Comments on: From ‘Black Beauty’ to ‘The Underneath’: 132 years of great children’s books about animals

By: megan

megan — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 21:26:15 +0000

I am currently looking for that book called Beauty. The one about the boy who goes to live with his grandpa and meets the old horse. Any info would be great!!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:46:02 +0000

I’m late catching up on blog reading so maybe no one will see this comment, but an all time favorite of mine is _The Shy Ones_ by Lynn Hall, about a girl who is working part-time for a vet, finds a golden retriever injured by the side of the road, and nurses the dog back to health physically and mentally. I dug up a copy on half.com to reread just before adopting my rescue golden. It’s a really sweet book.

By: P.A. Childress

P.A. Childress — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:06:44 +0000

I am so happy that you included THE UNDERNEATH by Kathi Appelt in your list of beloved books. I too enjoyed BLACK BEAUTY, MY FRIEND FLICKA, and even the early edition of LASSIE COME HOME. I still teach and work at the high school and enjoy books about animals at my advanced age of 72. I think, like you, that THE UNDERNEATH is a classic.

By: Kristy B

Kristy B — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:52:31 +0000

I loved and still love King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry.

Smoky the Cowhorse by Will James is an American Black Beauty.

The Great Dane Thor by Walter Farley is a good tale.

Song of the Wild By Allan W. Eckert is an interesting book. It has the happiest ending ever (for me).

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:51:32 +0000

Black Beauty has a wonderful comment about ignorance:

Only ignorance! only ignorance! how can you talk about only ignorance? Don’t you know that it is the worst thing in the world, next to wickedness? — and which does the most mischief heaven only knows. If people can say, “Oh! I did not know, I did not mean any harm,” they think it is all right.

Sadly, these words are just relevant today, and the harm to animals is incalculable.

By: Eucritta

Eucritta — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:46:05 +0000

There's a sequel to 101 Dalmations, too: The Starlight Barking. It's a weird little fantasy/scifi story, in which, among other things, dogs fly.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:56:18 +0000

There is a Beautiful Joe Heritage Society and park in Meaford, Ontario, a pretty little town on Georgian Bay. There is a statue of Beautiful Joe and a cairn, as well as a memorial for Sirius, the K-9 police dog killed during 9/11.

http://redstarcafe.wordpress.c.....nd-sirius/

I also love Michael Morpurgo’s writing. War Horse was stunning, and Britain’s National Theatre is running a production of it using brilliantly-constructed life-sized puppets.

http://redstarcafe.wordpress.c.....t-theatre/

By: Dr Patty Khuly

Dr Patty Khuly — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:13:39 +0000

God, The Red Pony. I sobbed when I read it. My boyfriend called while I was reading it and thought someone had died. That was last year.

I wish I’d never seen it on a must-read animal book. (Though the rest of Steinbeck’s stuff doesn’t make me cringe.)

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:57:07 +0000

In the original “101 Dalmatians,” there are THREE adult Dals … Pongo, Perdita and a third nanny one whose name I can’t recall. Yes, I guess every proper British family needs a nanny!

Not related to dogs, “101” author Dodie Smith also wrote a lovely book called, “I Capture the Castle” (1948).

By: FrogDogz

FrogDogz — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:47:52 +0000

Missing from the list is Dodie’s Smith’s original “The 101 Dalmatians”. It is so much better than the Disney Travesity!

Interesting trivia — did you know Dorothy Parker worked on the screen play for 101 Dalmatians?

Sorry, Parker fanatic over here..

Also, thanks for reminding me of Beautiful Joe. I pulled it off the shelf last night and am re reading it.