Love Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm? Readers share 100 books like Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm...

By Jon Katz,

Here are 100 books that Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm fans have personally recommended if you like Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Harry the Dirty Dog

Emma Bland Smith Author Of Odin, Dog Hero of the Fires

From my list on childrenā€™s books about dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a librarian and author living in San Francisco. Like many children, I grew up on dog books. I read and re-read Lassie Come Home and The Incredible Journey. James Herriotā€™s memoirsā€”many of which feature dogsā€”were my bedtime stories. Today, I often write about animals as a way to build empathy in child readers and teach the values of loyalty, kindness, and friendship. (My picture books include stories about dogs, alligators, wolves, and ducks!) Although I love a good cry over a book, I have chosen mostly happy books for this list of picture and middle-grade books about dogs. I hope the animal-loving child readers in your life enjoy them!

Emma's book list on childrenā€™s books about dogs

Emma Bland Smith Why did Emma love this book?

First published in 1956, Harry the Dirty Dog is still around and charming young readers. To avoid a bath, Harry buries the scrubbing brush in the yard and then runs away. He gets into entertaining scrapes and messes, eventually returning home so covered in dirt and soot that he is unrecognizable to his family. Panic! How will Harry convince his family that he is their missing pet? I read this on repeat to my kids when they were young, and today I also read it during library storytimes. The retro art is visually appealing and the story has just-high-enough stakes to keep kids glued to their seats.  

By Gene Zion, Margaret Bloy Graham (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Harry the Dirty Dog 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?

Harry is a black and white dog who hates having a bath - so when he sees his owner with the dredded bath, he runs away. But in the end, harry gets so dirty that his owners dont recognise him and so he has to beg for the thing he used to dread so much so they let him back into the houshold.


Book cover of Yes & No

Emma Bland Smith Author Of Odin, Dog Hero of the Fires

From my list on childrenā€™s books about dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a librarian and author living in San Francisco. Like many children, I grew up on dog books. I read and re-read Lassie Come Home and The Incredible Journey. James Herriotā€™s memoirsā€”many of which feature dogsā€”were my bedtime stories. Today, I often write about animals as a way to build empathy in child readers and teach the values of loyalty, kindness, and friendship. (My picture books include stories about dogs, alligators, wolves, and ducks!) Although I love a good cry over a book, I have chosen mostly happy books for this list of picture and middle-grade books about dogs. I hope the animal-loving child readers in your life enjoy them!

Emma's book list on childrenā€™s books about dogs

Emma Bland Smith Why did Emma love this book?

I grew up a dog lover, but today our family has one dog and one cat. Iā€™ve learned to accept and even appreciate the differences in attitude between the two, and this beautifully-illustrated picture book celebrates them lovingly. We follow a dog and a cat throughout their day, as the dog responds an enthusiastic ā€œYes!ā€ to all queries from the person of the house, while the cat gives a standoffish ā€œNo.ā€ By the end, the roles reverse and we feel affection for both animals in their unique quirkiness. Cuddly and hopeful.

By Elisha Cooper,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Yes & No as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From Caldecott Honor author/illustrator Elisha Cooper comes Yes & No, a timeless tale of friendship, adjusting your perspective, and the joys (and trials) of siblinghood.

Good morning, good morning. It's time to wake up!

Join a cat and puppy pair through their dayā€•the ups of being fed and romping through grass, and the downs of days that are too short and things that don't go as plannedā€•as they realize that sometimes the very best thing that can happen is just being together.


Book cover of Shiloh

Bobbie Pyron Author Of Stay

From my list on about dogs for grades 3 and up.

Why am I passionate about this?

From the time I was a small, shy child, books and dogs were my best friends. I loved nothing better than reading books about dogs in the company of my dog. I decided that when I grew up, I wanted to be an author. My love of books led to a career as a librarian that lasted over thirty years. Still, I never gave up on my dream of becoming an author. Since then, I have written seven novels for young readers including A Dogā€™s Way Home, The Dogs of Winter, and my latest award-winning novel, Stay. When Iā€™m not writing, I can be found hiking with my dogs in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

Bobbie's book list on about dogs for grades 3 and up

Bobbie Pyron Why did Bobbie love this book?

Naylor won the coveted Newbery Award for Shiloh, for good reason. The story is heartwarming, beautifully written, and timeless. When 11-year-old Marty finds a young, starving beagle near his home in the West Virginia mountains, he is faced with a moral dilemma: keep a dog who is not his or return the dog to an abusive home. One of the many reasons I love this book is Naylor does an excellent job of creating characters that are multidimensional and so very relatable. Even the ā€œbad guy!ā€ This is the first in a series of three books about Marty and Shiloh. Give this book to your tenderhearted, reluctant reader.

By Phyllis Reynolds Naylor,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Shiloh 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?

Marty will do anything to save his new friend Shiloh in this Newbery Medalā€“winning novel from Phillis Reynolds Naylor.

When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sightā€”and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gunā€”and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposesā€¦


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Book cover of The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife

The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife by Erica Silverman,

A unique and artful blend of poetry, science, and activism, this picture book shows how city dwellers can intervene so that nature can work her magic.

In Oslo, Norway: citizens create a honeybee highway that stretches from one side of the city to the other, offering flowerpots, resting spots, beeā€¦

Book cover of James Herriot's Dog Stories: Warm and Wonderful Stories about the Animals Herriot Loves Best

Emma Bland Smith Author Of Odin, Dog Hero of the Fires

From my list on childrenā€™s books about dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a librarian and author living in San Francisco. Like many children, I grew up on dog books. I read and re-read Lassie Come Home and The Incredible Journey. James Herriotā€™s memoirsā€”many of which feature dogsā€”were my bedtime stories. Today, I often write about animals as a way to build empathy in child readers and teach the values of loyalty, kindness, and friendship. (My picture books include stories about dogs, alligators, wolves, and ducks!) Although I love a good cry over a book, I have chosen mostly happy books for this list of picture and middle-grade books about dogs. I hope the animal-loving child readers in your life enjoy them!

Emma's book list on childrenā€™s books about dogs

Emma Bland Smith Why did Emma love this book?

When I was young, James Herriotā€™s hilarious, insightful, and touching memoirs about his experiences as a vet in rural 1930s and 1940s Yorkshire made me both a reader and a writer. Happily, he adapted some of his dog stories for children, gathered here in an appealing illustrated anthology. Iā€™ve read them all to my own kids, many times. I love that theyā€™re long enough to allow kids to settle in and focus (short and snappy picture books have their place. So do long and dense ones!). The writing is eloquent and entertaining, and the stories are absorbing. Good luck not tearing up at several of theseā€”when youā€™re not laughing or wishing that you, too, lived in the scenic English countryside!

By James Herriot,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked James Herriot's Dog Stories as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

James Herriot's Dog Stories is a perfect gift that celebrates the unconditional, loving friendships between people and dogs.

In this very special, heart-warming collection of favorite stories about dogs great and small, James Herriot tells us about his own dogs and all the wonderful people and animals we have come to love so much.

Fifty memorable tales move us to both laughter and tears, and Herriot's personal introduction and notes make this tribute by a master storyteller to man's best friend a book to read, reread, and be treasured for years to come.


Book cover of The Dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me

Susan Hartzler Author Of The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace

From my list on life with dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an accomplished author, award-winning writer, seasoned blogger, and savvy Public Relations Consultant, but my true passion lies in being a die-hard dog lover. Due to the demands of my current pack of Australian Shepherds, Seven and Paige Turner, Iā€™ve built a rewarding career working from home, writing dog-centric books, blogging for diverse clients, consulting in public relations, and creating dog-friendly travel stories. I also launched the online shop, ā€œDog Travel Gear,ā€ where I share tips and adventures with fellow dog lovers on the blog, ā€œPaws on the Go.ā€

Susan's book list on life with dogs

Susan Hartzler Why did Susan love this book?

Discovering this book was a transformative experience for me, coinciding with my immersion into the world of dog sports alongside my rescue Puli, Baldwin, and my first Australian Shepherd, Bliss. I resonated deeply with Jon Katz's journey as he welcomed a border collie named Orson into his life. I couldn't help but envy the author as he settled into an old farmhouse, complete with a herd of sheep for his dog to work every day. Katz's candid reflections on training Orson struck a chord with me, particularly when a dog trainer advised him that to have a better dog, he must strive to be a better human. Thatā€™s so true!

I found myself unable to put the book down as Katz's shared his insights into the amazing bond between humans and dogs. His honest portrayal of the challenges he faced navigating through life alongside his hyper-active border collie was completelyā€¦

By Jon Katz,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

ā€œDogs are blameless, devoid of calculation, neither blessed nor cursed with human motives. They canā€™t really be held responsible for what they do. But we can.ā€
ā€“from The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

When Jon Katz adopted a border collie named Orson, his whole world changed. Gone were the two yellow Labs he wrote about in A Dog Year, as was the mountaintop cabin they loved. Katz moved into an old farmhouse on forty-two acres of pasture and woods with a menagerie: a ram named Nesbitt, fifteen ewes, a lonely donkey named Carol, a baby donkey named Fanny, and three borderā€¦


Book cover of Orville: A Dog Story

Nancy Furstinger Author Of The Duchess and Guy: A Rescue-To-Royalty Puppy Love Story

From my list on rescued dogs.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been speaking up for animals since I learned to talk, and I havenā€™t shut up yet. My goal in writing books is to enlighten and inspire young readers to have compassion for all creatures great and small while making sure that my own empathy shines through on every page. Kids are thrilled when I bring along my rescued petsā€”dogs, rabbits, and a chinchillaā€”to book events, where I spread the ā€œadopt, donā€™t shopā€ mantra. After volunteering at animal rescues for 30+ years, Iā€™m excited to see so many pets getting a second chance!

Nancy's book list on rescued dogs

Nancy Furstinger Why did Nancy love this book?

In a story as mournful as a country song, a homeless big black dog resolves to lie down and never get up again. But he does find happiness, although it takes several tries. Themes of disappointment, loneliness, sorrow, yearning, and love are interwoven in the poetic text. As a bonus, Orville gleans peopleā€™s dearest wishes just by sniffing them. Watercolor and ink illustrations illuminate this poignant and powerful bond between a dog and his person.

By Haven Kimmel, Robert Andrew Parker (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A big, ugly dog is happy to meet a farmer and his wife who decide to give him a name and a home, but not so happy when they chain him to the barn. All Orville can do is bark to tell the world how unhappy he is, and the more he barks, the more he is left alone. But everything changes when Sally MacIntosh moves into the little house across the road and Orville falls in love.
A beautifully crafted text that blends wry humor with the poignant twang of a country-and-western song is accompanied by dreamy, spare watercolor-and-inkā€¦


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Book cover of Totally Turtles!

Totally Turtles! by Ginjer L. Clarke,

Did you know that leatherback turtles can weigh up to 2,000 pounds? Or that the Florida softshell turtle can breathe through its snout and its skin? Turtles have been around for millions of years, and weā€™re still learning more about them!

With simple language and vivid photographs, Totally Turtles! isā€¦

Book cover of The Story of an African Farm

Justin Fox Author Of The Cape Raider

From my list on South Africaā€™s landscape and beauty.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a South African travel writer and novelist with a particular passion for the sublime landscape, wildlife, oceans, and wilderness of our corner of Africa. Growing up in Cape Town, I have spent the last 25 years travelling around the subcontinent writing and photographing for travel and wildlife magazines, and writing books about the landscape and its people. My two latest novels are set in the Cape, and although they are World War II adventure stories, they are also celebrations of our unique coastline, maritime culture, and the oceans that wash our shores. All my writing, whether fiction or non-fiction, ends up being a love letter to the landscape.

Justin's book list on South Africaā€™s landscape and beauty

Justin Fox Why did Justin love this book?

This South African classic, written in the 19th century, is set on an isolated farm in the Eastern Cape. It masterfully portrays the hardy existence and rugged mountain landscape of the region, but is also a sophisticated (and surprisingly modern) take on issues such as conservation, ecology, racism, and gender equality. Schreiner has a deep love for the fauna and flora of the region, which shines through in her writing.

By Olive Schreiner, Joseph Bristow (editor),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Story of an African Farm as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Lyndall, Schreiner's articulate young feminist, marks the entry of the controversial New Woman into nineteenth-century fiction. Raised as an orphan amid a makeshift family, she witnesses an intolerable world of colonial exploitation. Desiring a formal education, she leaves the isolated farm for boarding school in her early teens, only to return four years later from an unhappy relationship. Unable to meet the demands of her mysterious lover, Lyndall retires to a
house in Bloemfontein, where, delirious with exhaustion, she is unknowingly tended by an English farmer disguised as her female nurse. This is the devoted Gregory Rose, Schreiner's daring embodimentā€¦


Book cover of Momma, Will You?

Patricia Cleveland-Peck Author Of You Can't Let an Elephant Drive a Racing Car

From my list on childrenā€™s rhyming picture texts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionately keen on poetry of many types because, whether rhyming or not, most poetry employs rhythm which is something that has a subconscious appeal to human senses. For children, rhyme provides an easy introduction to poetry and I enjoy using it because children themselves love it. Mums tell me that they are asked to read the same book time and time again ā€“ and not to try to skip any spreads! At the age of three, before she could read, my sonā€™s goddaughter knew the whole of You Canā€™t Take an Elephant on the Bus by heart. The rhymes children hear when very young remain with them, sometimes forever. 

Patricia's book list on childrenā€™s rhyming picture texts

Patricia Cleveland-Peck Why did Patricia love this book?

This is another quite different type of book which has taught me a lot about rhythm, how impelling it can be, and how a refrain can be used to advantage. Proceeding at a jaunty tempo here the boy frames his questions to his mother throughout the book with 3 possible answers, ā€˜Yes, or no or maybe.ā€™

"Momma will you feed the hen?
Yes or no or maybe?
Scatter corn a round the pen.
You and me and baby?
To which the mum replies, in this case in the affirmative
Yes, weā€™ll feed the speckled hen
Scratching in the dew
Then sheā€™ll lay two speckled eggs.
One for each of you."

This book has a memorable rhythm, good rhyme and it takes you into the world of the child and the mother. It finishes at the end of the day with the boy going to sleep which gives it the bonusā€¦

By Dori Chaconas,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Momma, Will You? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Lilting rhymes in a question-and-answer format tell the story of a young boy eager to introduce his world to his mother and baby sister.


Book cover of Dairy Queen

Barbara Carroll Roberts Author Of Nikki on the Line

From my list on girls who love sports.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a very active kid ā€“ the kind of kid who was constantly told to sit still and be quiet. Growing up in the 1960s, I had few opportunities to engage in athletics, other than neighborhood games of tag and kick-the-can. But when I got to high school, our school district had just begun offering competitive sports for girls. Finally, my energy and athletic ability were appreciated (at least by my coaches and teammates). So I guess it was inevitable that when I began writing books for young readers, I would start with a book about a girl who loves sports.

Barbara's book list on girls who love sports

Barbara Carroll Roberts Why did Barbara love this book?

Youā€™d have a hard time finding a funnier, more captivating first-person narrator than D.J. Swank. Growing up on her familyā€™s farm, hoisting hay bales, and playing pick-up football with her brothers, itā€™s no wonder D.J. has the strength, ability, and desire to play on her high schoolā€™s football team. The two things I love most about this book are D.J.ā€™s sheer joy in physical movement and Murdockā€™s depiction of how the hard work required to master sports skills can build self-confidence and a sense of achievement in young people. The characters are a bit older than those in most middle-grade books, but with nothing more controversial than the drinking of a beer, this is a book kids in the upper range of middle grade will love.

By Catherine Gilbert Murdock,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dairy Queen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

When you donā€™t talk, thereā€™s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. canā€™t help admitting, maybe heā€™s right.

When you donā€™t talk, thereā€™s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.
Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isnā€™t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers wonā€™t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the highā€¦


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Book cover of Wagnificent: The Adventures of Thunder and Sage

Wagnificent by Bethanie Deeney Murguia,

Discover a new early middle-grade graphic novel series full of humor and heart about a lovable dog, her favorite human, and their pawsome pack in this unforgettable friendship story. Though Thunder wants to be good for Sage, sheā€™s having a rough time stopping herself from doing things she knows areā€¦

Book cover of Charlotte's Web

Betty G. Birney Author Of Happiness According to Humphrey

From my list on childrens books featuring helpful, lovable problem-solving animal friends.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell deeply in love with books as a child, wrote oodles of stories growing up, majored in English literature, and built a writing career in advertising and TV. But my deep love of childrenā€™s books never faded. Somewhere in my 30s, I had an epiphany sitting on the couch one day: I clearly saw that writing childrenā€™s books was what I wanted to build my life around. It took a lot of time and effort to accomplish that, but with the aid of a helpful hamster named Humphrey ā€“ and his friend Og - I found my happy place, and I hope I never, ever ā€œgrow up.ā€

Betty's book list on childrens books featuring helpful, lovable problem-solving animal friends

Betty G. Birney Why did Betty love this book?

Charlotteā€™s Web has it all: animal characters, a strong story with life and death at stake, yet as gentle as a breeze. Starring a naĆÆve pig named Wilbur who faces a daunting futureā€¦ and a unique friend in a spider named Charlotte. Again, a tale of true friendship when brave Charlotte soars beyond the limitations of a spider to save Wilbur. 

Charlotteā€™s depth of character and creativity, paired with Wilburā€™s innocence, makes this a classic book for all ages. Yes, she spins the words ā€œTerrificā€ and ā€œSome Pig,ā€ but in the end, Charlotte herself is one terrific and memorable spider.

By E.B. White,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked Charlotte's Web 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?

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child.

On foggy mornings, Charlotte's web was truly a thing of beauty . Even Lurvy, who wasn't particularly interested in beauty, noticed the web when he came with the pig's breakfast. And then he took another look and he saw something that made him set his pail down. There, in the centre of the web, neatly woven in block letters, was a message. It said: SOME PIG!

This is the story of a little girl named Fern, who loves a little pig named Wilbur - and of Wilbur's dear friend,ā€¦


Book cover of Harry the Dirty Dog
Book cover of Yes & No
Book cover of Shiloh

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