Fables and animal stories

Aiken, Joan: Ghostly Beasts
Jonathan Cape, 2002

This book consists of numerous stories and some poems which all have one thing in common: something magical or even supernatural happens every time. The stories are about cats, dogs and horses but there are tales about snails, bears and owls as well. After reading this book you’ll know why dogs chase cats and how people used to train bears to dance. Some of the stories are a bit humorous, others slightly sad but none are too scary.

Butterworth, Annette: Jake in Trouble
Hodder Children's Books, 1997

Jake is really excited because he is going on holiday to a farm. Jake has never been to a farm before and he is eager to meet all the animals there. After a really long journey Jake arrives in the farm and immediately tries to play games with the ducks. The game ends in a disaster. There is a working sheepdog Shep in the farm also. Shep is proud and he thinks town dogs are all stupid. One day the prize-winning Shep goes missing…

Corbett, W. J.: Last Chance Zoo
Hodder Children's Books, 2003

Ken is the head-keeper of the most unusual zoo in the world, the Last Chance Zoo. He never turns away any animals from his gates no matter how badly they behaved. With the help of the staff at the zoo Ken takes good care of the animals some of which act really strangely. Crusty the camel is rude and spits on people, Belinda the elephant throws tantrums and Bruno the bear cub is into nicking your picnic sandwiches.

Cross, Gillian: The Great Elephant Chase
Puffin Books, 1994

An elephant show comes to a little American town called Markle and Tad’s life changes dramatically. When the elephant’s owner Mr. Keenan dies in a train crash one Hannibal Jackson claims he has bought it. But Hannibal Jackson doesn’t expect the daughter of Mr. Keenan to be alive, but she is. Cissie is the rightful owner of the Indian elephant Khush and she takes Tad with her and Khush on a foggy night they run away from Hannibal Jackson. But how can the children secretly transport an elephant on the other side of America?

Daniels, Lucy: Into the Blue (Dolphin Diaries 1)
Hodder Children's Books, 2000

Jody’s parents are marine biologists who research dolphins. The whole McGrath family will live on a boat called Dolphin Dreamer for a year and sail seas observing as many dolphins as possible. Jody is keeping a dolphin diary the idea of which she had from his father. She starts yet another diary on board. When the family is ready to sail an unexpected visitor arrives. The captain’s daughter Brittany thinks she’s going on a holiday on Bahamas with her father. And now she’s stuck on a boat for a long time. Jody suspects that Brittany will spoil the whole journey but seeing real dolphins takes her mind off Brittany. One day a heavy storm puts Jody’s life in danger…

Donkin, Andrew: Dinosaur Stories That Really Happened
Scholastic Children's books, 2000

If you are into dinosaurs, you’ll like this book. There are six stories in this book. Three of the stories are about dinosaurs – how they lived and hunted. The other three stories are about scientists who discover fossils of dinosaurs. After every story you’ll find six interesting facts that relate to the stories. Vivid black and white illustrations and rather large print texts make this book easy to read.

Hoffman, Mary: A Twist in the Tail – Animal Stories from Around the World
Frances Lincoln, 2001

These retellings of traditional folk tales originate from every continent in the world. There is always a trick or surprise included. Read about the bright blue jackal who claims to be the king of the forest or the lazy but clever rabbit who sells her farm or what does the animal who couldn’t make up its mind look like? These stories are richly coloured and very suitable to read  out loud as well.

King-Smith, Dick: Funny Frank
Doubleday, 2001

Jemima loves taking care of the chicken. She takes the hens by the duckpond to brood so that they would have something nice to watch while sitting on eggs. After Gertie ‘s eight little chicks hatch out it doesn’t take long for her to notice there is something wrong with one of her chicks. Frank doesn’t peck around in the dust but dabbles in the duckpond and wants to learn how to swim. The ducks mock Frank a lot when they hear about his dream. Chickens can’t swim! Jemima finds a solution to Frank’s problem, but what happens when he grows up to be a cockerel?

Morpurgo, Michael: The Butterfly Lion
Collins Children's Books, 1996

A boy runs away from a boarding school and ends up in a house of an elderly lady. She offers the boy tea and tells him an incredible story of her husband Bertie who was born in South Africa. Bertie has to play alone in a yard, which is fenced to keep the wild animals at bay. One day Bertie rescues an orphaned white lion cub and he gets to keep him. Bertie and the lion are inseparable until the day Bertie is sent to boarding school in England. The lion is sold to circus in France and Bertie promises the lion that they will see each other again some day.

Wilson, Anna: Terry the Flying Turtle
Evans, 2005

Terry is a cocky little turtle who says he can fly. Polly the Chimp is laughing her head off, which makes Terry really cross. Terry pleads the parrot to help him fly and after a while the parrot agrees. Terry can truly fly but for how long? The hilarious pictures and really short texts are good for those who aren’t that experienced in reading, yet.