Owning a pet is a big responsibility. Kids love the idea of pets and the companionship they provide, but do they know all that goes into being a responsible pet owner? I was recently persuaded to become a fish owner. We went to the store, stocked up on all the necessary supplies, and picked out the perfect fish. It has been a fun learning experience for us as a family. To this day, my little ones still run to the bowl each morning to greet their new family member and decide who feeds them breakfast.
Before deciding on a fish as our new pet, we discussed all the responsibilities associated with having multiple animals. I love teaching and learning new topics through literature; naturally we find a variety of books about pets. check out some of these books about pets for kids that we have listed below. We hope it helps you on your journey of learning more about pets and maybe even becoming a new pet owner like us!
You are reading: Children’s books about pets
Get a full week of pet-themed lesson plans in your preschool classroom
pet books
colorful dog day by emma dodd
The colorful day of the dog makes learning colors and numbers fun as you follow his messy adventure collecting colorful spots everywhere. this is a great interactive book that had my little ones hooked every time! We were even able to weave in the importance of taking care of a dog, as he needed a bath to wash all the colors off of him.
i want an iguana by karen kaufman orloff
I Want an Iguana captures a boy’s desire to persuade his mother to let him have a pet iguana. Through detailed and humorous written exchanges, the boy and the mom go back and forth with their reasons for having (or not) a pet iguana. The colorful illustrations definitely capture the imagination of what life with an adult iguana might really be like! A great read aloud to teach point of view and persuasive writing!
pete the cat: i love my white james dean shoes
pete the cat: i love my white shoes has become a favorite in our library as it has a catchy beat and rhyme to read or sing out loud. We love Pete’s easy-going personality as he shows resilience with positive responses while continuing to get into things that mess up his new white shoes. this book is very interactive and much loved!
harry the dirty dog from gene zion
Dirty Harry the Dog is a classic story about a white dog with black spots who doesn’t want to take a bath. instead, he decides to hide the scrub brush and go on an adventure while he gets really dirty. when he tries to return home, he is almost unrecognizable to his own family!
the dove wants a puppy from mo willems
The Pigeon Wants a Pup is a fun read by Mo Willems that once again showcases the persuasion and tantrums of the demanding pigeon in a playful way. the pigeon is sure she wants a puppy and will take excellent care of him, until she actually gets one and realizes that she may not want a big, slimy, furry puppy. this book is excellent for demonstrating the desire for a pet and the real realization of all that goes into caring for a pet.
Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
strictly no elephants is a moving story that spreads the message of friendship and inclusion. when a boy and his (small) pet elephant are excluded from the pet club meeting, they stick together and find another excluded couple to share a similar story. a new pet club is started and “all are welcome!” an excellent book that includes exotic pets to teach tolerance.
tails are not for pulling elizabeth verdick
Tails Aren’t for Pulling is a book for pet owners that teaches how to interact with and care for pets. young readers will learn what is considered appropriate when interacting with animals and what to listen/look for if an animal is “telling” you not to get down to business. we liked the parenting tips at the end of the book for teaching young children how to treat animals with kindness and respect.
See Also: Wrexford & Sloane Mystery Series by Andrea Penrose
Can I pet your dog? by stephanie calmenson
This practical guide for kids meeting dogs and dogs meeting kids is a great way to introduce interaction with unfamiliar dogs. Using a kind and gentle dachshund as the main character, young readers will learn the guidelines for approaching cautiously and getting permission from the dog and owner to proceed with an interaction.
what pet should i have? by Dr. seuss
what pet should i have? It touches on the childhood longing for a pet, but also how difficult it can be to choose just one. dr seuss takes you through a rhythmic adventure of two brothers trying to decide which pet to get. seuss features silly and wacky animals, sparking lots of conversation about the different kinds of pets out there! we loved imagining what it would be like to own a yent!
“let’s get a puppy!” by Bob Graham
“let’s get a puppy!” kate said is a heartwarming adoption story about a girl who wanted a puppy. after examining a variety of puppies at the local shelter, they found the right one; however, an older dog tugged at her heartstrings as they left, and found room for one more!
oh, theodore! by susan katz
oh, theodore! is a poetic story of a little boy who wanted a pet and had to reluctantly decide on a guinea pig. Theodore the guinea pig ends up teaching him a lot about caring for a pet. we particularly enjoy the interwoven themes of patience, responsibility, and love.
i am the dog i am the cat of donald hall
I am the dog I am the cat is a poem that goes back and forth between a dog and a cat, touching on their marked preferences. As their differences are explored, you’ll also learn more about what makes these two animals some of our best companions. this text would be perfect for a compare and contrast venn diagram.
pets in the white house of marge kennedy
pets in the white house is a scholastic nonfiction newsreader that introduces readers to the names and breeds of animals that have graced the white house. From the seven goats, three ponies, a raccoon, dogs, cats and more, it’s fun to discover the animals that have been pets of the Presidents of the United States. we enjoyed how he gave a glimpse into the personalities and real lives of past presidents.
a fish out of water by helen palmer
A Fish Out of Water is a fun and whimsical tale that teaches the very important lesson that owning a pet is a big responsibility. When the young pet owner doesn’t follow instructions and overfeeds his goldfish, silly chaos ensues. we loved imagining all that could happen to our new fish if we didn’t take care of it properly.
lola gets a cat from anna mcquinn
if your child wants a new pet, consider sharing with them lola has a cat.
See Also: 10 Books to Read if You Loved Untamed by Glennon Doyle – RamonaMead.com
pet show! by ezra jack keats
Archie’s pet escapes in a pet show! But his quick thinking helps him come up with a brilliant idea!
margie palatini’s perfect pet
The Perfect Pet is a great book to share with your child if they really want a pet.
look and see learn: pets by children of national geographic
look and see learn: pets introduces your children to many different types of family-friendly pets.
the first great pet book for young children by catherine hughes
Your little students will learn everything there is to know about pets in little kids first big book of pets.
i will always love you by hans wilhelm
Losing a pet can be hard, but I Will Always Love You can be heartwarming reading for a child who has just lost their pet.
get a full week of pet learning and play
Save time and jump right into playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme, and we’ve provided different versions for home preschool families and classroom teachers so that all activities are geared squarely at their needs.
This set includes active hands-on learning ideas and the following printables:
1) Small Pet Number Cards (0-35): 4 sets with different animal options for math and calendar activities. 2) large pet number cards (1-10) 3) pet picture cards 4) pet picture and word cards 5) pet or wild animal sorting cards and mats 6) pet letter puzzles 7) scrolls pet charts and graph mats and cubes (2 color and black and white versions) 8) i have a pet popup reader (3 versions) 9) feed your pet math game (3 color and black and white game boards) black, 6 game cube variations for differentiation) 10) sight word squawk word cards 11) activity mats and pet-themed color-matching game pieces 12) beginning sound sorting (/a/, /p/, /e/, /t/) 13) Shaped Pet Food Sorting Mats
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more resources for little book lovers
The best way to foster a love of reading is to give children plenty of opportunities to interact with a wide variety of books that interest them. That’s why we share so many great fun and great learning book lists. we want to make it easy for you to find great books your kids will love. Over the years, we’ve also discovered some helpful tools for connecting kids to books.
Digital libraries are a very useful way of doing this. epic! is one of our favorite online libraries. It’s packed with over 25,000 books, learning videos, quizzes and more for kids 12 and under… and it’s free for educators. Click here for more information and to register.
book boxes are another fun way to get kids excited about reading. What kid doesn’t love getting a special delivery in the mail? the bookroo team finds the best little books you don’t already have in your library and sends them to you every month. take a look inside a bookroo box here.
book-based activities are also great fun for children. jodie over at grow book by book has saved us all a ton of time and created a whole year’s worth of book-based activity calendars so you can extend the fun with a special book every week.
See Also: Steve Hamilton Books In Order – How To Read Steve Hamilton&39s Books?