100 books like Running with Sherman

When two dog breeders were caught coming into Montana with 180 shivering and malnourished collies stacked in crates inside a tractor-trailer, my heart stopped. Those dogs looked like scrawnier versions of my two shelties. I was a newspaper reporter at the time, and covering the exhausting rescue and rehabilitation of those collies awakened me to the suffering so many animals undergo at human hands. My first book, Saving Gracie: How one dog escaped the shadowy world of American puppy mills, was inspired by that case. Ever since, I’ve made it my mission to shine the light on the mistreatment of animals, to try to capture the indomitable resilience they are able to summon when given the chance.

I’ve loved horses for as long as I can remember and have been blessed to have them woven into the fabric of my life. They’ve taught me a great deal about myself, and the time I’ve spent with them has often included the company of humans. I’ve seen teens whispering heartaches into a horse’s ear, special needs people lighting up like the sun at the touch of a horse, others simply standing quietly near them, soaking in their presence, and much more. I’ve witnessed the benefits of equine-assisted therapy, both physical and emotional, and hope horses and humans long continue to thrive in the kinship of our relationship.  

When two dog breeders were caught coming into Montana with 180 shivering and malnourished collies stacked in crates inside a tractor-trailer, my heart stopped. Those dogs looked like scrawnier versions of my two shelties. I was a newspaper reporter at the time, and covering the exhausting rescue and rehabilitation of those collies awakened me to the suffering so many animals undergo at human hands. My first book, Saving Gracie: How one dog escaped the shadowy world of American puppy mills, was inspired by that case. Ever since, I’ve made it my mission to shine the light on the mistreatment of animals, to try to capture the indomitable resilience they are able to summon when given the chance.

I’ve loved horses for as long as I can remember and have been blessed to have them woven into the fabric of my life. They’ve taught me a great deal about myself, and the time I’ve spent with them has often included the company of humans. I’ve seen teens whispering heartaches into a horse’s ear, special needs people lighting up like the sun at the touch of a horse, others simply standing quietly near them, soaking in their presence, and much more. I’ve witnessed the benefits of equine-assisted therapy, both physical and emotional, and hope horses and humans long continue to thrive in the kinship of our relationship.  

Issues impacting animals have been a major component of my life for twenty years and have inspired all of my writing. As humans, we are consumed by our own needs and often, animals go unnoticed in the shadows or in some capacity that is of service to us. But animals have stories all their own. Again and again I have encountered these stories, from cows in a slaughterhouse, to fighting dogs rescued from a chain, to primates in laboratories, they each have a meaningful story. The stories that resonate most are the ones in which the animal story intersects that of human character in a deep, and often surprising way. 

I am a chocolate loving writer, goat yoga enthusiast, and author of several successful children’s books specializing in early learning, along with an award-winning line of gratitude coloring journals. I hope to inspire a love of reading through education and laughter. My latest book, Gomer the Gassy Goat has sold over 21,000 units since 2021, and was recently referenced in The New York Times about the importance of using humor in books for kids to inspire a love of reading. “Not every book has to reach a lesson. Sometimes it can just be fun.” - Mr. Price

I love a good pun and have written a joke book all about food called Lettuce Laugh. I think food is relatable to kids and they can put themselves in the food’s shoes and learn about friendship and being true to themselves through talking food characters. Humor plays a big part in the books I recommended, but it’s a great way to deliver a lasting message. Another book I wrote is also about food - Jalapeño Bagels, but unlike Bagel In Love, these bagels don’t talk! I love Bagel In Love so much I had a dress made with some of the characters embroidered on it.

My first animal story, Lost in the Snow, was based on stories that my mum and I invented together when I was very small, about our stray cat Rosie. She walked into my dad’s office and sat down in his chair when he was out at lunch! I loved imagining her adventures as a stray kitten, and those stories could be scary, sad, emotional as anything – because we knew she came home to live safe and happy with us. I’ve been creating stories about animals ever since. 

Growing up near the outskirts of a lush Honduran cloud forest, I remember searching for magic in the woods, a fairy behind the waterfall, and an emerald quetzal bird in the canopy. I have always been a lover of nature, ecology, and wildlife, and I appreciate how each of these five books speaks to the passion that I have for ecology in a unique way. From fantastical rabbits to hidden systems we all rely on, to turtles and whales and the entire animal kingdom, these books will resonate with those of us who believe that we each have a place in our interconnected planet.

Jean Halley is a professor of sociology at the Graduate Center and the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York (CUNY). She earned her doctorate in sociology at the Graduate Center of CUNY, and her master’s degree in theology at Harvard University. Halley's book with the University of Georgia Press about girls who love horses, Horse Crazy: Girls and the Lives of Horses, came out in 2019. She and her horse grew up in the Rocky Mountains. Today she lives in New York City.