Books to Celebrate Kids and Pets Day

Just like a newborn, animals can show us the purest form of love. National Kids and Pets Day is celebrated on April 26th and we have compiled a list of books that increase awareness about the unique bond between little ones and their pets, as well as the importance of choosing the right pet for our children at the right time. We hope you these Books to Celebrate Kids and Pets Day!

MY PET FEET

When the letter R suddenly vanishes, a whole town goes upside-down in this side-splitting picture book of alphabet chaos that’s Can I Be Your Dog? meets P Is for Pterodactyl.

A little girl wakes up one day to find that R, a vital piece of the alphabet, has vanished! Suddenly, she has pet feet instead of a ferret. Flocks of cows replace crows flying in the sky. Giant shoes (not shores!) live on the sandy beaches of her town.

What could have happened to the eighteenth letter of the alphabet? Did it get lost–or stolen? One way or another, the town needs to be saved!

MY PET FEET
Written by Josh Funk and Illustrated by Billy Yong
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ALFIE: The Turtle That Disappeared

Discover the friendship between a girl and her turtle–from both points of view–in this award-winning picture book that celebrates the relationship between a child and a pet.

Nia loves Alfie, her pet turtle. But he’s not very soft, he doesn’t do tricks, and he’s pretty quiet. Sometimes she forgets he’s even there–that is, until the night before her seventh birthday, when . . . Alfie disappears!

Where did he go? And why? Nia can’t say . . . but Alfie can. This is his story, and the narrative switches to Alfie’s perspective, as the brave turtle goes on the hunt for the perfect gift for Nia’s birthday.

He explores the house, encountering the family dog, then ventures out onto the fire escape, down into the yard, and through a sandbox until he grows cold and tired. A friendly snail suggests that Alfie take a nap in the pond in the yard.

Young readers will see the passage of time through the change in seasons from fall to winter and then spring in colorful illustrations. Alfie wakes up from his nap and emerges from the pond in time to celebrate what Alfie believes is Nia’s seventh birthday. Readers will delight to see the two reunited and will notice that it is, actually, Nia’s eighth birthday, as the number indicates on her birthday balloon.

Parents and their children will embrace this warm, colorful, and funny picture book that celebrates friendship, even when the friends see the relationship–and the world–very differently.

WATCH Ready Set Draw!
Learn How to Draw the Turtle from ALFIE

ALFIE: The Turtle That Disappeared
Illustrated by Thyra Heder
Published by Abrams Books

LOLA GETS A CAT

Lola wants a cat, but Mommy says taking care of a pet is a lot of work. So Lola does her homework. At the library she finds books about cats and pet care and she and Mommy learn as much as they can. She pretends her stuffed kitty is real and practices taking care of it. When the time comes, Lola is allowed to pick out her new friend at an animal shelter. With patience and care, her kitten settles in at home.

Lola is a book-loving favorite, and this delightful story is a new treasure in the series.

THE PERFECT PET

Ana & Andrew are getting a new pet! They research different pets before choosing the best pet for their family. Then they pick a name for it! With the name Ana & Andrew choose, they learn from a famous African American that skin color does not affect a person’s abilities.

THE PERFECT PET
Written by Christine Platt
Published by Calico Books

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PET SHOW

How can you enter a pet show when your pet runs away? That’s the question Archie faces when he can’t find his cat to enter in the neighborhood pet show. Fortunately, he does some fast thinking to win a prize in this beloved classic from award-winning author-illustrator Ezra Jack Keats.