Here are 78 books that Calor fans have personally recommended if you like
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Throughout my childhood, my mother repeated the mantra, “Love your own, leave others alone.” Her purpose was to prevent me and my siblings from begging to keep every animal we saw. Arguably, the phrase had some impact because we obviously didn’t bring home every animal. (But we also adopted a opossum from the backyard and named him Mr. Jenkins, so you be the judge.) For as long as I can remember, I have loved finding fantasy adventure books that feature the animals I love so much as trusted companions. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I do!
Creating a book recommendation list of clean fantasy books with animal companions and not including The Girl Who Drank the Moon is like going ice skating without skates—I just can’t do it!
Though written for a middle grade audience, this fantasy novel is one all ages can enjoy. It is clean and the narrative focuses on found family, goodness in life despite bad things happening, and hope—there’s so much beautiful hope in this book. But wait; there’s more! The cast of lovable characters includes Fyrian, a Perfectly Tiny Dragon (who believes he is a Simply Enormous Dragon).
Every Luna needs a Fyrian. And every witch. Oh, I can’t forget about swamp monsters—it seems everyone needs a Fyrian!
THE NO 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER
'This beautifully written, darkly funny coming-of-age story will enchant and entertain' Daily Mail
Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is in fact a good witch who shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest,…
Throughout my childhood, my mother repeated the mantra, “Love your own, leave others alone.” Her purpose was to prevent me and my siblings from begging to keep every animal we saw. Arguably, the phrase had some impact because we obviously didn’t bring home every animal. (But we also adopted a opossum from the backyard and named him Mr. Jenkins, so you be the judge.) For as long as I can remember, I have loved finding fantasy adventure books that feature the animals I love so much as trusted companions. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I do!
Another middle grade fantasy, Eva Evergreen: Semi-Magical Witch, follows a young girl trying to prove herself even with a lack of magical ability.
Though away from her parents, Eva’s not alone. Her trusty companion throughout her journey to help the residents of Auteri and earn her title never leaves her side. And, what’s more, is her animal companion is one I hadn’t seen before reading this book—it's a flamefox.
The flamefox, better known as Ember, loves food but loves her person, Eva, more—something that will resonate with people who love pets (and people who just love, well, love)!
Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Adept Witch before she turns thirteen years old. If she doesn't, she'll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it's a simple enough test:
ONE: Help your town, do good all around. TWO: Live there for one moon, don't leave too soon. THREE: Fly home by broomstick, the easiest of tricks.
The only problem? Eva only has a pinch of magic. She summons heads of cabbage instead of flowers and gets a sunburn instead of calling down rain. And…
Throughout my childhood, my mother repeated the mantra, “Love your own, leave others alone.” Her purpose was to prevent me and my siblings from begging to keep every animal we saw. Arguably, the phrase had some impact because we obviously didn’t bring home every animal. (But we also adopted a opossum from the backyard and named him Mr. Jenkins, so you be the judge.) For as long as I can remember, I have loved finding fantasy adventure books that feature the animals I love so much as trusted companions. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I do!
Moving away from middle-grade-specific books, my next recommendation is aimed at young adult and adult audiences.
When people hear animal companions in fantasy, wolves tend to come to mind pretty quickly. Toothbreaker focuses on a special group of people, Eritam, who have a unique gift of taming and working with wolves. So, there are wolves within this narrative!
A spin-off novella of Elrich’s Daughters of Tamnarae series, Toothbreaker is a fast-paced yet beautiful story of second chances, granting others and yourself grace, and finding purpose. My favorite part of this book, after the wolves, includes the ease in which readers can connect with Sage and the other characters.
Plus, there are references to other groups within the fantasy world—did someone say dragon tamers??
Throughout my childhood, my mother repeated the mantra, “Love your own, leave others alone.” Her purpose was to prevent me and my siblings from begging to keep every animal we saw. Arguably, the phrase had some impact because we obviously didn’t bring home every animal. (But we also adopted a opossum from the backyard and named him Mr. Jenkins, so you be the judge.) For as long as I can remember, I have loved finding fantasy adventure books that feature the animals I love so much as trusted companions. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I do!
Do you love animals and seeing them within stories but sometimes just want something shorter than a full-length novel?
Then check out Animal Kingdom, a Havok anthology that includes 48 pieces of flash fiction (1000 words or less). Every piece features an animal and celebrates animal and human connections. Several pieces are fantasy, but (bonus) the collection also includes stories for fans of science fiction, thriller, mystery, and humor.
Pick up this book if you want a lot of different clean stories, fantasy and beyond, which feature many different types of animal companions (ranging from photogenic snakes, light-carrying moths, and more)!
I have always loved a good sassy sidekick, human or otherwise. I started my first book, DragonBond, at the age of fifteen, and throughout the various drafts between its inception and its completion, the dragon Axen’s sass game has always been fierce. Since then, I’ve published a total of thirteen books, seven of which are in the Endonshan Chronicles series. I have a Master’s degree in psychology which I use to create well-rounded characters with unique quirks and personalities. I hope you enjoy these picks and all the snark contained within!
This fun adventure features Alex, a bond man, and his wolf, Tala, who isn’t afraid to get her paws dirty or set Alex straight whenever he goes out of line. The two of them must deal with unjust accusations, banishment, a foreign land, and the intricacies of romance while assassins hunt them and a corrupt prince does everything in his power to bring them down. I found the relationship between Alex and Tala endearing throughout the novel, and I especially enjoyed Tala's larger-than-life personality.
An unjust beating leaves warrior Alex scarred and deformed, unfit for duty—until a voice calls him to the forests. He is chosen to bond with Tala, a silver wolf, and share a telepathic link. She heals his injuries, and he uses his enhanced abilities to serve his people. He just has to avoid the royal family.
Prince Donal isn't satisfied ruling his realm. He also wants the smaller nation to the south. But Alex and the wolves stand in Donal’s way. He frames Alex for the murder of a foreign diplomat and deploys hunters to eradicate…
I have always loved a good sassy sidekick, human or otherwise. I started my first book, DragonBond, at the age of fifteen, and throughout the various drafts between its inception and its completion, the dragon Axen’s sass game has always been fierce. Since then, I’ve published a total of thirteen books, seven of which are in the Endonshan Chronicles series. I have a Master’s degree in psychology which I use to create well-rounded characters with unique quirks and personalities. I hope you enjoy these picks and all the snark contained within!
Wolfwalker launches straight into the action with healer Dion and her bonded wolf Hishn struggling to survive the aftermath of a beastly worlag attack. Hishn proves a stalwart companion with plenty of snark peppered in as they get caught up in a dramatic rescue taking them across the land and sea. Dion’s skills are put to the test as she tries to work out an ancient healing art that has killed everyone who’s attempted it in recent years, and her bond with Hishn proves to be key in solving the puzzle. The sweeping adventure in this novel carried me away. I felt the bond between Dion and Hishn brought a depth to the story that I greatly enjoyed.
Dion was a healer and a wolfwalker, and the unique telepathic bond that she shared with the wolf Gray Hishn sometimes seemed to amplify her sensitivity to her patients. But she never guessed how strong that bond could be, or what kind of power it could wield, until she found herself lost in the wilderness, with angry slavers at her heels and war on the horizon. Suddenly she and her fellow travelers were fighting for their lives in the snowy winter wastes, where the wolves were their only guides, the greatest secret of the ancients their only salvation...and Dion their…
I’ve always identified as a weirdo and felt misunderstood, which led to lots of wasted time “trying to fit in.” As an adult, I’ve learned to love myself for exactly who I am, but it took a lot of work and self-reflecting. Looking back, I realize there were actually many kids who felt the same way as me and we just never managed to connect with each other! Finding people who “get you” is an important task—but I truly believe self-love and self-acceptance is the greatest goal for all humans. I hope my books speak to the “weirdos” and non-weirdos a like, and encourages all readers to love themselves just the way they are.
Homer the dog is sure he’s a wolf inside! I can relate. All of us have a fierceness inside of us and following Homer on his journey to embrace his inner wolf was funny and inspiring. And I was especially inspired to see that Homer’s wolf journey wasn’t easy (learning to eat raw meat took some time). I often take a long time to embrace being brave, and I love that message for younger readers.
Meet Homer, a dog who heads to camp to live like a wolf! Here’s the perfect book for the legions of kids out there who love dogs and funny books.
Homer is a dog . . . but he also secretly fancies himself part wolf. So when an invitation to attend WOLF CAMP (“Where every dog can live as a wolf for a week”) falls out of his kibble bag one morning, he’s determined to go. After his people finally agree, Homer boards the bus bound for Wolf Camp, along with fellow campers Trixie and Rex. They’re greeted on the…
As a humorist and lover of all things comedy, I know how quickly a good joke can feel dated. (Heck, lots of great bits from last year don’t even work anymore.) Drama almost always holds up better than comedy. For example, you can still get swept up in dramatic narratives as ancient as The Odyssey. But do Aristophanes’ or Shakespeare’s “comedies” elicit even the slightest guffaws? Not from me. So, I hear you cry, are there any written works from more than 100 years ago that remain lol funny today? Well, don’t cry. Because yes, there are quite a few literary treasures that are still hysterically funny. The good news is that I’ve done some of that research for you.
Hold on! Anton Chekhov? Not that giant of Russian literature who gave us some of the most poignant, brooding, melancholy views of family life in dramatic works like The Seagull and The Cherry Orchard? Probably the biggest surprise on this list, Anton Chekhov wrote comedy for years and as a young adult supported his family by writing humorous sketches about Russian life for the magazine Oskolki. While most famous for his plays, Chekhov was an incredibly gifted short story and humor writer. In one of his tightest yarns, “An Avenger,” confused young Fyodor Sigaevgoes shopping for an appropriate revolver to mete out justice after he discovers his spouse cheating on him. But once at the shop, the sheer number of firearm choices he’s presented with quickly overwhelm him.
“. . . I would advise you, M'sieur, to take this superb revolver, the Smith and Wesson pattern, the…
Short Stories ( An Avenger, Gone Astray, A Slander, Frost ) - PART 7 -
- The inspirational short stories of Anton Chekhov are famous around the World. Some of the best loved stories and tales have been penned by this remarkable Russian author considered as one of the best short story writers in history and by some as the founder of short stories! The following selection of his famous short stories will provide hours of reading pleasure.
I write and read werewolf novels because I love the blend of human and animal. Alphas make the existing dominance struggles of humans more palpable. Packs contain the best and worst parts of found families. Mate bonds are romance turned to maximum. And, as someone who prefers to be outside and barefoot whenever possible, running through the forest in wolf form is the perfect fantasy break.
In my opinion, this is one of the most overlooked werewolf classics with its cop heroine, intriguing wolf pack, and a Chinese dragon. I can only guess that a lot of readers give up after books one and two, which are good but not great. By book three, though, the series really starts taking off, with the great worldbuilding and character development engrossing you so much you'll lose track of time and read far too late into the night.
The USA Today bestselling author tempts success in this stunning debut novel.
National bestselling author Eileen Wilks draws readers into a bold new world where the magical and mundane co-exist in an uneasy alliance--and a cop balanced on her own knife-edged struggle is their only hope against a cold-blooded killer.
I am the bestselling author of more than 46 romance novels. I love history, enjoy research, and am always looking for little-known facts to make my stories more authentic. Some of those facts have revealed that women in the 19th century often took on occupations, hobbies, or causes that challenged them and sometimes placed them in danger. Although seldom acknowledged as such, women in the 19th century were a force to be reckoned with, although their contributions were often overlooked. But through reading personal accounts, letters of the time, biographies, and nonfiction accounts about various women’s roles, I have gained a greater appreciation for how daring women have been throughout history.
Wild at Heartis my #1 favorite historical romance. Unfortunately, it is out of print. The writing is beautiful, the story heart-wrenching, and the heroine adventurous in a subtle way as she challenges those who are studying a man raised by wolves to view him not as an object but as a person. I found this story to be perfection. If you can find a copy, you won’t be disappointed.
