Introducing your kids to classics is always fun, but it can be tricky finding the right book to capture their attention. Humor a great entrance, but have you considered choosing a book based on their favorite animal?
As a bonus, many of these classic children's novels about animals are also funny! Pick one out to read aloud to your kids!
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NOTE: It's always hard to decide where to stop when discussing "classics", so I used 1980 as a somewhat arbitrary cut-off.I also only included one book per author, and decided to include a lesser-known title by that author instead of say, Charlotte's Web.
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (1971)
This classic book is a tale of survival with a science theme. Mrs. Frisby must move her children to a warmer home for the winter. But her youngest, Timothy, is sick and she needs assistance. Mrs. Frisby enlists the help of a community of rats who have been bred in a lab to have superior intelligence.
MORE: Classic Children's Novels from the 1970s
The Curious Lobster by Richard W. Hatch (1937)
Anyone who loves gentle quirky humor and animal stories will enjoy this tale about a lobster whose curious nature prompts him to leave the ocean in search of knowledge. His adventure begins when he risks the perils of dry land and makes friends with Badger. I am so delighted to have discovered this book! It's the perfect old-fashioned read aloud and the content is appropriate for any age who is ready to sit down and listen to a chapter book.
MORE: Classic Children's Novels from the 1930s
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White (1970)
Louis the trumpeter swan is mute, which is a problem when he wants to attract the attention of Serena, a lovely female swan. With the help of a trumpet he finds a voice, but also a quest for honesty and redemption. Along the way he develops a friendship with Sam Beaver, a boy who helps him to learn how to read and write.
MORE: Books for Readers Who Love Charlotte's Web
Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf by Catherine Storr (1955)
I 100% LOVE this 1955 classic. We've read it aloud multiple times, and my son still read it on his own! As you might guess from the title, Polly readily outwits a not-so-shrewd wolf who would like nothing better than to eat her for dinner. Storr's storytelling ability is just as clever and witty as her heroine.
MORE: Classic Children's Novels You Haven't Read, Yet!
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (1877)
Black Beauty narrates his own journey as he is passed from owner to owner, some kind, others not so much. This is a classic story which sheds light on the importance of animal welfare, and one that even kids who aren't horse-mad will enjoy.
MORE: Books Told From the Animals' Perspective
Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess (1910)
Gentle and humorous tales about anthropomorphized animals populate Burgess' classic animal stories. I loved Burgess's animal stories when I was a kid. I remember the long row of red book spines populating the library shelf. Old Mother West Wind was his first book, published in 1910. After that he published dozens of books about the adventures of animals like Sammy Blue Jay, Jimmy Skunk and Betty Bear.
MORE: My Favorite Newbery Books
The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (1956)
Yes, it's true! It was a book! And you might even like it better than the movie! And, if you can believe it, it was written by the same author as the beautiful I Capture the Castle, which is a favorite of mine. Beware of abridged versions, you'll want to appreciate this charming book in full. The sequel, Starlight Barking, has a strange science fiction element!
MORE: Classic Children's Audiobooks
Dominic by William Steig (1972)
This is one of our favorite read aloud books! Dominic the dog sets out to find adventure. Along the way he meets the Doomsday Gang, a band of ne’er-do-wells who are spreading havoc among the local population. Dominic easily foils the greedy gang and his kindness towards towards others earns him a reward, which he spreads around to the less fortunate as he continues on his journey. Dominic has such a positive attitude towards life, your kids will be smiling from ear to ear while reading.
MORE: Classic Children's Novels from the 1990s
Jenny and the Cat Club (series) by Esther Averill (1973)
Averill started writing about Jenny and her gang of feline friends in the 1940s and they still hold up today. These are short chapter books and go quickly for kids with less than stellar attention spans.
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Florence & Richard Atwater (1938)
This Newbery Honor book is still as funny today as it was in the 1930s. Mr. Popper and his family adopt a penguin sent to them by an explorer. The brood grows to 12 penguins and hijinks ensue. We first listened to this as an audiobook when my youngest son was almost 4 and he enjoyed it immensely, especially the scene in which the Poppers flood the basement with water, then freeze it.
MORE: Wonderful Wintery Read Aloud Books
Hickory by Palmer Brown (1957)
Find it: Amazon
If you want a short and sweet novel that will be enjoyed by the youngest in your family as well as the oldest read about brothers Hickory, Dickory, and Dock, who live with their parents in a grandfather clock. When Hickory meets Hop the grasshopper, the two form a friendship. Hop tells Hickory that when the warm weather fades, so will the grasshopper's song so Hickory convinces Hop to set out with him so that they will always be warm, thus thwarting inevitable mortality. The ending is ambiguous but not scary, and provides fodder for conversation with the kids.
Freddy the Detective (series) by Walter R. Brooks (1932)
I wish Freddy the Pig got more attention that he does because my sons loved this funny book. After reading Sherlock Holmes, Freddy decides to try his hand at barnyard sleuthing. After a bit of success (some of it hilariously accidental), some of the other animals realize that the jail is actually more cushy than the outdoors.
MORE: 100 Funny Read Aloud Novels
The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth (1956)
Both my kids loved this book in which a chicken's egg hatches to reveal a baby triceratops. Nate Twitchell names his new pet Uncle Beazley. Caring for Uncle Beazley is not without its ups and down. The dino can't help but get into trouble until one day it's time to take him to the National Museum in Washington, D.C. If you have a child who loves dinosaurs, try this charming, funny book on for size.
MORE: 10 Forgotten Children's Books
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes (1951)
My son was on the edge of his seat as I read aloud this classic book about a boy who saves up for a puppy (one whole dollar!). Once Ginger Pye is part of the family, he mysteriously disappears and the kids are convinced he’s been stolen. The whole neighborhood gets in on the action to look for him. A classic, heartwarming tale. Don't miss the companion book about Pinky Pye the cat!
MORE: Classic Children's Novels from the 1980s
Socks by Beverly Cleary (1973)
After a new baby enters his previously quiet home, Socks narrates his own tale how upside his world has becoem. It's hard to go wrong with Beverly Cleary. Dog fans can pick up a copy of Ribsy. We also adored the audiobook!
MORE: Books for Kids Who Love Beverly Cleary
Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson (1944)
Anthropomorphized animals in rural Connecticut hope the "New Folks coming" to their farm will will bring positive changes to the land. Things don't go quite as expected, however. An interesting read for those who love animal stories.
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