Fans pick 85 books like Adopted by an Owl

By Robbyn Smith, Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen (illustrator),

Here are 85 books that Adopted by an Owl fans have personally recommended if you like Adopted by an Owl. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of Hawk Hill

Ellen Kalish Author Of The Christmas Owl

From my list on wildlife for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been an animal lover and caretaker all my life. I have memories of taking care of toucans, skunks, alligators, fish tanks, chameleons, various birds, and monkeys from the time I was a child! I received my licenses from the NYSDEC and US Fish and Wildlife Service and Ravensbeard Wildlife Center was founded in 2000. I hold permits to rehabilitate injured/orphaned wildlife and house unreleasable birds to educate communities in protecting wildlife. My entire life has been devoted to caring for animals and educating others about them, and I hope you can find joy in the books I recommended!

Ellen's book list on wildlife for children

Ellen Kalish Why did Ellen love this book?

This book provides a dazzling look into a story of hope, friendship, and natural history with stunning watercolor illustrations.

I personally like how the book offers perspectives of both the human protagonist and the hawk. Another heartwarming story about a human bond with wildlife, specifically birds! Great story for kids interested in birds and natural history. 

By Suzie Gilbert, Sylvia Long (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hawk Hill as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Pete cannot seem to make any friends in his new town, until he takes a new road home one day and discovers something that will change him forever, in this carefully researched, captivating story told from both a human's and a bird's-eye view.


Book cover of Not Your Nest!

Ellen Kalish Author Of The Christmas Owl

From my list on wildlife for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been an animal lover and caretaker all my life. I have memories of taking care of toucans, skunks, alligators, fish tanks, chameleons, various birds, and monkeys from the time I was a child! I received my licenses from the NYSDEC and US Fish and Wildlife Service and Ravensbeard Wildlife Center was founded in 2000. I hold permits to rehabilitate injured/orphaned wildlife and house unreleasable birds to educate communities in protecting wildlife. My entire life has been devoted to caring for animals and educating others about them, and I hope you can find joy in the books I recommended!

Ellen's book list on wildlife for children

Ellen Kalish Why did Ellen love this book?

Gideon Sterer is my co-author and it is a pleasure to work with him! He is a fellow upstate New York native, and has been an active member of the community with his lovely children’s books.

This book provides children with a fun, aesthetically pleasing story about sharing. Great for children who love animals! 

By Gideon Sterer, Andrea Tsurumi (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Not Your Nest! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Bird is just about to put the finishing touches on her new home when she suddenly finds that her nest is already full - of someone else. So she reluctantly builds another nest. But Fox finds this new nest quite comfy, and Brush Hog loves the view from Bird's next attempt. Soon the Acacia tree is bursting with happily nested animals of all shapes and stripes - everyone except bird!

But when Bird finally finds a way to evict her unwelcome guests, the animals realise their mistake and build a nest that's big enough for all of them. Well, almost.


Book cover of Skyfishing

Ellen Kalish Author Of The Christmas Owl

From my list on wildlife for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been an animal lover and caretaker all my life. I have memories of taking care of toucans, skunks, alligators, fish tanks, chameleons, various birds, and monkeys from the time I was a child! I received my licenses from the NYSDEC and US Fish and Wildlife Service and Ravensbeard Wildlife Center was founded in 2000. I hold permits to rehabilitate injured/orphaned wildlife and house unreleasable birds to educate communities in protecting wildlife. My entire life has been devoted to caring for animals and educating others about them, and I hope you can find joy in the books I recommended!

Ellen's book list on wildlife for children

Ellen Kalish Why did Ellen love this book?

Another great story from Gideon Sterer! While this story is not directly related to wildlife, it is about a bond between grandfather and granddaughter supported by being outdoors.

This story takes place in a city, and although there are no “real” animals, it is a great story that children from more urban areas can relate to. It is great for connecting with children who may not have much outdoor experience, but can peak their interest into fishing for real fish. 

By Gideon Sterer, Poly Bernatene (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Skyfishing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

When Grandpa a fishing connoisseur moves to the city to live with his family, it doesn't take him long to notice that there is nowhere to fish. Unfazed, his granddaughter proposes they pretend to fish out a window . . . until they actually catch something: a Flying Litterfish! Soon the two are catching all kinds of fish: Laundry Eels and Signfish, a Constructionfish and a Waste-muncher. It's all in good fun, until the skyfishing attracts the attention of the Troublefish (read: police car). This might be the end of their skyfishing, but it's just the beginning of their new…


Book cover of The Midnight Fair

Ellen Kalish Author Of The Christmas Owl

From my list on wildlife for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been an animal lover and caretaker all my life. I have memories of taking care of toucans, skunks, alligators, fish tanks, chameleons, various birds, and monkeys from the time I was a child! I received my licenses from the NYSDEC and US Fish and Wildlife Service and Ravensbeard Wildlife Center was founded in 2000. I hold permits to rehabilitate injured/orphaned wildlife and house unreleasable birds to educate communities in protecting wildlife. My entire life has been devoted to caring for animals and educating others about them, and I hope you can find joy in the books I recommended!

Ellen's book list on wildlife for children

Ellen Kalish Why did Ellen love this book?

This story by the great Gideon Sterer is a beautifully illustrated, wordless picture book about what woodland creatures do after humans go to bed.

It is a fun story for young children interested in animals, with dazzling colors and funky illustrations. Great world-building in these child-friendly illustrations. I love how fun it is!

By Gideon Sterer, Mariachiara Di Giorgio (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Midnight Fair as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

A spectacular, surreal and cinematic wordless picture book about the secret life of animals.
Far from the city, but not quite in the countryside, lies a fairground. When night falls, and the fair is empty, something unexpected happens. Wild animals emerge from the trees, a brave raccoon pulls a lever, and the rollercoasters and rides explode back into bright, neon life. Now it's time for the woodland creatures to have some fun...


Book cover of Cross Bronx: A Writing Life

Michael Tubridy Author Of An Irish Passion for Justice: The Life of Rebel New York Attorney Paul O'Dwyer

From my list on Irish-American rebel attorney Paul O’Dwyer.

Why am I passionate about this?

At Columbia University (where, incidentally, I became friends with Rob) I took two 19th-century American history undergraduate courses that featured dramatic lectures on Irish emigrants, the group that served as a prototype for subsequent immigrants from other nations. The books I have listed here gave me a deeper, more complicated view of the experiences of people like my Irish Catholic ancestors on both sides of my family. I find today’s harangues on social media and cable news woefully deficient in helping to understand forces like nativism, the influence of religion on public figures, and the harrowing adjustments to American life by emerging ethnic and racial groups.

Michael's book list on Irish-American rebel attorney Paul O’Dwyer

Michael Tubridy Why did Michael love this book?

From a former speechwriter for New York governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo–and current historical detective novelist and essayist that I have long admired—this wise and witty memoir summons up a lost world: an Irish Catholic Bronx enclave of the 1950s and 1960s before economic and social change transformed the borough.

Quinn’s prose style is lively and gripping, as befits the primary drafter of then Gov. Mario Cuomo’s famous speech at the Democratic National Convention of 1984 assailing “Reaganomics.”

By Peter Quinn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cross Bronx as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In his inimitable prose, master storyteller Peter Quinn chronicles his odyssey from the Irish Catholic precincts of the Bronx to the arena of big-league politics and corporate hardball.
Cross Bronx is Peter Quinn's one-of-a-kind account of his adventures as ad man, archivist, teacher, Wall Street messenger, court officer, political speechwriter, corporate scribe, and award-winning novelist. Like Pete Hamill, Quinn is a New Yorker through and through. His evolution from a childhood in a now-vanished Bronx, to his exploits in the halls of Albany and swish corporate offices, to then walking away from it all, is evocative and entertaining and enlightening…


Book cover of Owls in the Family

M. L. Farb Author Of When I Was a Pie: And Other Slices of Family Life

From my list on the quirks and joys of family life.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am the mother of six and a voracious journaler. I am also a novelist. Though I’ve found that the facts of family adventures are often more fascinating than fiction. I bring in-the-moment observations as well as decade-seasoned insights to the world of family life. I also love reading about other families with all their quirks and joys. 

M. L.'s book list on the quirks and joys of family life

M. L. Farb Why did M. L. love this book?

Though we will never have inside pets because of allergies, my family thoroughly enjoys this true story centered around a family raising two owls (and a variety of other wild animals). This story showed a supportive family as the parents not only endured a continuous round of new pets (including a meal interrupted by one owl dropping a dead skunk on the table) but also assisted Billy in his early zoo-keeping habits. The hilarious slices of life had us in stitches. I especially love the relationship between the owl—Wol—and Billy’s dog.

By Farley Mowat,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Owls in the Family as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

The adventures of two owls who shake up an entire neighborhood and turn a house topsy-turvy. Full color.


Book cover of Winter: A Solstice Story

Robin Currie Author Of Tuktuk: Tundra Tale

From my list on for winter reading.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a children’s librarian and author, I am curious about all kinds of subjects. So, the arctic wilderness which appears to be barren tundra but teems with animal life, unique landforms, and aurora borealis glow intrigued me. Winter Solstice is an excellent theme to use for multicultural study and as an alternative topic for December when the completing holidays seem like overkill. I have been to Alaska to hear glaciers boom as they calf, see endless ice fields, and witness frolicking sea lions.

Robin's book list on for winter reading

Robin Currie Why did Robin love this book?

I was captivated by the gentle colors and repeating texts of this books.

Not so much a story as a description of forest animals summoned to share gifts to encourage the light to return on this longest night of the year. Even though the animals are outdoors in the snow it was clear they were warmed by being together and sharing.

Excellent bedtime book or to start discussion of generosity and sharing.

By Kelsey E. Gross, Renata Liwska (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Winter as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

From debut author Kelsey Gross and New York Times bestselling artist Renata Liwska comes a gentle and lulling picture book celebrating the magic of the Winter Solstice with a group of animal friends in a quiet forest.

Tonight is the longest night of the year-solstice is here! Deep in the forest, the dark, cold, and quiet of winter is all around. Owl, Mouse, and Deer all watch the light fades and dark surrounds them, but they have a gift of hope to share with their neighbors. The moon and stars shine down on a lone tree in the forest, and…


Book cover of Rascal

Deb Aronson Author Of How to Raise a Rhino

From my list on humans bonding with wild animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion is writing about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, rather than famous people or people with some unusual skill, like being a math genius or something. This passion led me to Anna Merz’s story and my growing appreciation of the power of the animal/human connection and how much communication can take place without language.

Deb's book list on humans bonding with wild animals

Deb Aronson Why did Deb love this book?

This is a charming book that I treasured when I was a young reader.

The narrator/author is telling a true story from his childhood about adopting a wild raccoon he named Rascal. It harkens back to a simpler time [also a little warning, he and a friend take the baby raccoons from their nest, which is not cool these days!].

The reader gets to see how smart and mischievous Rascal is and all the adventures the two have together.

By Sterling North,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rascal as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Rascal is only a baby when young Sterling brings him home. He and the mischievous raccoon are best friends for a perfect year of adventure—until the spring day when everything suddenly changes.

A Newbery Honor Book


Book cover of Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

Matt Forrest Esenwine Author Of Once Upon Another Time

From my list on children’s poetry collections about animals.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since my parents gave me a copy of Dorothy Aldis’ The Secret Place and Other Poems, I have enjoyed a lifelong love of poetry. Now, as a traditionally-published children’s author, I have had numerous books and poems published over the years, including books that began as poems, like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) and Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021). My poems can be found in various anthologies including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (N.G. Children’s Books, 2015) and Construction People (Wordsong, 2020) as well as Highlights for Children magazine.

Matt's book list on children’s poetry collections about animals

Matt Forrest Esenwine Why did Matt love this book?

If you wonder why Joyce Sidman is considered one of the preeminent children’s poets of our time, this Newbury Award-winning book should be all you need. From bats and crickets to moths and salamanders – and yes, even the Dark Emperor himself, the great horned owl – Joyce utilizes powerful imagery, delicate wordplay, and a poet’s insight to bring these mysterious creatures out of the dark and into our homes.

From formal rhyme structures to free verse, Joyce combines magnificent poetry with nonfiction sidebars to create a perfect book that enlightens, enthralls, and educates.

By Joyce Sidman, Rick Allen (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Acclaimed author Joyce Sidman has received multiple awards for her books of poetry, including a Caldecott Honor for Red Sings from Treetops. Itself a Newbery Honor, Book, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night features several spellbinding poems about "the feast of sound and spark" that awakens with the raccoons, snails, owls, and crickets each night after sunset.


Book cover of I'm Not Santa!

Constance Lombardo Author Of Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork

From my list on hysterically funny picture books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked with kids in preschools and elementary schools, (plus I’m a mom!) and to me, nothing is better than hearing kids laugh. I also just adore picture books and treasure my personal library, with its focus on (you guessed it!) humor. Sassy cats, bears who want to have kids for pets, chickens who interrupt, alphabets overrun by frustrated Zebras, picture books bravely go where other books might only tiptoe in a cowardly fashion—into the world of wild imagination and anthropomorphized everything. With amazing artwork!! Let’s be honest, I’ll choose funny picture books over War and Peace every time.

Constance's book list on hysterically funny picture books

Constance Lombardo Why did Constance love this book?

One of my favorite picture books ever of all time, I’m Not Santa features an exceptionally cute owlet. He’s the same guy from I’m Not Cute (but he is!!) except this time he’s out in the snow at Christmas time, wearing a red cap and pulling a sled. So, of course, when Baby Owl runs into Baby Hare, the little hare sees the red cap, mistakes the sled for a sleigh, and cries, “Santa! It’s you!” Baby Owl insists, “I’m not Santa! I’m an owl!” Baby Hare refuses to believe it and starts to cry. Soon they’re both crying, until the real  Santa shows up to talk some sense into these two. Sweet and totally hysterical! 

By Jonathan Allen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I'm Not Santa! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Baby Owl is back in this follow-up to the highly successful I'm Not Cute!and I'm Not Scared! Baby Owl is taking a Christmas Eve stroll though the woods with his sledge, when Baby Hare mistakes him for Santa. "I'm not Santa!" Baby Owl insists, and a comic Christmas tale unfolds. 'Absolutely hilarious' - Kirkus 'Made me laugh out loud ...a delight' - The Observer


Book cover of Hawk Hill
Book cover of Not Your Nest!
Book cover of Skyfishing

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5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in owls, raccoon, and skunks?

Owls 32 books
Raccoon 15 books
Skunks 9 books