I read The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate a few years ago. Even though it’s target age group is kids ages 8-12, I loved every page of it. It was a heartfelt story that spoke to my inner child, the young girl who loves animals and wants them all to be happy. Because I loved it so much, I made this reading list of animal adventure books like The One and Only Ivan.
My daughter read the book, too. Like me, she fell in love with Ivan and his friends. She cried and laughed and then begged me for the sequel. When we got The One and Only Bob, she devoured that book, too. These books now hold a cherished spot on our bookshelf.
One of the best things about discovering a book that you like is that it opens a door to similar adventures and stories. As avid fans of animal adventure books, my kids and I read TONS of stories with animals at the center.
If you’ve read The One and Only Ivan, or even if you haven’t, you’ll adore these animal stories. Like The One and Only Ivan, these books are heartfelt stories about animals, their lives, and the people who care for them.
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Animal Adventure Books Like The One and Only Ivan
The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate
The most obvious book to read after The One and Only Ivan is its sequel, The One and Only Bob. My daughter was delighted that Bob got his own story and loved it almost as much as the original book. Bob’s sister was lost several years ago when they were both abandoned. Now, Bob wants to find her. With the help of his friends Ivan the gorilla and Ruby the elephant, he sets out to look for her. This heartfelt follow-up to the modern classic is filled with friendship, family, and heart.
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The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City by Jodi Kendall, illustrated by Pascall Campion
My 10-year-old daughter loves animal stories, so I bought this book and its sequel, Dog Days in the City for her when the pandemic started and our library closed. She’s not a voracious reader, but she loved these books. The first book is about a large family living in cramped quarters. There is no room for the piglet Josie’s older brother rescued from a nearby farm. But the family falls in love with the pig and decides to help the pig find an appropriate home where it can live and grow. When my daughter finished this book, she brought it to me and said, “Mom, you HAVE to read this book!”
When she finished the sequel, she said the same thing. These books are so sweet and fun and perfect for any young animal lover!
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Pax by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Oh my goodness, if you haven’t read this book yet, you’re missing out. My 12-year-old daughter and her friends read this for their book club last summer and they all loved it! I read it too, and it’s a beautiful story about a boy forced to set his pet fox free in the wild. Consumed with guilt and worry, the boy then sets out in search of his lost pet and meets someone who changes his life forever. Meanwhile, Pax goes looking for his boy and instead, finds a family and discovers his place in the forest.
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The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by P.J. Lynch
I gave this book to my daughter when she was looking for a new book to read. There are so many things to love about this charming story from the author of the Artemis Fowl series. First off, it’s a heartwarming story about a young boy who longs for a dog of his own. Likewise, a dog named Oz dreams about having a boy to love. When these two find each other, they develop a strong bond and find healing and happiness together. As a bonus, this book is highly illustrated and very short. It was the perfect book to give to my daughter who struggles with long books. She got the satisfaction of finishing a book quickly while also falling in love with the charming story.
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The Heartwood Hotel series by Callie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
If you’re looking for an animal adventure book series that will warm your heart and make you feel good from the inside out, look no further. My kids and I read all of these books and cherished each one. There are four books in the series, one for each season of the year. It’s about a little mouse who needs a home and is given a job working at a hotel in the forest. She makes friends, learns about her past, and finds a home at the hotel. I’ve lent this series to several other children in our neighborhood and without fail, it’s a favorite!
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A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry, illustrated by Mónica Armiño
Because my 12-year-old loved The One and Only Ivan so much, I bought her this book for Christmas. She read it in a day and told me I needed to read it too. It’s a beautiful animal adventure based on a true story. Swift the wolf wanders several hundred miles away from his home and establishes a new family in California. Told from the wolf’s perspective, this book offers kids the chance to see the world through a wild animal’s eyes. This heartfelt novel had my daughter and me cheering for the wolf through every twist and turn. If you loved The One and Only Ivan and Pax, this book is a must-read!
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The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington
Lex can communicate telepathically with an elephant named Nyah. When Nyah sends her messages about the forest outside the zoo they both call home, Lex decides to investigate. Soon, Lex finds herself caught up in an adventure filled with magic, animals, and clues that could lead her to her birth family. This book is like The One and Only Ivan, but with magic. Any kid that has fantasized about having a special connection with animals (pretty much every kid) will love this book.
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The Adventures of a South Pole Pig by Chris Kurtz
This is one of the first books I received for review when I started this blog and I fell in love with it instantly. I loved this story about a pig with big dreams of adventure. Certain she’s destined to become a sled dog, Flora the pig finds herself on a ship bound for the Antarctic. With determination, grit, and perseverance, Flora proves herself a valuable member of the exploration team. If you love animal adventure books that feature animals who reach for the stars and achieve their dreams, add this book to your list!
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Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea by Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
My daughter went through a phase where she was obsessed with cats. Which is how we ended up with the entire Anton and Cecil series. There are three books in this series about a pair of cat brothers who go on adventures on land, sea, and air. After we read these animal adventure books together, we loaned them to every cat-obsessed kid we knew. These books take readers to faraway places filled with danger and excitement. Kids that love animal stories and can’t get enough of cats will love this series.
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The Rose Legacy by Jessica Day George
One of the things I loved about The One and Only Ivan is the special connection Ivan develops with the humans around him. In The Rose Legacy, readers are introduced to Anthea Cross-Thornley, a young orphan who can communicate with horses. When she goes to live with an estranged uncle and his family, she discovers this unique and (at first) terrifying gift. Soon, she realizes that her family and her kingdom are in trouble, and she must do everything in her power to set things right. This is a 3-book series and I loved every page! It was like all my horse fantasies from childhood came to life in the pages of these books.
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The Wizard’s Dog by Eric Kahn Gale
This is a fun and magical book told from the perspective of a dog! My daughter and I both read this book and enjoyed the humor, adventure, and friendship in it. When the wizard Merlin is kidnapped, Nosewise and Morgana set out to find and rescue him. From sniffing out spells to mastering tricks, Nosewise is the dog for the job. This hilarious story is filtered through the limited understanding and utter loyalty of a dog. It’s an offbeat and fast-paced adventure that dog lovers will adore.
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The Rat Prince by Bridget Hodder
If your child likes fairy tales, they’ll love this retelling of Cinderella from a rat’s perspective. I read this out loud to my kids and we all fell in love with it. Do you know the rats who get turned into coachmen in the story? Well, in this book, they have societies, squabbles, and royalty of their own. The rat prince and Cinderella are both trapped in servitude—and they both have plans on how to escape it. But when the night of the royal ball arrives, a wayward spell changes their plans, and their lives, forever. Kids that like reading fairy tales and books about animals will love this spin on the classic story!
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Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by K.G. Campbell
When it comes to heartfelt novels for fans of The One and Only Ivan, I think all of Kate DiCamillo’s books could qualify. However, Flora and Ulysses is one of my favorite books by this author, and anyone who reads it will find out why. It’s told from two points of view: a girl named Flora and a squirrel named Ulysses. All of Ulysses’s chapters are told through comic strips or graphic novel panels. This story is magical, hilarious, and an absolute blast to read. It’s not hard to see why it won the Newbery Medal Award!
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Stay by Bobbie Pyron
We could all use more animal adventure books like this one. When her family moves into a shelter, Piper feels out of place in every way possible. The one bright spot in her life is a dog named Baby. When Baby’s person disappears, it’s up to Piper and her new friends to reunite Baby with her owner. With themes of friendship, hardship, and the true meaning of home, Stay is the perfect next-read after The One and Only Ivan books.
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A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole
You probably know Henry Cole for his expressive illustrations and delightful picture books like Moostletoe and Katy Duck. But I found out that he has written a few novels for middle grade readers as well. I bought them for my kids, and they turned out to be the wonderful, heartfelt books that we were hoping for. A Nest for Celeste is about a mouse in search of a home. Set in the 1800s, Celeste strikes up a friendship with John James Audubon’s young apprentice and learns about plantation life, art, and what the word “home” really means. There are hundreds of black and white illustrations sprinkled throughout the story, making it a quick and enjoyable read for young animal lovers.
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1 COMMENT
Nan W. Schanbacher
2 years agoYour list looks good, but any list of animal adventure books is incompletely without Brian Jaques’s “Redwall ” series. Like Tolkien’s books, these books are great classic literature for readers of all ages.