Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This week’s prompt: Animal Companions (real or fantasy)
I have always loved books with animals – I am a huge animal lover, as evidenced by our enormous menagerie of pets. I am that mom who will never say no to their child’s request. And I even do the caretaking. I just love all animals and always have. So this was a fun post to write!
Let’s start with the cozy mysteries! There is Charles from the Lighthouse Library series by Eva Gates, Emerson from the Magical Bookshop series, and Huckleberry the pug from Crime and Cherry Pits!
Next, we have Barnabas from At Home in Mitford, Neil the Puffin from Little Beach Street Bakery (I want a puffin!), Mouse and Mister from The Dresden Files, and Shadow from Emily Wilde.
And of course, all of our animal friends in children’s books. Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web, Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, Winn-Dixie from Because of Winn-Dixie.
And finally, a non animal companion. Does he fall under the fantasy version of companion at least? He’s non-human, sort of? He’s a magical baked good, the little gingerbread man from A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.
I can’t wait to see what you have all chosen, and more than likely expand my TBR.
I hope whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!
Very cute, and I have only read your 7th and 8th books.
https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/05/27/top-ten-books-with-animals/
I love Charlotte’s Web. I know it is sad, but also I find such hope in it as well. Wyatt and I had one summer when he was younger that we spent learning about farms and animals and we read Charlotte’s Web together and it is just one of those good memories.
Wonderful!
I’ve read Winn-Dixie over and over, and I could still read it again.
Kate DiCamillo is hands down one of my favorite children’s book authors. She is definitely gifted. Her stories are always just so beautiful.
Love your children’s book selection!
https://portobellobookblog.com/2025/05/27/top-ten-tuesday-27th-may-2025-animal-companions-toptentuesday-amreading-bookrecommendations-tuesdaybookblog/
Thanks Joanne!
I haven’t read a Mitford book n ages. I always loved them.
They are just so peaceful. 🙂
My sister is the same. We thought she was going to be a vet because she loved animals so much, but she said she couldn’t bear to hurt them by giving them their shots, therefore, she is a people doctor, LOL!
Lol!! I understand that sentiment! We love our houseful of animals – even though my nightly chores with them take at least an hour. Lol.
I love Toothless! And I think a Gingerbread Man kind of counts too, as he’s indeed non-human 😉
Toothless is so cute!! I would love a dragon like Toothless. And thank you! I was like well.. I am adding him!
Cozy mysteries are so fun.
They are. I definitely reach for them (or scary thrillers) when I am stressed.
Such good choices! I would love to have a dragon! And, the gingerbread man was a good choice, too.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
That gingerbread man still makes me laugh. I want a little gingerbread man friend!
I’m not a huge animal fan but reading series with my boys like Humphrey nearly had me convinced we needed a pet hamster! We loved the How to Train Your Dragon books too but listening to them definitely altered our view of the movies.
I remember shelving those Humphrey books when I worked at the library! They looked so cute. Every time we go to the pet store I look at the little fluff ball animals and think… should I? Lol. If I could just figure out where….
I have only read the first one but I saw there are a bunch. Maybe we can listen to them after Wyatt’s surgery!
I love, love Because of Winn Dixie (and what a name for a pet!) I’d forgotten there was a pet in At Home in Mitford. Is it a cat? I’ve seen the Emily wilde’s series on a lot of list. Must get to that book/series soon!
Winn-Dixie is such an amazing story!
Mitford has Barnabas the dog, who is controlled by Bible verses. Lol. I love him.
I still have only read the first Emily Wilde – I need to get to the rest!
Emily Wilde is on my list as well!
Shadow is one of my faves!
I love that you included the gingerbread from A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!https://readbakecreate.com/animal-farm-ten-books-with-animals-on-the-cover/
He is one of my favorite little companions!
I can’t believe I forgot Huckleberry!
Lol! There are so many I forgot, I am seeing as I travel around to blogs today!
Ahaha I love that you included the gingerbread man, I’m gonna say he definitely counts but then there’s also Nag, the horse who I love in that book! I also really enjoy animal companions in cozy mysteries 🥰🥰! Thank you for visiting my blog earlier and I hope you had a lovely day 🖤!
Lolol I love that book so much! And I thought about including Nag but went with Gingerbread man. My husband said I should have included Bob! That book is just so good.
hah yeah it really is such a fun book 🙂 & that’s fair, it’s hard to pick when there are so many cool characters! lol
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking looks so good! Adding that to my tb.
It is just a great read! I hope you love it as much as I did when you get to it!
Awww…Charlottes Web was one of my favourites as a kid.
Off to look at A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking!
Mine too! Then I read it to my son a few years ago and now I have those memories of it too. It’s a very special one to me. 🙂
And I love that book. Such a good read!!!
I did all cozy mysteries for my list since they’re the only books I read that consistently feature animal companions. I’ve read about half of the ones on your list.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I recently read a cozy without an animal companion and it was super weird! It is a big series so I hope that she gets one as the series moves along. Lol.
Kate DiCamillo’s Tale of Despereaux is one of my favorite animal books, although he’s Desperaux is less a companion and more the star of the show 🙂
Emily Wilde’s Shadow <3 yes!
I always love when horses play a good role in books, like in Mimi Matthews’s Belles quartet.
I love animals, too!
Here is our <a href=”https://www.longandshortreviews.com/miscellaneous-musings/top-ten-tuesday-animal-companions/“>Top Ten Tuesday</a>.Â
Mouse and Mister! 🙂
I have Charles and Neil the Puffin too! I have the Magical Bookstore series but for Poe the raven and not Emmerson. Emmerson was pretty great too. I will have to look for the ones that I have missed.
Neil the Puffin is so fun!!! I think the whole time I read that series I kept saying to my husband that I wanted a puffin too. I will have to go visit them somewhere. Lol.
Lol! I thought about Poe!
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Erin! What a fantastic list. I had to smile at seeing Charlotte’s Web, which I didn’t even think about when coming up with my list. The only other one I’ve read is Emily Wilde, and can’t wait to check out more of these!
Thank you Leah!! I added Charlotte’s Web, but who was the companion for who in that book? Lol.