National Pet Month

Books about pets (fiction and nonfiction) are some of our most popular children's and young adult books. With May being National Pet Month, there's no better time to tell you about my favorite books about our furry, feathered, and scaly friends: 

Despite the most careful care, it's not always possible to avoid emergencies with pets. ER Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room introduces readers to the dedicated staff at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital; as a university-based veterinary hospital, the staff (which includes cardiologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and  medical interns and residents) encounters a wide variety of cases.  Donna M. Jackson takes readers through the process of admitting and treating animals at this large animal hospital, which treats everyone  from a bird with a broken wing to a foal in a coma. 

Whenever I get information requests on unusual pets, I always consult Great Pets! An Extraordinary Guide to More than 60 Usual and Unusual Family Pets. This enormous book is a gold mine for the animals-obsessed child.  Facts upon facts about intriguing pets will fascinate both young and older readers.  Pets are organized by category (aquarium pets, backyard pets, apartment pets, and everyday pets such as cats and dogs). 

Many children adore dogs, and many dogs adore children, but even the most child-friendly dog should be approached with care and respect when a strange child encounters him/her.  May I Pet Your Dog? The How-To Guide for Kids Meeting Dogs (And Dogs Meeting Kids) is a funny yet serious look at the proper way to treat strange dogs; everything from asking permission before petting the dog, avoiding dogs in cars, and what to do if a dog growls at you are explained by Harry the Daschund.  With some editing and explanation, this makes for an excellent read aloud for kindergarten and grade school children.   

American Humane Society's Top 10 books are great finds for young readers looking for breed-specific information.  Their colorful, kid-friendly, and information packed (but not overwhelmingly so) titles have been very popular in our pet books display this month! Other titles include cat breeds, dog breeds, fish breeds, small mammal breeds, and reptile/amphibian breeds. 

We have many more awesome books about pet care in our J 636 section. 

Jennifer Schultz, Youth Services Librarian, Fauquier County Public Library 

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