30 books by dogs

You may have wondered what your pet dog would say if he or she could talk. But what if your dog could put pen to paper? These 30 picture books and novels -- for kids, teens, and adults -- imagine a dog's eye view of things.

From rhyming puppies to suave sleuthhounds, from saving the world to observing it wryly, these cultured canines have compelling tales to tell -- and tails to wag! Happy reading!

12 dog books for adults

Novels:

1. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (Harper Collins, 2008, $24.95) Enzo the lab-terrier mix, self-educated through diligent TV viewing, tells of his one last effort to earn human status in his next birth.

2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (Random House, 2008, $32.95) Almondine, a gentle dog, confesses she's the only family member who can hear the voice of Edgar, a boy who can't speak.

3. Dog Days -- An Animal Chronicle by Patrice Nganang (University of Virginia, 2006, $21.95) Translated from the 2001 French original, this story by a rather philosophical dog, Mboudjak, explores the vibrant, changing culture of Cameroon in the early '90s.

4. The Last Family in England by Matt Haig (Vintage Books, 2005, $19.95) Prince, a black lab, is torn between duty to his human family and pulling his canine friends out of scrapes in this tragi-comic take on Shakespeare's Henry IV Part II.

5. Timbuktu by Paul Auster (Picador, 2000, $12) Mr. Bones accompanies his homeless master on a trek from Brooklyn to Baltimore in this rich, poignant fable.

6. King: A Street Story by John Berger (Vintage Books, 2000, $18) In a spare, lyrical tragedy by Booker Award-winner John Berger, a German shepherd narrates the eviction of a homeless community over a tough 24 hours.

7. The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams (Allan Lane, 1977) This modern classic has a harrowing opening, but settles into a heartwarming tale of escaped lab animals adventuring in the wild.

Mystery:

8. A Dog Among Diplomats by J.F. Englert (Dell, 2008, $8.99) Charming, poetry-loving Randolph the lab is back with a new mystery to solve: his master's fiancee has apparently been kidnapped and framed for murder by a United Nations conspiracy. Sequel to A Dog About Town (below).

9. A Dog About Town (Dell, 2007, $8.99).

Romance:

10. The Hidden Life of Humans by Erika Ritter (Key Porter Books, 2002, $19.95) Murphy the mutt shares comic storytelling duties with his temporary mistress, fortysomething Dana, as she wavers through a crazy brush with love -- or will both the passion and the pooch prove more permanent?

Science Fiction:

11. Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis (Warner Books, 1997, $23.99) In this imaginative novel, super intelligent giant dogs colonize 21st-century New York and are the toast of town until they can't cope and barricade themselves inside a fantastic castle.

Non-fiction:

12. Before Your Dog Can Do Your Homework, First You Have to Do It by John O'Hurley (Hudson Street Press, 2007, $26.50) Scoshi, a wise old Maltese, writes letters to the family baby about how to get along in life. Of course, Dad then butts in with the human viewpoint.

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9 dog books for teens and older readers

13. Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst (Simon & Schuster, 2008, $28.99) An outcast wolf with an epic destiny tells her story in this first book in a trilogy for teens. Set in the Ice Age.

14. City of Dogs by Livi Michael (GP Putnam, 2007, $20) Ordinary dogs Gentleman Jim, Pico, Boris, Checkers and Flo meet a series of hounds right out of Norse and Greek mythology… and are called on to prevent the end of the world.

15. Born To Run by Michael Morpurgo (Harper Collins Canada, 2008, $9.99) A spirited greyhound tells of the three people who loved him in this Black Beauty-style tearjerker.

16. A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin (Scholastic, 2005, $7.99) Squirrel, a sweet stray dog, describes the events and hardships of her wandering life.

17. Barry Boyhound by Andy Spearman (Yearling, 2005, $6.99) Get ready for a gross-out when a boy turns into an actual hound -- mentally, if not physically -- and behaves like a dog all day. Exploding racoon not included.

18. Dog by Daniel Pennac (Candlewick, 2004, $15.99) Dog (that's his name!) is a scrappy stray in search of a loving home. A touching tale translated from the French original.

19. Smart Dog by Vivian Vande Velde (Harcourt, 1998, $6.95) Sherlock is no ordinary dog: he can talk and use a computer! But can he evade the evil scientists who plan to dissect his brain?

20. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe (Atheneum, 1979, $8.95) The first book in this long-running series is still a beloved classic. Harold the dog wonders why his new fellow pet has a fluffy cottontail... and fangs.

21. Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones (Harper Collins, 1975, $9) In this Carnegie Medal-winning tale, Sirius the star is framed for murder and sentenced to rebirth in the body of a dog. But if he can find a thing called a Zoi, he could go free.

9 dog picture books for children

22. Help Me Mr. Mutt! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel (Harcourt, 2008, $17) A wonderfully snarky canine advice columnist helps other dogs keep their tails up -- despite heckling letters from a cat.

23. LaRue for Mayor by Mark Teague (Scholastic, 2008, $21) Left at home when his owner is in hospital, Ike writes her letters chronicling his campaign to have dogs treated better. Don't forget to check out the others in this award-winning series, including the original, Dear Mrs. LaRue (below).

24. Dear Mrs. LaRue (Scholastic, 2002, $21).

25. Stanley at Sea by author (Kids Can Press, 2008, $17.95) In the newest book in the popular series, Stanley the lab and his friends accidentally drift off in a boat while in search of food.

26. A Dog Needs a Bone by Audrey Wood (Scholastic, 2007, $20.99) Your very little ones will enjoy this rhyming story of a wee dog who spends the day longing for a bone.

27. Sassafras: The True Confessions of a Poodle Princess by Lynn Hirshfield and Dena Fishbein (Penguin, 2006, $21) A rare poodle with oodles of personality makes her way in the world after being dumped at the pound.

28. How to be a Good Dog by Gail Page (Bloomsbury, 2006, $7.95) Little ones will laugh as an eager-to-please dog resorts to taking obedience lessons from a cat.

29. Down Girl and Sit: Smarter than Squirrels by Lucy Nolan (Marshall Cavendish, 2004, $21.95) Two doggie neighbours pride themselves on outsmarting humans (by waking them before they have to hear that noisy alarm clock) and other critters.

30. Rover by Michael Rosen (Bloomsbury, 1999, $14.95) Still a classic: a canine storyteller calls his pet human "Rover" and remarks on her funny ways.

Discover 10 ways to be kind online, including a pet adoption page -- perfect for animal lovers.

Visit CanadianLiving.com's Pets section for more on our four-legged friends.

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