother who minimizes her and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t fully grasp, Kiko keeps a low profile, convinced her real life will begin once she’s accepted into her dream art school, Prism. But Prism rejects her, and concurrently, her abusive uncle returns home. When a childhood friend invites her on a West Coast tour of art schools, Kiko seizes the opportunity despite her anxieties. Free from her stifling home environment, she uncovers life-altering truths about herself, her past, and the meaning of courage.
Book cover for Starfish featuring a blurred beach scene with a bright pink starfish(goodreads)
Reptiles
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
Dill has spent his life wrestling with “vipers” – both at home, where his Pentecostal minister father insists on handling poisonous rattlesnakes, and at school, where he faces bullies for his father’s extreme faith and public downfall. His only refuge is his friendship with fellow outsiders Travis and Lydia. As their senior year begins, Dill feels his future closing in. Lydia, with her edgy fashion blog, has a clear path out of their rural Tennessee town. Travis finds contentment in his obsession with the epic book series Bloodfall and the fangirl who might turn fantasy into reality. Dill’s only escapes are his music and his secret feelings for Lydia, neither of which he dares to share. Graduation feels less like a beginning and more like an end for Dill, but he faces another ending even sooner – one that will shatter his world.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Sparked by a fugitive billionaire and the promise of a reward, Turtles All the Way Down explores lifelong friendship, unexpected reunions, Star Wars fan fiction, and tuatara. At its heart is Aza Holmes, a young woman navigating daily life within the tightening spiral of her own thoughts. The title itself is a philosophical reference related to the structure of the world and infinite regression.
Book cover for Turtles All the Way Down featuring abstract blue and green shapes(goodreads)
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Two years prior, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and sought refuge in Cesarine, abandoning magic and relying on theft. In Cesarine, witches like Lou are hunted, feared, and burned. Reid Diggory, sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, lives by the principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Their paths were never meant to cross, but a daring stunt forces them into an impossible union: holy matrimony. The ancient war between witches and the Church escalates, and Lou’s most dangerous foes threaten a fate worse than fire. Unable to deny her growing feelings yet powerless to change her true nature, Lou must make a choice. And as the saying goes, love makes fools of us all.
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
The Gilded Wolves #2
Séverin and his team successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but at a terrible cost that haunts them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead for a lost artifact rumored to grant divine power. Their quest takes them far from Paris to the icy heart of Russia, where crystalline ice animals roam forgotten mansions, broken goddesses hide deadly secrets, and unsolved murders make the crew question ancient myths. As secrets surface and past ghosts catch up, the crew discovers new facets of themselves. What they learn might lead them down unexpected paths. This tale of love and betrayal sees the crew risking their lives for one final job. gifts that give back to animals
Cover art for The Silvered Serpents featuring abstract silver designs with serpent imagery(goodreads)
The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan
The Kane Chronicles #3
He’s back! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane cannot keep Apophis, the chaos snake, contained. Now Apophis threatens eternal darkness, and the Kanes face the impossible task of destroying him permanently. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are nearing civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against chaos. The Kanes’ only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent’s own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennium. To find the answer, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who could lead them to the serpent’s shadow… or to their deaths in the underworld.
Birds
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
It starts with thirteen-year-old Theo Decker in New York, who miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by a wealthy friend’s family. Bewildered by his new Park Avenue home, uncomfortable with schoolmates who don’t understand him, and tormented by his unbearable grief, he clings to one object: a small, captivating painting that reminds him of her. This painting eventually draws Theo into the shadowy world of art. As an adult, Theo moves between the elite world of the rich and the dusty chaos of an antiques store where he works. He is isolated and in love, caught in an increasingly dangerous circle. The titular goldfinch painting is central to the plot.
Book cover for The Goldfinch featuring a painting of a goldfinch(goodreads)
Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan
When Johnny moves and starts a new school, he faces relentless bullying. Unexpected help arrives from a surprising source, leading to Johnny discovering a hidden power. A chance encounter with a swan triggers events that result in Johnny being cast as the lead in a school ballet. His teacher encourages him to fully inhabit the role, and when feathers begin to sprout on his chest, Johnny realizes his true potential. Can he find the strength and courage to overcome his bullies, care for his brother, support his mother, and find his place amidst the chaos of his life?
An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
With a flick of her brush, Isobel paints stunning portraits for dangerous clients: the fair folk. These immortals cannot perform simple human tasks like baking or writing. They desperately crave human “Craft,” trading powerful enchantments for Isobel’s art. When she gets her first royal patron, Rook, the autumn prince, she makes a fatal error: she paints mortal sorrow in his eyes, a weakness that could cost him his throne and life. Furious, Rook takes Isobel to his kingdom for trial. But something is terribly wrong in his world, and they are attacked. As Isobel and Rook rely on each other for survival, their alliance grows into trust, maybe even love… a forbidden emotion that violates the fair folk’s ruthless laws, risking both their lives. What power do Isobel’s paintings hold that could defy the ancient malice of the fairy courts? Isobel and Rook walk a knife-edge in a lush world where beauty hides corruption, and the cost of survival may be more frightening than death.
Book cover for An Enchantment of Ravens featuring a figure with raven wings and a crown(goodreads)
The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes
In the 1960s, Athene Forster is the most glamorous girl of her time, nicknamed the Last Deb – beautiful, spoiled, and wild. Her parents are relieved when she agrees to marry dashing heir Douglas Fairley-Hulme. But within two years, rumors of Athene’s affair with a young salesman circulate. Thirty-five years later, Suzanna Peacock grapples with her glamorous mother’s legacy. At odds with her father and stepmother, struggling in a stagnant marriage, she returns to her birthplace. She finds her mother’s ghost still haunts them all in different ways. Her only comfort is her shop, The Peacock Emporium, a coffee shop/curio store decorated in her style, offering refuge to other town misfits, including Alejandro, a male midwife escaping his past in Argentina. But the specter of Athene and the shop itself trigger a chain of tragic events, forcing Suzanna to confront her long-hidden feelings. Her family finally deals with past events, and Suzanna discovers the key to her history and happiness may have been in front of her all along.
Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Rumi Seto spends much time worrying about not having all the answers – what to eat, where to go, whom to love. But one thing is certain: she wants to spend her life creating music with her younger sister, Lea. Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends Rumi to live with her aunt in Hawaii to process her own grief. Thousands of miles from home, Rumi struggles with her sister’s loss, her mother’s abandonment, and the void of music in her life. With help from her neighbors – Kai, a teenage surfer who smiles constantly and takes nothing seriously, and George Watanabe, an eighty-year-old who succumbed to his own grief years ago – Rumi tries to find her way back to her music and finish the song she and Lea never completed. preschool books about arctic animals
Book cover for Summer Bird Blue featuring a girl looking out at a sunny landscape with birds(goodreads)
Night Owls by Jenn Bennett
Meeting Jack on the Owl – San Francisco’s night bus – upends Beatrix’s world. Jack is charming, attractive… and possibly one of the city’s most infamous graffiti artists. But Jack conceals part of himself. On midnight rides and urban rooftops, Beatrix begins to see the true nature of this enigmatic boy. The title refers to both the bus line and perhaps the characters’ nocturnal habits.
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
Michael is a mixed-race gay teenager navigating life in London. He’s always felt in-between, never quite Greek-Cypriot or Jamaican enough. Coming out is just the beginning of his journey of self-discovery. He finally finds belonging in the Drag Society, where the Black Flamingo is born. Told with honesty and lyricism, this debut explores the complex layers of identity that shape us and allow us to truly shine.
Book cover for The Black Flamingo featuring a stylized illustration of a figure in drag with flamingo imagery(goodreads)
Note: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin appears twice in the original list (under Reptiles and Birds). I have included it here again as per the note about listing a book under multiple categories if it has multiple animals in the title, although this specific title only explicitly mentions a reptile (“Serpent”).
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Two years prior, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and sought refuge in Cesarine, abandoning magic and relying on theft. In Cesarine, witches like Lou are hunted, feared, and burned. Reid Diggory, sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, lives by the principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Their paths were never meant to cross, but a daring stunt forces them into an impossible union: holy matrimony. The ancient war between witches and the Church escalates, and Lou’s most dangerous foes threaten a fate worse than fire. Unable to deny her growing feelings yet powerless to change her true nature, Lou must make a choice. And as the saying goes, love makes fools of us all.
The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson
In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical elemental Crows are integral to life until the Illucian empire invades and destroys everything. This terrible night plunges Princess Anthia into deep depression. While her sister Caliza manages the kingdom after their mother’s death, Thia is consumed by her losses. However, when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the Illucian crown prince, Thia is spurred to action. After finding a hidden Crow egg in the rookery rubble, she and her sister hatch a dangerous plan to secretly hatch the egg and reclaim what was taken.
Book cover for The Storm Crow featuring a figure holding a glowing egg with storm clouds and a crow(goodreads)
The 2nd book in this series is titled The Crow Rider.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Ketterdam is a bustling international trade hub where anything has a price – a fact criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker knows well. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist with a potential payout beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t succeed alone. His crew includes a convict seeking revenge, a sharpshooter who can’t resist a wager, a runaway from a privileged past, a spy known as the Wraith, a Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums, and a thief skilled in impossible escapes. Kaz’s crew might be the only thing standing between the world and destruction, assuming they don’t kill each other first. The title refers to the members of Kaz’s crew. vintage peter rabbit stuffed animal
The Raven King by Nora Sakavic
All for the Game #2
The Foxes team is in disarray, but their latest crisis might be the catalyst they need to finally unite. The main obstacle is Andrew, and the only one who can break through his emotional walls is Neil. However, Andrew gives nothing freely, and Neil struggles to trust anyone but himself. They have limited time to navigate their situation before external forces tear them apart. Riko is determined to destroy Neil’s fragile new life, and the Foxes have become collateral damage. Neil’s days seem numbered, but he learns the hard way to fight for what he believes in. And Neil believes in Andrew, even when Andrew struggles to believe in himself. This title continues the avian theme from the previous book mentioned, The Foxhole Court.
Book cover for The Raven King featuring a raven perched on a crown(goodreads)
Little Black Bird by Anna Kirchner
Magic is fading, but it won’t disappear without a fight. Seventeen-year-old Wiktoria hides a secret: psychic powers. Her uncontrollable telekinesis causes harm, starting fires and throwing objects despite her efforts to suppress it. All she desires is a peaceful, normal life, but it’s challenging when you’re cursed to destroy the magical world. Her carefully constructed facade crumbles when local sorcerers and their Guardian hunt her, accusing her of unleashing banished demons. When a murder shakes the magical community, everyone agrees the only way to save the world is to eliminate Wiktoria. Her sole ally is a boy who can read her mind, shares her dreams, and makes her question her sexuality. Together, they face mythical creatures and uncover ancient legends, realizing that good and evil are not always clear-cut. Whether they break the curse or allow it to fulfill its destiny, the magical world will be forever changed.
Neon Birds by Marie Graßhoff
German synopsis provided in original: Ein Supersoldat, der seine glorreichen Tage hinter sich hat. Ein Träumer mit einem düsteren Geheimnis. Ein Untergrundkämpfer mit Todeswunsch. Eine Jägerin mit Verbindung zu einer dunklen Macht. Es ist das Jahr 2101. Ein außer Kontrolle geratener technischer Virus verwandelt Menschen in hyperfunktionale Cyborgs, die dem Willen der künstlichen Intelligenz KAMI gehorchen. In Sperrzonen eingepfercht, werden sie von Supersoldaten bekämpft, die man weltweit als Stars feiert. Doch die Mauern beginnen zu bröckeln. Sekten beten KAMI als Maschinengott an. Und während der Kampf zwischen Menschlichkeit und Technologie hin und her wogt, versuchen vier junge Erwachsene, den Untergang ihrer Zivilisation zu verhindern.
English Adaptation: In the year 2101, a rampant technical virus transforms humans into cyborgs controlled by the AI KAMI. Packed into containment zones, they are fought by supersoldiers celebrated as global stars. But the walls are crumbling. Cults worship KAMI as a machine god. As the battle between humanity and technology rages, four young adults strive to prevent the collapse of their civilization. The title suggests something vibrant, perhaps artificial, related to avian forms.
Book cover for Neon Birds featuring abstract neon shapes and a stylized bird(goodreads)
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
This book was also listed under Mammals due to “Bear” in the title.
In the Russian wilderness, where winter dominates and snowdrifts tower, Vasilisa finds solace in her nurse’s fairy tales by the fire, especially the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him and honor the spirits that protect their homes. After her mother’s death, Vasilisa’s devout, city-bred stepmother forbids honoring the household spirits. The family complies, but Vasilisa senses deeper consequences. Crops fail, evil forest creatures draw near, and misfortune plagues the village. Meanwhile, her stepmother pressures her toward marriage or a convent. As danger mounts, Vasilisa must defy loved ones and embrace hidden, dangerous gifts to protect her family from a threat seemingly born from her nurse’s most terrifying tales. The title mentions both a mammal and a bird.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
It is freezing in the churchyard even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands with her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead pass by. Blue has never seen them – until this year, when a boy emerges from the darkness and speaks directly to her. He is Gansey, a wealthy student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue avoids Aglionby boys, known as Raven Boys, seeing them as trouble. But she is drawn to Gansey in an inexplicable way. He has everything – money, looks, devoted friends – but he seeks more. He is on a quest involving three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student resentful of privilege; Ronan, the fierce soul ranging from anger to despair; and Noah, the quiet observer. Blue has always been warned she will cause her true love’s death. She never thought it would be an issue. But now, caught in the strange world of the Raven Boys, she’s uncertain.
Book cover for The Raven Boys featuring four figures with trees and ravens(goodreads)
The 4th and final book in this series is titled “The Raven King,” which appears earlier in this list.
Mythical Beings
The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
The Poppy War #2
Following the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is a fugitive, haunted by the atrocity committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the vengeful Phoenix god’s deadly commands. Her only motivation is revenge against the Empress who betrayed Nikan to its enemies. With no other options, Rin joins forces with the formidable Dragon Warlord, who plans to conquer Nikan, overthrow the Empress, and establish a new Republic. Rin immerses herself in his war, as fighting is all she knows. However, the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motives are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin discovers, the more she fears her love for Nikan will alienate every ally and force her to rely increasingly on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and vengeance.
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
All the world, from Scirland to Eriga, knows Isabella, Lady Trent, as the foremost dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable figure who brought the study of dragons out of myth and into modern science. But before she became this illustrious figure, she was a young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and dragons defied her era’s stifling conventions. Here, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneer who risked her reputation and well-being for scientific curiosity; of her quest for love despite her eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to Vystrana’s perilous mountains, where she made the first of many discoveries that would change the world.
Cover art for A Natural History of Dragons featuring a detailed illustration of a dragon(goodreads)
Part of the Lady Trent series; subsequent books include The Tropic of Serpents, Voyage of the Basilisk, In the Labyrinth of Drakes, and Within the Sanctuary of Wings, all featuring mythical creatures.
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
A dragon. A boy. A journey. Firedrake, a brave young dragon, his loyal brownie friend Sorrel, and a lonely boy named Ben are united by destiny. Together, they embark on a magical journey to find the legendary sanctuary where silver dragons can live in peace forever. Guided only by a mysterious map and the whispers of an old dragon’s memories, they fly across moonlit lands and seas to the world’s highest mountains. Along the way, they discover extraordinary new friends in unlikely places and uncover courage they never knew they possessed. This is fortunate, as their greatest enemy is always close behind – a heartless monster from the past who has waited a long time to destroy the last dragons on earth.
(goodreads)
Book 2 in this series is titled The Griffin’s Feather.
Dragon Keeper by Carole Wilkinson
In ancient China during the Han Dynasty, the last surviving dragon faces execution by the cruel Emperor. An unlikely ally appears in a nameless orphan girl with no past. The young orphan soon realizes her destiny is to protect the aging dragon and his mysterious purple stone. Pursued by an evil dragon hunter and a powerful sorcerer, their journey is fraught with danger. Each must learn to help and understand the other to survive. To succeed, the orphan must find inner courage she never knew she possessed. She can no longer be the timid, shy girl she was; she is now the true Dragon Keeper.
Book cover for Dragon Keeper featuring a girl and a dragon in an ancient setting(goodreads)
Other books in this series are: Garden of the Purple Dragon and Dragon Moon.
The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor
Phoenix was created and raised among other genetic experiments in Tower 7, New York. She is an “accelerated woman” – only two years old but with an adult body and mind, possessing abilities far beyond normal humans. Still innocent and naive, she is content speed-reading, exercising, and cherishing the love of Saeed, another biologically altered human. One evening, Saeed witnesses something so horrific he takes his own life. Devastated and met with Tower 7’s refusal to answer her questions, Phoenix realizes her home is a prison and becomes desperate to escape. But her escape and destruction of Tower 7 are just the beginning. Phoenix will travel from the US to Africa and back, altering the course of humanity’s future. The title evokes the mythical bird of rebirth.
Insects
We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
Henry Denton has been periodically abducted by aliens for years. Then, the aliens give him an ultimatum: the world will end in 144 days unless Henry pushes a large red button. The problem is, he’s unsure if he wants to. Life hasn’t been kind to Henry. His mother struggles as a waitress, his brother is a jobless dropout expecting a child, and his grandmother is losing herself to Alzheimer’s. Henry is also still reeling from his boyfriend’s suicide a year ago. Wiping the slate clean sounds appealing. But Henry, a scientist at heart, approaches the dilemma logically, weighing pros and cons found in his life – in his bully/occasional hookup, his best friend who betrayed him, and the brilliant, mysterious boy who walked into the wrong class. Faced with the pain and joy surrounding him, Henry must make the ultimate choice: save the planet and everyone on it, or let the world – and his pain – be destroyed forever.
Book cover for We Are the Ants featuring abstract cosmic imagery and small ant-like figures(goodreads)
Libellensommer by Antje Babendererde
German synopsis provided in original: Die 15 jährige Jodie ist zutiefst frustriert: Weil ein Indianerstamm gegen die Abholzung der Wälder protestiert, verliert ihr Vater seinen Job in einer Pappfabrik. Die Eltern streiten nur noch und eines Tages kommt der Vater nicht mehr nach Hause. Als die Mutter dann auch noch Jodies Laptop verkauft, beschließt sie, ihren Eltern einen Denkzettel zu verpassen und abzuhauen. Auf dem Weg zu ihrem e-Mail Freund Tim gerät sie an einen zudringlichen Truckfahrer und flieht bei Nacht in die Wildnis. Der Zufall will es, dass sie Jay in die Arme läuft, einem 17 jährigen Cree Indianer, der auf dem Weg in ein einsames Camp ist und ein Geheimnis mit sich herumträgt. Nach einem Zusammenstoß mit einem Bären, bei dem Jay verletzt wird, folgt Jodie ihm in die Wildnis. Schon auf dem Weg verliebt sie sich in ihn, obwohl sie nichts über ihn weiß. Als sie nach einer langen Kanufahrt das Jägercamp schließlich erreichen, muss Jay einen schweren Verlust erleiden. Jodie versucht ihm zu helfen, aber Jay ist verschlossen.Schon bald merkt Jodie, dass im Camp irgendetwas im Gange ist, von dem sie nichts wissen soll …
English Adaptation: Fifteen-year-old Jodie is deeply frustrated. An Indigenous tribe’s protest against deforestation costs her father his job at a cardboard factory. Her parents constantly fight, and one day her father doesn’t return home. When her mother sells Jodie’s laptop, she decides to teach them a lesson and run away. En route to meet her email friend Tim, she encounters a persistent truck driver and flees into the wilderness at night. By chance, she runs into Jay, a seventeen-year-old Cree boy heading to a secluded camp with a secret. After a bear encounter injures Jay, Jodie follows him into the wilderness. She falls for him during their journey, knowing nothing about him. Upon reaching the hunter’s camp after a long canoe ride, Jay suffers a significant loss. Jodie tries to help, but Jay is withdrawn. Jodie soon senses something is happening at the camp that she isn’t supposed to know about. Libellensommer translates to “Dragonfly Summer.”
Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar
Things are only impossible if you stop to think about them… While her friends enjoy summer pool parties and sleepovers, twelve-year-old Carolina – Carol – spends hers in the New Mexico desert, helping her parents move her estranged grandfather into a dementia care home. Initially, Carol avoids prickly Grandpa Serge. But as the summer heat persists, she finds herself drawn to him, captivated by his stories of a healing tree, a green-glass lake, and bees that will end a century-long drought. As the line between reality and magic blurs, Carol must decide what is possible and what it means to be true to her roots. Readers who yearn for something more in the world will be enchanted by this captivating novel about family, renewal, and discovering wonder. The bees in the title are integral to the grandfather’s magical stories.
Book cover for Hour of the Bees featuring a girl sitting next to a tree with bees(goodreads)
Conclusion
This curated list offers a glimpse into the diverse world of Books With Animals In The Title from my personal library. From common mammals and sea creatures to reptiles, birds, mythical dragons, and tiny insects, these titles showcase how authors draw inspiration from the animal kingdom to hint at themes, characters, or settings within their stories. Compiling such lists is a delightful way to appreciate the creativity in book titling and perhaps discover new reads for specific interests or challenges. Whether you’re seeking your next fantasy adventure featuring a dragon or a contemporary story with a metaphorical animal title, I hope this list sparks some curiosity.
References
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31624484-the-horse-dancer
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13330761-the-dog-stars?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=toqQ55kJf0&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35843729-hot-dog-girl?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=5eHcxVkT1y&rank=2
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39297840-are-we-all-lemmings-and-snowflakes
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17259690-the-foxhole-court?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=bVobsN5WzE&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26118426-ninefox-gambit?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=3D4IlxSHLO&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33797941-the-bear-and-the-nightingale
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863498-the-gilded-wolves?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=BXTlnW4bw1&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863517-white-stag?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Urcss3Sh8x&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40611543-starfish?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=QxmtxZ9ZGo&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22752127-the-serpent-king?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=uzhrSuiNCp&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15837671-turtles-all-the-way-down
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40024139-serpent-dove?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aHQqHK0Uof&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45044785-the-silvered-serpents
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12893742-the-serpent-s-shadow?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=zPgjD0PMiC&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333223-the-goldfinch?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jfT6upMgwf&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27409909-swan-boy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=YQ0GIk3TUT&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30969741-an-enchantment-of-ravens?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Fo3GwLxqm8&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6430207-the-peacock-emporium
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35716237-summer-bird-blue
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25327818-night-owls
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52696938-the-black-flamingo
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38330596-the-storm-crow?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=d34o6vtS9W&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437156-six-of-crows?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=DJ65Ofus9D&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18187013-the-raven-king
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53102834-little-black-bird?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PfwqZKaoAx&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43199412-neon-birds?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=0cDbgCGYJz&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41118857-the-dragon-republic?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=lOfgpMNUk7&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12974372-a-natural-history-of-dragons?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=NbizzBpZ3m&rank=3
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100464.Dragon_Rider?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=IewVhz4jb7&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1162185.Dragon_Keeper
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25461011-the-book-of-phoenix
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23677341-we-are-the-ants?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=p2kQ9I84Ia&rank=1
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6739982-libellensommer
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22453777-hour-of-the-bees
