100 books like Hell Hound

By Ken Greenhall,

Here are 100 books that Hell Hound fans have personally recommended if you like Hell Hound. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Dogs of Babel

Neal W. Fandek Author Of Peter Pike and the Silver Shepherd

From my list on wild and weird books on dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the author of the Peter Pike private eye series. Pike is a beat-up Middle Eastern veteran-turned private eye who finds himself embroiled in mysteries, usually with lost treasure involved: in the huge, sophisticated Indian civilizations that were here before us; in Lincoln’s murky sexuality; in a lost Faberge egg and the downfall of the Romanovs; and with Peter Pike and the Silver Shepherd, some rather nasty (and one nice) Nazi war dogs. 

Neal's book list on wild and weird books on dogs

Neal W. Fandek Why did Neal love this book?

You want heartwarming books about man’s best friend? You’ve come to the wrong place. Novels with dogs don’t have to be heart-warming. They can be quite strange, sinister or both.

Here’s a prime example: The Dogs of Babel, which starts as the heartbroken narrator discovers his artsy, Goth wife has fallen from a tree and died. There are plenty of clues that this was not an accident. But there are no witnesses, except for poor Lorelei the dog. What starts out as a heartbreaking account of grief then takes a sharp turn into the bizarre as the narrator tries to teach Lorelei to speak so he can reconstruct his wife’s last hours. It descends into a seething underground, complete with people operating on dogs’ vocal chords to make them speak. Have I mentioned my list isn’t heartwarming? Did I swipe elements of this novel for my book? You bet…

By Carolyn Parkhurst,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Dogs of Babel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Discovering clues that indicate his beloved wife may not have died accidentally, Paul Iverson begins a perilous search for the truth while attempting to teach his dog, who witnessed the crime, to communicate.


Book cover of Cujo

Michael Brumm Author Of The Cryptid Club #1: Bigfoot Takes the Field

From my list on monster lovers (aka a "beast" for the senses).

Why am I passionate about this?

On the wall in my office, I have an old newspaper article containing a recipe for Boris Karloff's guacamole. (If you're interested, the title of the article is "Boris Karloff Mad About Mexican Food.") I keep it there because it reminds me of what I love about this genre, in that monsters can contain multitudes. They're not just evil... they can also love guacamole. A good monster novel will have you both cowering in fear and feeling a pang of empathy for the creature, making it a ton of fun to read. 

Michael's book list on monster lovers (aka a "beast" for the senses)

Michael Brumm Why did Michael love this book?

This is really how the Disney film Old Yeller should have ended, with a rabid canine raising hell and ripping out throats. What a phenomenal book.

My first foray into the world of Stephen King. I loved it so much I tried to name my dog Cujo … but I was overruled. We settled on Otto cause it sounds sorta similar. But, again, I love this book for the same reason I love Who Goes There?—a beast is terrorizing people who are trapped and can’t flee. It’s a simple formula for monster-themed novels, but it gets me every single time. 

By Stephen King,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Cujo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller, Cujo “hits the jugular” (The New York Times) with the story of a friendly Saint Bernard that is bitten by a bat. Get ready to meet the most hideous menace ever to terrorize the town of Castle Rock, Maine.

Outside a peaceful town in central Maine, a monster is waiting. Cujo is a two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard, the best friend Brett Camber has ever had. One day, Cujo chases a rabbit into a cave inhabited by sick bats and emerges as something new altogether.

Meanwhile, Vic and Donna Trenton, and their young son Tad, move…


Book cover of White Fang

Brian Clifford Author Of Venomous

From my list on adventures for young teens inspiring imagination.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a middle school science teacher, and many of my students are “readers,” the ones that constantly have their heads in books when they aren’t dragged away by classwork. I created this list because they remind me of what I enjoyed about reading when I was their age, the environment. Characters and plots were great, but I wanted a book to take me somewhere I’d never been. Whether it was the Klondike or soaring through clouds, I needed to believe it was real, someplace I might see for myself. Vivid descriptions that provide fuel for imagination make reading more dynamic.

Brian's book list on adventures for young teens inspiring imagination

Brian Clifford Why did Brian love this book?

Jack London is by far my favorite writer of youth-accessible literature, and White Fang is one of his best. My senses came alive as I read about a wolf’s struggle to survive and adapt to changes in its environment. Reading his description of a world through the experience of an animal was transformative. The Klondike became a real and deadly place, vibrant and alive.

By Jack London,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked White Fang as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Born in the wilds of the freezing cold Yukon, White Fang - half-dog, half-wolf - is the only animal in the litter to survive. He soon learns the harsh laws of nature, yet buried deep inside him are the distant memories of affection and love. Will this fiercely independent creature of the wild learn to trust man again?

Richard Adams, prize-winning author of Watership Down, introduces this chilling, beautiful tale of the wild.


Book cover of A Straunge and Terrible Wunder

Neal W. Fandek Author Of Peter Pike and the Silver Shepherd

From my list on wild and weird books on dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the author of the Peter Pike private eye series. Pike is a beat-up Middle Eastern veteran-turned private eye who finds himself embroiled in mysteries, usually with lost treasure involved: in the huge, sophisticated Indian civilizations that were here before us; in Lincoln’s murky sexuality; in a lost Faberge egg and the downfall of the Romanovs; and with Peter Pike and the Silver Shepherd, some rather nasty (and one nice) Nazi war dogs. 

Neal's book list on wild and weird books on dogs

Neal W. Fandek Why did Neal love this book?

Speaking of ancient hell hounds, where does the myth of the demon dog – you know, black, huge, gnashing jaws ravenous for human flesh, glowing red eyes, the most famous example being Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles—come from? Hell hounds pop up in legends and stories from all over the world: Cerberus from Greek mythology; almost every single European country including Garmr from Norse mythology and ye fierce blacke dogges of English folklore; all over Latin America; China; Japan; India; Arabia; Russia; even the United States.

This account of a demon dog stalking English churches in the time of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I is the earliest account I’ve found in English. The full title is A straunge and terrible wunder wrought very late in the parish church of Bongay, a tovvn of no great distance from the citie of Norwich, namely the fourth of…

By Abraham Fleming,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Straunge and Terrible Wunder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is a reproduction of a classic text optimised for kindle devices. We have endeavoured to create this version as close to the original artefact as possible. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we believe they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.


Book cover of When Harry Met Minnie: A True Story of Love and Friendship

Marty Kingsbury Author Of Rescuing Oricito: The Almost True Story of a South American Street Dog

From my list on if you’re a dog needing rescuing.

Why am I passionate about this?

Thirteen years ago I adopted a homeless dog from Puerto Rico. I also met his rescuers, and they told me the story of this little yellow dog who lived by the food trucks on the road between San Juan and El Yunque National Forest. He had been hit by a car once, maybe twice. His leg was broken, and he was close to death. But they scooped him up, took him to the vet for surgery, nursed him to health, and sent him north. I named him Winston, and now I read every dog book with him in mind – the way he trusts me, believes in me, understands me, and understands everything I say. How did we get so lucky to have dogs? 

Marty's book list on if you’re a dog needing rescuing

Marty Kingsbury Why did Marty love this book?

Dogs and children turn us into neighbors; they force us into friendships we would not otherwise consider, and they present us with a gazillion opportunities to practice compassion. When Harry Met Minnie is a story of the friendship, first and foremost between two bull terriers but also between two women, one of whom is dying of cancer. I went back and forth in this book: sometimes I was the friend, and my heart was breaking under the enormous weight of the inevitable and pending death. Other times I was in bed next to the woman who was dying, and my own understanding of cancer was growing deeper with every page. And every now and again, I was one of those two wonderful dogs running in the field, tumbling with the sheer delight of being a dog. And still I wonder – where on earth would we be without dogs to…

By Martha Teichner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When Harry Met Minnie as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"A beautiful book." - Jo Good, BBC Radio London

"When Harry Met Minnie made me cry and made me dance with joy. It's an exquisite tale about heartbreak and healing, critters and humans, and the little miracles life hands us when we need them the most." - Jeannette Walls, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses

There are true fairy tales. Stories that exist because impossible-to-explain coincidences change everything. Except in real life, not all of them have conventional, happily-ever-after endings...

This Manhattan tale of laughter and tears charts the…


Book cover of Dream Dog

Judy Lea Author Of Please Don't Go in the Dryer!

From my list on laugh out loud children’s books about pets.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a semi-retired music teacher and grandmother of two. When my kids were little, we would devour books like they were delicious candy, reading our favourites over and over again. I still love reading out loud, using various inflections, accents, and voices for the different characters. I’ve read hundreds of children’s books and the ones I enjoy most have a great message, are fun to read out loud, and also make me laugh. And they must have beautiful, colourful illustrations! My first book is a spoken word piece from my WCMA-nominated CD, Too Much Work To Do. It’s been asking me to dream it into a book for years! 

Judy's book list on laugh out loud children’s books about pets

Judy Lea Why did Judy love this book?

Harry really wants a dog! Alas, his dad’s nose is sensitive from working in a pepper factory; dogs make him sneeze! He gets Harry a chameleon and it’s ok; it changes colours, but doesn’t move much and is hard to see. So…Harry decides to dream a dog! The two have the best time together until one day… 

I really relate to this story because dogs make me sneeze too! I love Harry’s great imagination and the father’s sympathy for his son, going along with the existence of Waffle, the dream dog. The illustrations are whimsical, beautiful, and hilarious. I think you will be delighted with this book, maybe as much as me! 

PS. The author is a ten-time Emmy Award winner and former head writer for Sesame Street!

By Lou Berger, David J. Catrow (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Written by a ten-time Emmy Award winner and former head writer for Sesame Street, here's a story that will resonate with every dog-loving child out there. Harry wants wants wants a dog, and, instead of getting one, his parents try to placate him with a pet that's decidedly less interesting—a lizard. So Harry takes matters into his own hands and places his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet on his head, and soon something—with paws! a tail! a wet nose!—pops into the world. Sure, nobody else can see the dog named Waffle, but that doesn't matter to Harry. But what happens when…


Book cover of Super Dog Tricks: Make Your Dog a Super Dog with Step by Step Tricks and Training Tips

Dr. Ian Dunbar Author Of Before and After Getting Your Puppy

From my list on for teaching dog tricks.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a veterinarian, behaviorist, author, and dog trainer. I researched dog interactions for 10 years at UC Berkeley and in the early 80s, put theory to practice with SIRIUS® Puppy Training, introducing off-leash, puppy socialization and training classes, food lures and rewards, fun and games, and science-based, dog-friendly dog training to the doggy world. I spread the word by founding the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Cueing your dog to act friendly and playful helps it feel friendly and playful. Also, presenting a less threatening picture to other dogs and their owners, softens their feelings, attitudes, preconceptions, and demeanor, thereby making sidewalks, trails, and parks a happier and safer place for you and your dog.

Ian's book list on for teaching dog tricks

Dr. Ian Dunbar Why did Ian love this book?

Most of you know Sara from America’s Got Talent? Originally from Canada, Sara and her dogs are peripatetic performers; she, living her childhood her dream, and her pups realizing theirs, all living in her car, traveling the States, and performing for enthusiastic crowds. I first met Sara when she was conducting an on-stage workshop at the APDT Annual Conference: Backward Leg Weaves, balancing on the souls of her feet, and even a Faux Pee. It was stunning. 

Sara just loves trick training and dancing with her dogs because it fosters better communication, closeness, and attention. Her dogs get the opportunity to regularly ‘let off steam’ and wag with glee, but then they walk off stage, calmly by her side, because they want to walk by her side—the veritable tango of dog training. There’s more to ‘rhythm and tricks’ than meets the eye, much more: flexibility, balance, core-strengthening,…

By Sara Carson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Super Dog Tricks as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

You've seen them on TV, now learn from Sara and her Super Collies! You'll find easy-to-follow directions and photos for all the classic tricks as well as showstoppers like taking a selfie and skateboarding!

Whether you have a new puppy or have an "old dog" ready to learn some new tricks, Sara will get you and your dog working together in no time. Learn fundamentals like food and toy drive, leash walking, and crate training, as well as tips for important day-to-day bonding and behavior. Whenever you're ready, dive into the tricks! Chapters and tricks include:

Super Simple Tricks: Sit,…


Book cover of Good Boy, Fergus

Steve Patschke Author Of Don't Look At It! Don't Touch It!

From my list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for.

Why am I passionate about this?

Steve Patschke is a retired elementary school library media teacher of over thirty years, now living in Woodstock, N.Y. In November of 2022, his essay appeared in The New York Times' “Tiny Love Stories.” In February of 2023, his essay appeared in Chicken Soup For The Soul: Cat Lovers Edition. He has published six children’s picture books. His most recent is Don’t Look At It, Don’t Touch It. Steve’s rendition of the classic Nutcracker and the Mouse King will be published as a pop-up book through Templar books in the fall of 2023.

Steve's book list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for

Steve Patschke Why did Steve love this book?

Like my previous choices David Shannon’s picture book Good Boy Fergus is built around his excellent timing for humor.

But Shannon’s greatest gift is his ability to convey not only humor, but heart, in his illustrations. Children will love Fergus, a tough and tumble Scottish terrier whose big sweet eyes excuse him from any misbehavior.

Fergus is funny, lovable and like Shannon’s most popular series No David he makes mistakes that children can easily relate to and forgive.

I choose “Fergus” over “David” because I feel some of David’s escapades may be a bit too over the top for young readers. While Fergus, who happens to be a dog, models only “Bad Dog” behavior.

By David Shannon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Good Boy, Fergus as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

All dog owners and lovers will be entertained by this invigorating snapshot of life in the (Shannon) household where it seems dogs rule the roost!


Book cover of Whistle for Willie

Stephanie Calmenson Author Of Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book

From my list on picture books for dachshund lovers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love dachshunds!  My dachshund Harry has appeared in several of my books including Dozens of Dachshunds; May I Pet Your Dog?; Oodles of Poodles and Doodles (yep, he's in that one, too); and the Ready, Set, Dogs! chapter book series written with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole. I'm a former early childhood teacher and children's book editor and I've written over 100 books for children. 

Stephanie's book list on picture books for dachshund lovers

Stephanie Calmenson Why did Stephanie love this book?

This is a gentle, joyful story about perseverance and growing up. 

A young boy named Peter wishes he could whistle. When he sees that another boy can whistle to get his dog to run to him, he wants to do the same with his dachshund Willie. Peter tries and tries to learn. He tries so hard his cheeks get tired. He doesn't give up and triumphs in the end.

Several other books by Ezra Jack Keats feature Peter and Willie together and they're a pair worth knowing. 

By Ezra Jack Keats,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Whistle for Willie 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?

Since it was first published in 1964, Whistle for Willie has delighted millions of young readers with its nearly wordless text and its striking collage artwork depicting the story of Peter, who longs to whistle for his dog. The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Keats' illustrations boldly, colorfully capture the child, his city world, and the shimmering heat of a summer's day."


Book cover of His Dog

Tabitha Ormiston-Smith Author Of Bloodsucking Bogans

From my list on featuring realistic dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Since I brought home my first rescue thirty years ago, my life has been full of dogs and dog-related activities that I can hardly imagine the person I would've been without them. My own books often feature one or more dogs, not because I particularly decide to write about dogs, but more because I live with dogs, it’s what I know. When I’m browsing for a good read, if a book features a dog, that’s a draw for me, just because dogs are dogs; they are such good creatures, so infinitely lovable, that their presence enhances a book for me just as their presence in my life enhances my every day.

Tabitha's book list on featuring realistic dogs

Tabitha Ormiston-Smith Why did Tabitha love this book?

I’m a sucker for a book where a struggling person turns his life around, and His Dog is a wonderful example. A bitter, failed man, run to seed and given up to drink and bad ways, takes in a stray dog, and we see the gradual transformation of his life in response to the dog’s pure goodwill. It’s a charming book, and as it goes on, and terrible risks are encountered and overcome, it is in emotional terms one of the most exciting books I’ve read. Originally published in 1922, the book deals with subjects that don’t change over time, so it remains as relevant today as when it was first written. A beautiful and heart-warming book.

By Albert Payson Terhune,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.


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