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Animal characters


Bel-ami

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Although I suppose Winnie the Pooh was a firm favourite in my childhood and of course there are many children's books which are based upon animal characters Baba the Elephant etc. etc., but having just read Suzette A. Hills "A Load of Old Bones", I was wondering how widespread this 'genre' is in adult(ish) fiction? Paul Galico, Joyce Stranger, Richard Adams spring to mind - and I did read The Incredible Journey once upon a time.

 

It's not a genre I really go for, but I thought A Load of Old Bones, which has 3 narrators - vicar, dog and cat - was a fun mix of crime and comedy.

 

Just realised this topic is covered to some extent by the November choice for the 'Reading Circle' :smile2:

Edited by Bel-ami
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  • 2 months later...

Have you read White Fang by Jack London? Fiction with animal characters tends to be really lighthearted but this is much more primitive...White Fang isn't personified like animals usually are in books but the story is told from his point of view, sort of subconsciously. It was a really good read.

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These come to mind:

 

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (which I love) and The Last Family in England by Matt Haig (which I also love). Both have dogs as main characters and narrators.

 

I'm sure there must be loads of other books, but these are the only ones that come to mind at the moment, sadly!

 

Edit: Just thought of another one: Spencer Quinn has written a detective series which is told from the point-of-view of the dog who aids his owner in solving crimes (he's a private detective).

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I love Paul Gallico - Jennie! I read it when I was a child (haven't read it in ages), it was really good. I've also read a kids book about a boy who turns into a dog, but I can't remember the author or title (it may have been a Dutch author, I don't remember).

 

Richard Adams - Watership Down and Garth Stein - The Art Of Racing In The Rain (thanks to some of you) I've just bought and should be delivered here in a few days.

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Have you read White Fang by Jack London? Fiction with animal characters tends to be really lighthearted but this is much more primitive...White Fang isn't personified like animals usually are in books but the story is told from his point of view, sort of subconsciously. It was a really good read.

 

I have White Fang waiting on my kobo to read in the next few weeks hopefully. I'm a big fan of wolves so I'm hoping in portrays them in a good light.. :wolf:

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The best doggy character I have come across recently was Bailey and his other pseudonyms in A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron, he is repeatedly reborn as a puppy in order to fulfil his purpose in life, a perfect doggy book for dog lovers!! :wolf: (Can't believe there are no doggy emoticons, who do I complain to... :D )

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I used to read Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series a lot. I used to love Wolf! :wolf: I thought the Hunters were also great, but, as killer whales (and my all-time number one favourite animal) that was inevitable even though they were only featured in one book!

Edited by Tiger
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I used to read Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series a lot. I used to love Wolf! :wolf: I thought the Hunters were also great, but, as killer whales (and my all-time number one favourite animal) that was inevitable even though they were only featured in one book!

 

I think we have the first of the CoAD somewhere, is it more for younger teens Tiger? :)

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Have you read White Fang by Jack London? Fiction with animal characters tends to be really lighthearted but this is much more primitive...White Fang isn't personified like animals usually are in books but the story is told from his point of view, sort of subconsciously. It was a really good read.

 

I agree. Just completed it and it was a wonderful read.

(Have posted my thoughts here)

 

I have White Fang waiting on my kobo to read in the next few weeks hopefully. I'm a big fan of wolves so I'm hoping in portrays them in a good light.. :wolf:

 

Do let me know when you read it chaliepud :)

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I think we have the first of the CoAD somewhere, is it more for younger teens Tiger? :)

 

Definitely, but they're so good, especially for lovers of nature, pre-history and magic. I would recommend them to anyone who's interested in these- the second one (Spirit Walker) is the best (and not just because of the killer whales! :P ). I may have to dig them out again at some point! XD

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

 

I have White Fang waiting on my kobo to read in the next few weeks hopefully. I'm a big fan of wolves so I'm hoping in portrays them in a good light.. :wolf:

 

White Fang is a lovely book - also by Jack London; 'Call of the Wild' is even better, in my opinion!

 

I've got a book in my to-read pile called 'Raptor Red', told (so the blurb tells me) from the point of view of a dinosaur in the cretaceous period. Interesting!

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White Fang is a lovely book - also by Jack London; 'Call of the Wild' is even better, in my opinion!

Sorry, I can't agree, I only got a third or so of the way through and had to give up, the treatment of the wolves upset me and there were elements that really didn't sit well with my wolf knowledge..

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  • 6 years later...

I have recently read Snailing Through by Kadri Görkem Aka. The main character of the book is as you can guess, a snail. It was an interesting story. There is a hostility between snails and slugs in the book emerging from their cultural differences which they have to overcome through understanding each other and I think the way the subject is worked through these animals was a different approach.

 

Also, a bit from past, there is adventures of Lassie the dog. Those remain very popular still.     

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