The Giant Print
Library
Animal stories for
younger readers
Updated October 2012
Any UK member of our library service
may borrow up to a maximum of 6
books per service for a 3 month loan
period.
Most of the books have been produced
by the National Blind Children's
Society and are in 24 point type with
identical covers to the ordinary print
versions of the books.
Logo – RNIB supporting blind and partially sighted people
Registered charity number 226227
rnib.org.uk
Please be aware that due to their size,
many of the books are split into two or
more volumes, and these will have the
same covers.
For details on borrowing any of the
titles listed or for further information
regarding the Giant Print collection
please contact Liz Farrell or Hazel
Sharrock, Children's Librarians at
RNIB National Library Service on 0161
429 1975.
rnib.org.uk
Animal stories for younger
readers
Adams, Georgie
Mellow and the great river
rescue. 2011. Suggested reading
age 5+. 1v.
Meet the Railway Rabbits! Join this
irrepressible rabbit family as they get
in and out of scrapes, meet new
friends, perform daring rescues, and
explore the ancient castle on the hill.
But watch out for the wily buzzard,
always on the lookout for naughty
rabbits who stray too far from home.
Adams, Richard.
Watership Down. 1972.
Suggested reading age 11+. 4v.
Only a few rabbits escape with their
lives when men destroy their warren.
Many dangers have to be faced as
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they search for a safe place to
establish a new one.
Atkinson, Eleanor.
Greyfriars Bobby. 1912.
Suggested reading age 11+. 2v.
Bobby, an active Skye terrier, adores
his master Auld Jock, and when the
old man dies, Bobby refuses to leave
his grave in Greyfriars Churchyard in
Edinburgh.
Bagnold, Enid.
National Velvet. 1935. Suggested
reading age 11+. 2v.
Velvet is mad about horses. She wins
a horse in a raffle. His heart is big and
he'll do anything for Velvet. She has
her sights set on a biggest race in
England. Can a girl win the Grand
National?
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Bates, Michelle.
A horse for the summer. 2009.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Part of the Sandy Lane Stables series
(The perfect pony and Ride by
moonlight by Michelle Bates are also
available) Tom's cousin has agreed to
lend him Chancey, her stunning
chestnut gelding, for the holiday. But
Tom's elation turns to dismay when he
sees the state Chancey is in. It will
take a lot of hard work to get the horse
ready for the summer shows, but Tom
is determined... until Nick decides
Chancey is too dangerous to ride.
Bawden, Nina.
The peppermint pig. 1977.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Johnnie was the runt of the litter, a
little peppermint pig. He'd cost Mother
a shilling, but somehow his great
naughtiness and cleverness kept Poll
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and Theo cheerful, even though it was
one of the most difficult years of their
lives.
Birney, Betty G.
The world according to
Humphrey. 2006. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Book 1 of the According to Humphrey
series (Other books in this series are
also available). You can learn a lot
about life by observing another
species. That's what Humphrey was
told when he was bought as a
classroom pet for Room 26. Humphrey
learns to read, write, shoot rubber
bands and much more. Life would be
perfect if only the teacher, Mrs
Brisbane, wasn't out to get him!
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Butterworth, Annette
Jake. 1996. Suggested reading
age 7+. 1v.
Book 1 in the Adventures of Jake
series (Other books in this series are
also available). Jake loves to chase
ducks, play with dirty washing, and eat
chocolate eggs. He dreams of going to
Crufts, the biggest dog show in the
world, but he knows he'll never get
there. But Jake is the best friend you
could ever have - and sometimes even
a dog's dream can come true.
Butterworth, Nick.
Tiger in the snow! 2007.
Suggested reading age 0-4. 1v.
It isn't hard for Tiger to find someone
to play with! But one day, when
everything is covered in a chilly white
blanket of snow, Tiger's friends are too
cold or too busy to go out and he has
to play by himself. Until he finds
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something very unusual buried in the
snow!
Byars, Betsy
The midnight fox. 1998.
Suggested reading age 11+. 1v.
Tom is so excited by seeing the black
fox with the green eyes that he goes
out every day hoping to see her again.
And when she and her cub are in
danger from his uncle's gun, he is sure
he is the only person who can save
them.
Byrne, Richard.
Millicent and Meer. 2011.
Suggested reading age 0-4. 1v.
One day, Millicent is busy making
sandcastles in her garden when,
THUMP, a big wooden box lands
beside her. Inside, Millicent finds the
most unexpected new friend. Who can
he be and where has he come from?
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Find out in this funny book about the
friendship between a feisty little girl
and a sparky, adorable little meerkat.
Canning, Victor
The runaways. 1978. Suggested
reading age 11+. 2v.
Story of an encounter between a
remand home runaway and a cheetah
which had escaped from Longleat.
Charles, Faustin.
The selfish crocodile. 1999.
Suggested reading age 5+. 1v.
Every morning a very large and very
snappy crocodile shouts this selfish
message: 'Stay away from my river!
It's MY river! If you come in my river,
I'll eat you all!' The animals in the
forest don't know what to do. They are
frightened of the crocodile. Until one
day, the creatures are woken by a loud
groaning sound which turns out to be
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the selfish crocodile in a lot of pain,
and the smallest of them all, a little
mouse, finds a way to solve their
snappy dilemma!
Clover, Peter.
New pup on the block. 2000.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
(Other books in this series are also
available). It's Jack's birthday. Morning
dawns and his presents await him. A
puppy is all he's ever wanted...
Hercules is a huge disappointment.
Short, squat and funny, but not what
Jack had in mind. Ignoring this scruffy
bundle of fur is his only option. But
Hercules is a dog who won't give up.
Even when Jack leads him into terrible
danger.
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Cooper, Helen
Pumpkin soup. 1999. Suggested
reading age 5+. 1v.
A story focusing on friendship and
sharing. Cat, Duck and Squirrel live in
an old white cabin. Every day Cat
slices up some pumpkin, Squirrel stirs
in some water and Duck tips in some
salt to make perfect pumpkin soup.
Everybody seems happy until the day
Duck wants to do the stirring.
Cope, Andrew
Circus act. 2010. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
One of the books from the Spy Pups
series. Spud - he's scatty and accident
prone - but good with the gadgets
...Star - she's super smart and ready to
pounce Together they're Spy Pups,
following hot in the paw prints of mum
Lara (that's Licensed Assault and
Rescue Animal to you). Every time the
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circus is in town, sparkling jewels
worth millions of pounds go missing!
The Spy Pups must embark on an
exciting new adventure - join the circus
and catch the robbers!
Cope, Andrew.
Spy dog. 2005. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v
Book 1 in the Spy dog series. (Other
books in this series are also available).
Lara, is a special agent, bred by the
British Secret Service for use on
dangerous missions around the world.
She must go undercover as a normal
dog, 'choose' a family to look after her
and await her retrieval by the Secret
Service. But can she keep her true
identity a secret?
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Cross, Gillian.
The great elephant chase. 1992.
Suggested reading age 11+. 2v.
The great elephant chase took Tad
and his friend from Pennsylvania, to
Nebraska, by train, flatboat and
steamboat. They were being chased
by Hannibal Jackson who wanted the
elephant for his own ends. And how do
you hide a large Indian elephant?
Dahl, Roald.
Esio trot. 1989. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
Mr Hoppy, a retired bachelor, harbours
a secret passion for the attractive
widow Mrs Silver. She, however,
lavishes all her attention on another Alfie, her pet tortoise! Will Mr Hoppy's
wildly ingenious plot to defeat his rival
and win the love of his lady?
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Dahl, Roald.
Fantastic Mr Fox. 1970.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Three farmers, were lying in wait
outside Mr Fox's hole, each one
determined to shoot, starve or dig out
Mr Fox. But Mr Fox's wife was right
when she told the children, 'Your father
is a fantastic fox! He has quite enough
brains to fox much cleverer farmers
than Boggis, Bunce and Bean!'.
Dahl, Roald
The giraffe and the pelly and me.
2001. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
Billy is surprised when a giraffe, a
pelican and a monkey move into the
queer old wooden house that used to
be a sweet shop. The giraffe is
concerned because they need work for
their Ladderless Window-Cleaning
Company. The next thing you know
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they are cleaning the windows of
Hampshire House, home of the Duke
of Hampshire and the pelican is
catching a burglar.
Daniels, Lucy.
Dolphin in the deep. 2004.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
This is a book from the Animal Ark
series. (Other books in this series are
also available). A trip to the States is a
dream come true for Mandy! She loves
playing with two tame dolphins, Bob
and Bing. But when Bob dies, the
lonely Bing pines for company. But will
Mandy's daring plan to cheer him up
work?
Davies, Nicola.
White owl, barn owl. 2008.
Suggested reading age 5+. 1v.
The little girl in this book has never
seen a barn owl, but one day her
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grandpa puts a nest-box high in the old
oak tree. They wait and they wait until
one spring night, just as the sky goes
pink, a pale face looks out of it, then
takes off towards them...
DiCamillo, Kate.
Because of Winn-Dixie. 2001.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
One summer's day, ten-year-old Opal
Buloni goes down to the local
supermarket for some groceries - and
comes home with a dog. Winn-Dixie is
no ordinary dog. He is big, skinny and
smelly, but he has a winning smile and
helps Opal to make lots of friends that
summer.
DiCamillo, Kate.
The tale of Despereaux : being
the story of a mouse, a princess,
some soup, and a spool of
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thread. 2004. Suggested reading
age 9+. 1v.
This is the story of Despereaux Tilling,
a mouse in love with music, stories
and a princess named Pea. It is also
the story of a rat called Roscuro and a
serving girl called Miggery Sow. These
characters are about to embark on a
journey that will lead them down into a
dungeon and into each other's lives.
Di Terlizzi, Tony.
Kenny & the dragon. 2008
Suggested age range 9+. 1v
Kenneth is a little rabbit with a very big
problem. His two best friends are
heading for a battle of legendary
proportions - with each other!
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Dodd, Lynley.
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's
dairy. 1985. Suggested reading
age 0-4. 1v.
Hairy Maclary goes off for a walk with
a few of his friends - and comes up
against a nasty surprise, in the shape
of the cat Scarface Claw, who chases
the dogs away.
Duffey, Betsy.
Lucky in the doghouse. 1999.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
George loves his new puppy, Lucky,
but Lucky is out of control. If George
can't stop Lucky barking at night and
making puddles in the house, Mum
and Dad say he will have to go!
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Fine, Anne.
The chicken gave it to me. 1993.
Suggested age range 7+. 1v.
This story is a chicken's extraordinary
tale. The true story of Harrowing Farm.
Its scratchy little pages unfold a story
that changes lives, the story of a
chicken who flies frillions of miles to try
and save us humans.
Fine, Anne.
The country pancake. 1991.
Suggested age range 7+. 1v.
Lance comes up with the most original
fund-raising idea ever - all made
possible because of his friendship with
Flossie the cow.
Fine, Anne
The diary of a killer cat. 1996.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
(The sequel, The killer cat strikes
back, is also available) Poor Ellie is
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horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird
into the house. Then a mouse. But
Tuffy can't understand what the fuss is
all about. Who on earth will be the
next victim to arrive through the cat
flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie get her
beloved pet to change his wild ways
before he ends up in even deeper
trouble? The antics of Tuffy and his
family are told by the killer cat himself.
French, Vivian.
Henny Penny. 2007. Suggested
reading age 5+. 1v.
We all know the story of Henny Penny,
the silly chicken who thinks the sky is
falling in. Well, that is not the true
story. No, that is a misrepresentation
put about by foxes. This is the true
story, and proves what we always
knew in our hearts - chickens are
heroes!
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Funke, Cornelia
Saving Mississippi.2010.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Emma loves to visit Grandma Dolly
and her animal sanctuary in the
summer holidays. At home, Emma isn't
even allowed a guinea pig. Emma's
grandmother is asked to take in
Mississippi, the beloved horse of her
friend who has passed away. Emma
can't believe her luck when Grandma
then gives her Mississippi - a horse of
her own.
Gallico, Paul.
Jennie. 1950. Suggested reading
age 9+. 2v.
For years eight-year-old Peter has
wanted a cat. He knows every cat in
the Square and has managed at times
to smuggle one in for a day or so
before it was discovered and swiftly
removed. Now simply by dashing out
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in front of a coal lorry to rescue a
stripey kitten, he seems to be turning
into a cat and, of course, pushed out
into the street himself. There is to be a
good deal to learn...
Gleitzman, Morris.
Toad rage. 2000. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Uncle Bart reckons humans don't hate
cane toads but Lumpy knows they do.
He embarks on a dangerous but funny
quest to show humans how nice cane
toads are.
Graham, Bob
How to heal a broken wing. 2010.
Suggested reading age 0-4. 1v.
When Will helps an injured bird, he
learns that a little kindness can go a
long way. No one in the city sees the
bird lying on the pavement, its wing
broken. No one but a small boy called
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Will. He and his mum carry it home
and, with time, rest, and a little bit of
hope, the wing mends... and they set
the bird free to soar over the city once
more.
Grahame, Kenneth.
The wind in the willows. 1908.
Suggested age range 9+. 2v.
A book of sunshine, running water,
woodlands, and the creatures that
inhabit them, with such well-loved
friends as Mole, Rat and Badger plus
the incomparable Toad of Toad Hall.
Gravett, Emily.
Wolf won't bite! Suggested
reading age 0-4. 1v.
Take your seat in the front row and
watch in wonder as three cheeky little
circus pigs make a wild wolf jump
through hoops, endure feats of
astounding derring-do, and even
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withstand perilous games of dress-up.
Safe in the thought that wolf won't bite!
They even put their heads between his
jaws, but can you push a wolf too far?
Gray, Kes.
Daisy and the trouble with zoos.
2008. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
It's Daisy's birthday and she's having a
special birthday treat! Mum has invited
her best friends, Gabby and Dylan, on
a trip to the zoo - and, best of all, Mum
has arranged for Daisy to go into the
actual penguin cage with the actual
zoo keeper and feed actual penguins!
Trouble is, Daisy doesn't just feed the
penguins, she adopts one.
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Gregg, Stacy.
Issie and the Christmas pony.
2008. Suggested age range 9+.
1v.
Issie had always wanted her very own
pony, and perhaps this Christmas her
wish would come true! Issie tells the
story of how she first met Mystic - and
how a little magic helped Issie and her
perfect pony to stay together for ever.
Grogan, John
A very Marley Christmas. 2008.
Suggested age range 5+. 1v.
With all the excitement of Christmas
approaching, it's no surprise that
Marley, the loveable pup with a nose
for trouble, wants to get in on the
action.
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Hawkins, E.
A monster of a hamster. 1997.
Suggested age range 7+. 1v.
Luke and Anna-Louise take the class
hamster home for holiday. Now it's
missing and they are in big trouble!
Hay, Samantha
Archie : hero in training. 2011.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Archie the puppy has been given a
very special and important task. He
has been picked to become a guide
dog - helping a partially sighted child
or grown-up to gain their
independence and live a fuller life. But
the training is tough and not all
puppies will make the grade. Archie is
determined to become a guide dog,
but will he succeed?
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Howker, Janni.
Badger on the barge: and other
stories. 1987. Suggested reading
age 11+. 2v.
Five short stories, each concerned
with a significant encounter between
two people. There is Miss Brady, who
lives with a badger on a barge, Sally
Beck, reliving her adventurous past,
the Egg Man, a recluse, and Jakey,
proudly independent on his boat.
Howker, Janni.
Isaac Campion. 1988. Suggested
reading age 13+. 1v.
Even before the tragic death of his
older brother, young Isaac Campion
has a difficult relationship with his
horsedealer father. It seems as
through Isacc's father wants to master
Isaac, the way he masters his horses.
But Isaac is a boy with a mind and
heart of his own.
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Inkpen, Mick.
Penguin small. 2006. Suggested
age range 7+. 1v
This is the story of the last North Pole
penguin, who was - as it turned out was also the smallest penguin...
Penguin Small. An extraordinary story
about one small penguin's journey to a
new home.
Jacques, B.
Redwall. 1990. Suggested age
range 13+. 3v
Book 1 in the Redwall series (the
sequel, Mossflower, is also available).
It is the start of the Summer of the Late
Rose. Redwall Abbey, peaceful home
of a community of mice. The mice are
busy preparing for a great Jubilee
feast. But not for long. Cluny is
coming! The evil one-eyed rat warlord
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is advancing and Cluny wants
Redwall…
Jungman, Ann.
Septimouse, big cheese. 1995.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
(Septimouse, Supermouse is also
available). Septimouse - 7th son of a
7th son - comes to the rescue when
Big Big Person Dad is made
redundant. He sets up a cheese
factory for dad to turn and soon 45
cheese is famous throughout the land.
Kerr, Judith.
Mog the forgetful cat. 1970.
Suggested reading age 0-4. 1v.
Mog always seems to be in trouble for
her forgetfulness... but one night it
comes in very handy!
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Kerr, Judith.
The tiger who came to tea. 2006.
Suggested reading age 5+. 1v
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and
her mummy are sitting down to tea.
Who could it possibly be? What they
certainly don't expect to see at the
door is a big furry, stripy tiger!
Kerr, Judith
Twinkles, Arthur and Puss. 2008.
Suggested reading age 0-4. 1v.
Grandpa has a black cat called Puss.
They like eating bacon and chips
together. The Jones family also have a
black cat. They call him Twinkles. Lady
Daisy found a lovely black cat whom
she calls Arthur.
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Kimpton, Diana.
Princess Ellie to the rescue.
2004. Suggested reading age 9+.
1v.
All Princess Ellie ever thinks about is
horse riding. When Sundance, one of
her beloved ponies, goes missing,
Ellie's sure that the mysterious girl in
the woods must have something to do
with it. Can she solve the mystery and
rescue Sundance before it's too late?
King, Daren
Peter the penguin pioneer. 2008.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Fresh from a jungle trip, Peter, his
exuberant assistant Punky and their
friend Harold discover their beloved
ice-skating rink has been overpopulated with some dubious-looking
penguins. Determined to weasle them
out and return their rink to its former
glory, Peter and Punky embark on an
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adventure involving flying fish, silly
snowmen, angry polar bears and a
bunch of very sneaky squirrels.
King-Smith, Dick.
Animal stories. 1998. Suggested
reading age 5+. 1v.
A collection of animal stories by Dick
King-Smith, including two new stories,
an extract from "The Sheep-Pig", two
extracts from the "Hodgeheg" stories
and three complete stories from "A
Narrow Squeak".
King-Smith, Dick.
Clever duck. 1997. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
Damaris the duck has had enough of
the farmyard pigs and their insults.
Teaming up with her sheepdog friend
Rory, the clever duck helps, teach
them a lesson they'll never forget.
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King-Smith, Dick.
The crowstarver. 1999.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Crowstarving was the ideal job for
Spider - he was on his own and yet
never alone, for all around him were
animals of one sort or another.
King-Smith, Dick
Fox busters. 1978. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Meet Ransome, Sins and Jeffries three chickens who became a legend
at Foxearth Farm. Not only could they
fly out of reach of foxes, they could
defeat the craftiest attackers. Their
deeds became legendary, for these
three sisters were the Fox Busters.
rnib.org.uk
King-Smith, Dick.
Harriet's hare. 1994. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
This is the story about a girl called
Harriet, who meets an alien in the form
of a talking hare. Harriet names her
new friend Wiz, and finds he can
speak any language and transform
himself into any shape.
King-Smith, Dick.
The hodgeheg. 1987. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
This is the story of Max, the hedgehog
who becomes a hodgeheg, who
becomes a hero! Max's family dreams
of reaching the Park. But no one has
ever found a safe way of crossing the
very busy road. Can Max really solve
the problem?
rnib.org.uk
King-Smith, Dick.
The invisible dog. 1995.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
This is the story of a girl who tries to
satisfy her yearning for a dog by
introducing an imaginary Great Dane
called Henry to the house. Her wish
comes true and she is allowed a real
Henry - but there's more than a hint
that old Mrs Garrow, with her cackling
laugh and black cat, may have been
involved.
King-Smith, Dick.
The mouse family Robinson.
2007. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
'If only that horrible cat didn't live here!'
When Beaumont Robinson, an
inquisitive young mouse, is nearly
killed by the cat, his family decide
there is only one thing to do. They
must emigrate!
rnib.org.uk
King-Smith, Dick.
A narrow squeak and other
animal stories. 1995. Suggested
age range 9+. 1v.
There's a bullied brontosaurus, a
wimpish woodlouse, a rebellious
hedgehog and a dog with an identity
crisis in this collection of stories.
King-Smith, Dick.
The sheep-pig. 1983. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
When Farmer Hogget wins a piglet at
the local fair, Mrs Hogget thinks of
fattening it up for the freezer. But the
old sheepdog, Fly, takes him under her
wing and starts to train him up as a
sheep-pig, whose methods of getting
the sheep to do what he wants are
rather unconventional.
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King-Smith, Dick.
The water-horse. 1992.
Suggested age range 9+. 1v.
Kirstie finds a strange object which
hatches into a creature with a horse's
head, a warty skin, four flippers and a
crocodile's tail. The adorable baby
sea-monster soon becomes a pet - but
the trouble is, he just doesn't stop
growing!
Kipling, Rudyard.
The second jungle book. 1895.
Suggested reading age 9+. 2v.
The stories follow Mowgli, the man
cub, through his adolescence until he
leaves the law of the jungle and
returns to mankind.
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Knudsen, Michelle.
Library lion. 2008. Suggested
reading age 5+.
When a lion visits the library, no one
knows what to do: there are no rules
about lions in the library. But soon he's
indispensable - "What a helpful lion,"
people say. "How did we ever get
along without him?" But one day the
head librarian falls and breaks her
arm, and the only way the lion can get
help is to roar. And that is breaking the
rules.
Leigh, Susannah.
Dream pony. 2009. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
Part of the Sandy Lane Stables series.
Jess can hardly believe it, but she
really is the proud owner of Skylark the
pony. There's only one problem.
Skylark must be kept at Rychester, a
rival stables. Rychester couldn't be
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more different from Sandy Lane - and
neither could its riders. Is Jess' dream
about to turn into a nightmare?
Lewis, Gill.
Sky hawk. Suggested reading
age 9+. 1v.
When Callum and his friends find Iona
on Callum's farm they try to chase her
back into the village. But Iona runs
from them up into the hills. Worried for
Iona's safety, Callum follows to find her
shivering with cold but refusing to
leave. She is guarding a secret hidden
in the forest above the dark waters of
the loch. So they make a deal. Iona
shares the secret and in return Callum
allows her back onto the farm. They
form a deep bond of friendship and
make a promise to keep their secret
safe. It is a promise that will change
Callum's world forever...
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Lloyd, Sam.
Mr.Pusskins. 2007. Suggested
reading age 0-4. 1v.
Meet Mr Pusskins. He's the grumpiest,
sassiest yet most lovable cat around!
McCartney, Paul.
High in the clouds. 2006.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
A delightful tale about a land where all
the animals are free...To the creatures
of the woodland, the land of Animalia
sounds like a dream - a tropical island
where all the animals live in harmony.
Madden, Deidre.
Thanks for telling me, Emily.
2007. Suggested reading age 9+.
1v.
When Keira visits aunt Emily's pet
shop a strange woman arrives. She
has just bought a castle and now she
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wants some animals to populate it.
Can Keira and aunt Emily persuade
her otherwise?
Malone, Geoffrey.
Tiger. 2006. Suggested reading
age 9+. 2v.
In the Indian forest, danger lurks in
every corner and Kuma must teach her
cubs the harsh rules of survival against
nature. But when a tiger is worth more
dead than alive, she must face the
most cunning enemy of all - humans.
Mankell, Henning.
The cat who liked rain.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1992.
1v.
This is the story of young Lucas who
gets a most precious present for his
birthday, a black kitten which he calls
Night. Lucas becomes very attached to
Night but one day Lucas comes home
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from school and discovers that his
beloved cat has disappeared. He is
desperate and no one is able to
console him. He searches for Night
everywhere and doesn't stop hoping
for his return. It's only sometime later
that Night appears in his dreams and
tells him that he had to leave to see
the world, just as Lucas will do one
day when he has grown up.
Mark, Jan.
Taking the cat's way home. 1994.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Jane has a cat called Furlong. Every
day, he walks to school with Jane and
her friend, Andrea. When a new boy at
school starts causing trouble for Jane,
she decides that the only way to
escape him is to take Furlong's secret
path into the unknown.
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Mitchell, Elyne
The silver brumby. 1958.
Suggested reading age 9+. 2v.
A silver brumby is special, but he will
be hunted by man and horse alike, and
must be stronger than both. Thowra,
the magnificent silver stallion, is king of
the brumbies. But he must defend his
herd from the mighty horse, The
Brolga, in the most savage of
struggles. That is not the only danger.
Thowra needs all his speed and
cunning to save his herd from capture
by man. In a desperate chase through
the mountains, it seems there is no
longer anywhere for him to run to...
Moore, Inga.
Six dinner Sid. 1990. Suggested
reading age 0-4. 1v.
Sid is a cat who is addicted to having
six meals a day and glories in this
lifestyle. Manipulative, persuasive and
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a charmer he has wrapped everybody
round his little paw - each owner
believes that Sid belongs to them only
...until the day he is found out!
Morpurgo, Michael.
The amazing story of Adolphus
Tips. 2005. Suggested reading
age 11+. 1v.
A heart-warming tale of courage and
warmth, set against the backdrop of
the Second World War, about an
abandoned village, a lifelong friendship
and one very adventurous cat!
Morpurgo, Michael
Born to run. 2007. Suggested
interest age 13+. 1v.
When Patrick saves a litter of
greyhound puppies from the canal, he
can't bear to hand them all over to the
RSPCA. He pleads with his parents:
couldn't he just keep one of them?
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Patrick christens his puppy Best Mate,
and that's what he becomes. Patrick's
favourite thing is to watch Best Mate
running at full stretch on the heat. Until
one day Best Mate is kidnapped by a
greyhound trainer, and begins a new
life as a champion race dog. Suzie, the
greyhound trainer's step-daughter,
gives him a new name, Bright Eyes.
But what will happen when he can't run
any more?
Morpurgo. Michael.
The butterfly lion. 1996.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Bertie rescues an orphaned white lion
cub. They become inseparable but
then Bertie is sent to boarding school
far away in England and the lion is
sold to the circus. Will the pair ever
resume their friendship?
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Morpurgo. Michael.
Kaspar. 2008. Suggested age
range 7+. 1v.
Kaspar the cat first came to The Savoy
Hotel in a basket - Johnny Trott knows,
because he was the one who carried
him in. Johnny was a bell-boy, you
see, and he carried all of Countess
Kandinsky's things to her room.
O'Brien, R. C.
Mrs Frisby and the rats of Nimh.
1994. Suggested age range 9+.
2v.
Time is running out for Mrs Frisby, who
must move her family of mice before
the farmer destroys their home. Help
comes in the form of some superintelligent rats, and little by little Mrs
Frisby learns the rats' extraordinary
secret.
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Ogden, Brian.
Maximus Mouse. 1991.
Suggested reading age 5+. 1v.
Maximus listens to the Sunday
sermons on the Lord's Prayer but has
some amusing misunderstandings.
Pearce, Philippa.
The battle of Bubble and Squeak.
1978. Suggested reading age 9+.
1v.
This is a story about three children
who are given two gerbils as
Australia.
Pearce, Philippa.
A dog so small. 1962. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
For months, Ben had been thinking
about dogs. He had picked the biggest
and the best from the dog-books in the
library. So imagine his disappointment
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when, for his birthday, he received a
picture of a dog. Ben's imagination
soon got to work, though, and that's
when his adventures began.
Pearce, Phillipa.
The little gentleman. 2004.
Suggested age range 9+. 1v.
Bet, the granddaughter of Mr Franklin's
cleaning lady, is asked to deputise for
the ailing master of the house by
carrying out the most peculiar of tasks.
She is despatched to the nearby
meadow where she meets a centuriesold mole who can talk.
Porter, Sue.
It's me, Parsnip. 2007. Suggested
reading age 0-4. 1v.
Someone has left a muddy puddle in
the hall - and on the stairs - and in the
bedroom. Who can it be?
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Porter, Sue.
Parsnip. 2007. Suggested
reading age 0-4. 1v.
One snowy night, a newborn lamb is
brought into the farmhouse out of the
cold. Gradually she warms up, but
she's all alone. Help Parsnip and her
friends search for her mummy.
Potter, Beatrix.
The tale of Peter Rabbit. 1900.
Suggested age range 7+. 1v.
(Many other tales by Beatrix Potter are
also available). 'Now my dears', said
old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may
go into the fields or down the lane,
but don't go into Mr McGregors'
garden…
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Rayner, Catherine.
Harris finds his feet. 2009.
Suggested reading age 0-4. 1v.
Harris was a very small hare with very
big feet. His grandad shows him how
to hop high into the sky, to climb to the
tops of the mountains, and to run very
fast. Harris not only learns about the
world around him but also the
importance of finding his own feet.
Rosoff, Meg.
Meet the wild boars. 2005.
Suggested age range 0-4. 1v.
Meet Boris, Morris, Horace and Doris,
four rude and bad tempered boars. Horace will soak in the toilet for hours
and be rude to your pets! As for Doris,
she has never been good, not for one
single second - you have been warned
- there is no such thing as a nice wild
boar!
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Rusbridger, Alan.
The coldest day in the zoo. 2004.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Slap bang in the middle of the coldest
Friday of the coldest week of the year,
the central heating breaks down at
Melton Mowbray Zoo. The system
needs a new flange but flanges can't
be obtained on Fridays in Melton
Mowbray, so Mr Pickles the head
keeper asks all the other keepers to
take the animal they are in charge of
home for the weekend. The results
range from disastrous to successful:
when for instance the penguin (who
always hankered after the good life')
decides to eat his tea in Mr Pumbles'
bed.
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Sage, Angie.
Allie's crocodile. 1997.
Suggested age range 5+. 1v.
He's large and wet, and he's a
crocodile. But Allie can't let the traffic
warden tow him away, so she takes
him home. How is Allie going to feed
the crocodile, keep him in water and
hide him from her mum at the same
time?
Sage, Angie.
Crocodile canal. 1998. Suggested
reading age 5+. 1v.
Allie, Gran and the crocodile go on
holiday on a canal boat. Ernest Python
and his family are also on the canals
and Ernest is determined to catch the
crocodile. Chases and comic
confusion ensue on and under water
as Allie and the crocodile outwit him.
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Said, S.F.
The outlaw Varjak Paw. 2006.
Suggested age range 9+. 1v.
Having saved the city cats from a fate
worse than death, Varjak Paw finds
himself the elected and popular leader
of a new gang - a gang that supports
freedom and kindness for all. But will
the pressure take its toll on this brave
yet sometimes naive cat?
Salten, Felix
Bambi. 1988. Suggested reading
age 9+. 1v.
Bambi's life in the woods begin
happily. There are forest animals to
play with Friend Hare, the chattery
squirrel, the noisy screech owl, and
Bambi's twin cousins, frail Gobo and
beautiful Faline.
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Sewell, Anna.
Black beauty. 1877. Suggested
age range 9+. 2v.
Black Beauty begins life in a loving
home. But his owners are forced to sell
him, and Black Beauty's fortunes
change. He is moved from place to
place and job to job, often suffering
cruel treatment, until a chance
encounter leads to a new turn of
events.
Sleigh, Barbara.
Carbonel. 1955. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Rosemary's plan to clean houses over
the summer takes a strange turn after
she acquires a cat who turns out to be
enchanted.
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Smith, Dodie
The hundred and one
dalmations. 1956. Suggested age
range 9+. 1v.
Pongo the dalmatian and his wife
Missis undertake a daring expedition
to rescue their fifteen puppies from the
clutches of the vicious Cruella de Vil
Steig, William
Abel's island. 2007. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
Castaway on an uninhabited island,
Abel, a very civilized mouse, finds his
resourcefulness and endurance tested
to the limit as he struggles to survive
and return to his home.
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Tomlinson, Jill.
The aardvark who wasn't sure.
2001. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
Pim is a baby aardvark. His mother
has told him so. But Pim still isn't quite
sure, because he doesn't seem to be
able to do any of the things that other
aardvarks can do. As he grows up,
however, Pim finds out these things
have to be learned, sometimes from
his mother and sometimes from other
creatures he meets. As time goes on,
he becomes increasingly sure that he
really is an aardvark after all!
Tomlinson, Jill.
The cat who wanted to go home.
2001. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
Suzy is a little striped cat, who lives in
a French seaside village with a
fisherman and his four sons. Like all
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cats, Suzy is very inquisitive, which
causes problems when she climbs into
the basket of a hot air balloon - and is
carried off over the Channel to
England! How will she ever get back
to France? It won't be easy, but Suzy
refuses to be put off by a bit of water...
Tomlinson, Jill.
The gorilla who wanted to grow
up. 1991. Suggested reading age
7+. 1v.
Pongo, a young male gorilla wants to
grow up. He learns about the differing
roles of his family and the community
in which he lives. Through play with his
young sister (Whoopsie) and his
friends he finds his future role in life
which is to be the leader of the gorilla
troop.
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Tomlinson, Jill.
The hen who wouldn't give up.
2001. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
Hilda the hen is very excited. Her
Auntie has had a family of new chicks,
and she is determined to go and visit
them. But how is she to travel the five
miles to her Auntie's farm? There is
only one thing for it - she will have to
hitch a lift! No easy task for a small
hen, but Hilda is not one to give up
easily...
Tomlinson, Jill.
The otter who wanted to know.
2001. Suggested reading age 7+.
1v.
Pat is a young sea otter who never
stops asking questions - although she
doesn't always listen to the answers!
Life can be dangerous for a young
otter, though, and Pat learns how to
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deal with hungry sharks and sudden
storms. Then, one day, Pat has a
great adventure - and it is so exciting
that she almost forgets to ask any
questions!
Tomlinson, Jill.
The owl who was afraid of the
dark. 2001. Suggested reading
age 7+. 1v.
Plop is exactly the same as every baby
barn owl that has ever been - except
for one thing. Plop is afraid of the
dark. His parents keep telling him that
dark is best, but it's no use. Plop just
wants to be out of the nest to ask other
people what they think of the dark, and
Plop is amazed at their replies...
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Tomlinson, Jill.
Penguin's progress. 2001.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
Otto is a penguin chick and he lives
with lots of other penguins in the ice
and snow of Antarctica, at the bottom
of the world. But Otto is different from
all the other chicks he knows, because
he is "first chick," the first penguin born
that year so it's his job to look after all
the younger ones as they grow up.
But nobody has told him what "growing
up" means, and life is both confusing
and exciting for Otto as he wonders
what will happen next!
Webb, Matilda
The ship's kitten. 2008.
Suggested interest age 5+. 1v.
A lonely little kitten searches for
shelter in the wind and rain. She sees
painted boats bobbing up and down,
and knows that she wants to be a
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ship's cat. But does any boat have
room for her?
White, E.B.
Charlotte's web. 1973. Suggested
age range 9+. 1v.
The story of how a little girl called
Fern, with the help of a friendly spider,
saved her pig from the usual fate of
little pigs.
White, E.B.
Stuart Little. 2000. Suggested
reading age 9+. 1v.
Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse.
Born to a family of humans, he lives in
New York City with his parents, his
older brother, George, and Snowbell
the cat. Through he's shy and
thoughtful, he's also a true lover of
adventure. When his best friend, a
beautiful little bird named Margalo,
disappears from her nest, Stuart is
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determined to track her down. He
ventures away from home for the very
first time in his life and finds adventure
aplenty, but will he find his friend?
Whybrow, Ian.
Meerkat madness. 2011.
Suggested reading age 7+. 1v.
While the grown-ups of the meerkat
clan are out looking for food, young
pup Jack and his siblings are left with
a babysitter. Their favourite is ex
media meerkat Uncle Adrian. One day
Adrian takes the pups on a tour of
famous locations from his TV
programme. But a deadly predator is
stalking the group!
Williams, Ursula Moray.
Gobbolino the witches cat. 1942.
Suggested age range 9+. 1v.
Gobbolino's mother was a witch's cat,
so naturally little Gobbolino was
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expected to be one too, but Gobbolino
wasn't interested in being a witch's cat.
He wanted to be a kitchen cat and sit
by the fire and mind the house and
keep down the mice and watch the
baby!
Williamson, Henry
Tarka the otter. 1927. Suggested
reading age 11+. 2v.
This tale of an otter's life and death in
Devon, captures the feel of life in the
wild as seen through the otter's own
eyes.
Willis, Jeanne.
Killer gorilla. 2005. Suggested
age range 0-4. 1v.
A little mouse loses her baby, but just
as she starts looking for it, out of the
rainforest looms a huge gorilla, so she
starts running for her life. And so
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begins a chase that takes her all over
the world.
Willis, Jeanne.
Mole's sunrise. 2011. Suggested
reading age 5+. 1v.
Mole thought he would never see the
sunrise, but when his friends show it to
him it is more beautiful than he could
have imagined.
Wilson, Anna
Pup idol. 2008. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
Make way for Honey, superstar poochin-training!
Wilson, Anna
Puppy love. 2008. Suggested
reading age 7+. 1v.
In my life I have wished a million
thousand times for a puppy, so was
officially over the moon when I finally
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obtained Parental Consent to get
Honey - the most absolutely softest
and velvetest Golden Labrador you
have ever imagined. Since she moved
in we have had some extremely funny
adventures while dealing with my
weird sister April.
Wilson, Jacqueline.
The cat mummy. 2002.
Suggested reading age 9+. 1v.
Verity really loves her old tabby cat,
Mabel, and is upset when she finds
her dead in the wardrobe. It seems to
Verity that it would be much better to
take a few lessons from the Ancient
Egyptians - and mummify her. But
things don't quite go as planned...