Did you know that house cats battle billions of birds each year in the United States? How about the subspecies of woolly mammoths that shrunk to a fun-sized little furry group of elephants when they were isolated on an island? Details like these are just entries into the vast and fascinating world of animals. One of the best ways to learn about and understand animal behavior is to read about it.
There’s such a wide variety of materials out there that it’s hard to make a decision on what to read, though. If you’re struggling to make a choice, you’re in the perfect place. We’ve sifted through animal books to find some of the best options for you. Take a look at the list below and see if any of these books resonate with you.
Check Amazon- Contains numerous insights and facts about animals
- The least difficult option
- Great casual read for children
Check Amazon- Lots of beautiful images
- Great companion piece to more text-heavy books
- Good choice for slightly older readers than first option
Check Amazon- Crafted in association with the Smithsonian Museum
- Covers animals in detail, from taxonomy to evolution to mating practices
- Great photography
Check Amazon- Written by Pulizter Prize-winner Ed Yong
- Shows how animals experience aspects of the world we are not aware of
- For young adults and other advanced readers
Check Amazon- The work which put the idea of evolution into mainstream discourse
- One of the most controversial books ever written
- The difficulty of the writing means this is best only for highly advanced adult readers
A-Z Animals Top Picks for Books About Animals
1. The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids: 500 Wild Facts! by Ginjer Clarke
This is a book about animals that is aimed at children between the ages of nine and 12. It contains 500 fascinating facts about animals both large and small for kids to learn about. It is written with an humorous and easy-to-read style that is guaranteed to have kids hanging of every word. Plus, there are stunning full color photographs on every page to make it an engaging and fun read. With this book children can learn about mammals, insects, reptiles, and even animals that live at the bottom of the sea.
This book is 210 pages long and is available in Kindle, hardcover, and paperback editions. The only drawback to this book is that it does not have an index to make looking up a facts about a specific animal easier.
Pros and Cons of The Fascinating Animal Book for Kids: 500 Wild Facts! by Ginjer Clarke
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book contains 500 facts about animals. | It does not have an index. |
| It features stunning full-color photographs. | |
| It is suitable for children aged nine to 12. | |
| It is written in a humorous and engaging style. | |
| There are Kindle, hardcover, and paperback editions available. |
- Contains numerous insights and facts about animals
- The least difficult option
- Great casual read for children
2. Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia (Second Edition) by DK
This book is a great option for people looking to get minimal textual information but a lot of beautiful images. It’s also an ideal introduction to animals for children. There is a complete A-Z of animals included in this book, so it’s full of fascinating species of all sizes. Although the main focus in this book is the images, it does still include some key details about each animal.
Images of animals tell us a great deal, and it’s often important to see an animal to fully appreciate its nature. So, this is a great option for those who aren’t big readers. It’s also a good companion piece for anyone reading up on animals in books without any images.
Unfortunately, some reviewers reported that they received a damaged book.
Pros and Cons of Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia (Second Edition) by DK
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book provides a full visual guide of animals from A to Z. | Some customers received a damaged book. |
| It includes stunning full color photographs. | |
| There is key information included about each animal. | |
| It is a good companion piece for books without images. |
- Lots of beautiful images
- Great companion piece to more text-heavy books
- Good choice for slightly older readers than first option
3. Zoology: Inside the Secret World of Animals by DK
Next up is Zoology: Inside the Secret World of Animals. This book is an excellent blend of stunning images and engaging text. It works through all of the big questions concerning animals, evolution, and taxonomy. It also covers anatomy, social lives, mating practices, and ancient humanity’s relationship to animals.
This is a perfect fit for just about any reader. You can dig deep into the textual information or casually breeze through and enjoy some excellent photography of the animal kingdom.
Pros and Cons of Zoology: Inside the Secret World of Animals by DK
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explores several big questions about the evolution of animals and their taxonomy. | None |
| It provides chapters on anatomy, social lives, and mating practices. | |
| It contains stunning imagery. |
- Crafted in association with the Smithsonian Museum
- Covers animals in detail, from taxonomy to evolution to mating practices
- Great photography
4. When Animals Dream: The Hidden World of Animal Consciousness by Peña-Guzmán and David M.
When Animals Dream: The Hidden World of Animal Consciousness explores what goes on in animals minds as they sleep. It discusses the minds, thoughts, and feelings of animals. As an exploratory book, the reader gets out of the rote facts about animals and into some of the more philosophical ideas associated with the animal kingdom. For example, what are the different tiers of animal consciousness? Do animals’ feelings equate to ours, and, as such, should animals be entitled to the same rights as humans? These are questions that unfold from the pages of When Animals Dream. Anyone interested in the current research on animal consciousness will benefit from this brand new book.
However, some reviewers reported that some parts of this book were a little repetitive.
Pros and Cons of When Animals Dream: The Hidden World of Animal Consciousness by Peña-Guzmán and David M.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explores what goes on in animals minds as they sleep. | Some parts of the the book are a little repetitive. |
| It discusses the thoughts, feelings, and minds of animals. | |
| It explores the different tiers of animal consciousness. |
- Concerned with animal consciousness
- Philosophical themes
- For more advanced readers
5. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Yong weaves us through the animal kingdom in this New York Times bestseller, detailing the senses and perceptions animals have that we don’t. It also explores the world as animals perceive it.
Animals experience aspects of the world that we are not even aware of, and those experiences have the potential to stretch our ideas of reality. Further, these incredible abilities show just how magnificent the animal kingdom really is. Through the lens of extraordinary abilities, we learn about animal relationships, evolution, and much more.
This book is 288 pages long and is available in Kindle, paperback, hardcover, and audio editions. The only issue with this book is that some customers reported receiving books with broken bindings.
Pros and Cons of An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book is a New York Times bestseller. | Some customers received books with a broken binding. |
| It explores the senses and perceptions that animals have that we don’t. | |
| It explores the world as animals receive it. | |
| It discusses animal relationships and evolution. | |
| There are Kindle, hardcover, paperback, and audio editions available. |
- Written by Pulizter Prize-winner Ed Yong
- Shows how animals experience aspects of the world we are not aware of
- For young adults and other advanced readers
6. The Origin of Species: 150th Aniversary Edition by Charles Darwin
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin is the book that proposes the idea of evolution through the process of natural selection and survival of the fittest.
It has proved to be one of the most controversial books in history while providing some of the most useful and salient direction for the sciences. Now, more than 150 years later, the fundamental ideas of this book have been expanded and are now regarded as fact.
This book is a difficult one, though, as it was written in the 1800s by an academic of that time. Once you get the hang of the writing style and the nature of the observations in the book, you’ll find that it’s a fascinating look at the process of one of the first people ever to uncover the process of evolution.
Pros and Cons The Origin of Species: 150th Aniversary Edition by Charles Darwin
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explores the idea of evolution through the process of natural selection and survival of the fittest. | It can be difficult to understand the writing style at times as it was written in the 1800’s. |
| It has been one of the most controversial, yet useful books for the last 150 years. | |
| It offers a fascinating look into the process of Charles Darwin as he uncovered the idea of evolution. |
- The work which put the idea of evolution into mainstream discourse
- One of the most controversial books ever written
- The difficulty of the writing means this is best only for highly advanced adult readers
Choosing the Best: What to Look For
We know that it can be daunting when it comes to choosing a book about animals as there are so many different types on the market. After all, there’s fiction books, encyclopedias, breed guides, and even care and training manuals to choose from.
However, there are a few things that you should consider which will help to narrow down the choice. First of all, consider what it is that you want from the book. Are you after a relaxing and heartwarming read? If so, then you should consider a fictional novel. However, if you’re looking for something to expand your knowledge or help you with training your dog then an encyclopedia or a training manual would be more appropriate.
Also, if the book is for someone else then consider the age of the person. For a young child then a picture book or a short story with a lot of illustrations would be the best fit, whereas older children may wish to learn more about how to look after their pet via a “how to” book. However, adults are able to read and understand more complex words and language and can cope with a more technical book, depending on their interests as per the first point.
The Best Books About Animals FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
How many animal species are there?
There are more than two million species that have been identified and described by human beings. However, that is by no means an extensive list, and it’s likely that there are more than two or three times that many species existing on the planet.
How many endangered species are there?
There are roughly 16,300 endangered species on the planet.
What is the most endangered animal species?
The most endangered animal species is the Javan Rhino. There are roughly 75 Javan Rhinos left in the world, and all of them exist on the small island of Java. A species need to have fewer than 2,500 adult individuals to be considered endangered.
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