You might have read this blog post title and thought it would be books for dogs, which would be revolutionary. But nope, instead it's about books for your kids, about dogs!
In elementary school, I was all about scary books. Until our first required reading of Where the Red Fern Grows. I loved it. Why? Because kids love animals! Most of all, author show write books with dogs as the main plot are doing so for a reason. Dogs can teach kids the lessons of responsibility, love and loss. Check out the top selling dog books for kids age 10 - 13 here.
My Dog Skip - This book's popularity turned into a movie a few years back starring Frankie Muniz. It captures your heart (and your kid's) by telling the story of a small town boy in 1943 who finds a puppy by the Yazzo River and has a bunch of small town America adventures with him.
Because of Winn-Dixie - Also a book-turned-movie (as many of these on the list are,) Because of Winn-Dixie teaches about the importance of finding love and support where you don't think you can find it, and teaches about the responsibility of caring for a dog.
Love That Dog - This book has a great style; it's made up of a series of many poems that are written from a faux-child's perspective about his dog. It deals with love and loss in a very unique way.
Shiloh - Shiloh, the famous beagle, is a great book for young kids to read. It deals with heavy subjects, specifically animal abuse. But the hero of the story is the young boy that fights for what's right, which serves as a great role model for kids.
A Dog Called Kitty - This book cover is just plain adorable. The story is about a stray puppy who keeps sniffing around a farm and has to gain the trust of the boy who lives there, who was attacked by a dog when he was a baby. This book is cute and teaches the great lesson of how to open your heart and learn to trust.
Where the Red Fern Grows - I'm not sure I've ever cried more from reading a book, at 12 years old and at 20, when I re-read it. But there's a certain inspiration to all the sadness in the book. It teaches kids about love, hard work, dedication, friendship and the ultimate form of loss: death. While it's incredibly sad, the book had a great impact on me as a kid and I believe it can do the same for other kids.
Some of these books might be on your kid's reading list, but if they're not, give them to them as gifts! They're books that they'll not only enjoy, but learn from (and might not even know it!)
