Animal Theory

Hurricane Katrina has been devastating for those in its path. While about 1 million people were evacuated from the massive flooding in New Orleans, many animals were left behind. Rescue efforts are underway to help.

To read about a few such efforts, go to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary or Noah’s Wish.

Noah’s Wish suggests everyone design an evacuation plan to be prepared for any disaster. You should be sure to have identification tags for your pets and photos handy in case signs need to be made.

You also can visit the ASPCA’s website. They have a page where you can donate direclty to their relief efforts for shelters in New Orleans ASPCA’s donation page.

If you have visited Manhattan, you have probably seen many sites - The Empire State Building, top restaurants, theater. Did you also notice the carriage horses waiting to pull you around Central Park? While they’re decorated with red plumes and driven by people wearing top hats, they lead desperate lives. They stand and even trot on cement roads in humid weather hour after hour with improper shade and water. In the winter, they may stand outside for hours without any blanketing. At the end of the day, they go back to conditions that are even worse. Their stalls are in converted apartment buildings that have inadequate ventilation and stalls wide enough only for the horses to stand. This means that the horses never have a chance to lie down as all animals must. There is no doubt that keeping animals in these conditions is cruel and unacceptable.

The APSCA is working to improve conditions for carriage horses. To read more about the conditions carriage horses live in, the ASPCA’s proposed changes to create better lives for these horses, and to voice your complaint about conditions as they are, go to the ASPCA NYC Carriage page. To have the ASPCA send a letter to the mayor on your behalf, go to their Advocacy page.

There are many books for kids that have animals in them, but only a few are tried and true. These are stories that move the reader and create the desire to read more.

All Creatures Big and Small (more in this series) by James Herriot for ages 11 and up
Herriot was a country vetrinarian in Yorkshire, England after WWII. He gives a personal touch to the rigors of this job. After reading this, you’ll either know you want to be a vet or be grateful that you’re not.
“The warm, joyous and often hilarious first-person chronicle of a young animal doctor…shines with love and life.” The New York Times Book Review

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo for ages 8 - 12
From Publishers Weekly - Through the love she gains from her new pet, a girl gains the courage to ask her father about the mother who abandoned them. “In this exquisitely crafted first novel [a Newbery Honor book], each chapter possesses an arc of its own and reads almost like a short story in its completeness,” said PW in our Best Books of 2000 citation.

The Black Stallion (many in this series) by Walter Farley for ages 8 - 12
First published in 1941, Walter Farley’s best-selling novel is the triumphant tale of the love between a boy and a wild horse. From Alec Ramsay and the Black’s first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this classic will hold the rapt attention of readers.

Misty of Chincoteague and King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (others in the series for ages 8 - 12
Marguerite Henry’s Newbery Honor Book has captivated generations of boys and girls both with its thrilling descriptions of true incidents from the tiny island of Chincoteague, and its realistic yet wonderfully magical atmosphere. This story of an animal brought into captivity poignantly reveals the powerful opposing forces of humans and nature.

Justin Morgan Had A Horsealso by Margeurite Henry
Child Study “…a superb story of the first known Morgan horse…excitement, pathos, and suspense skillfully blended.” Washington Post “…a thing of beauty in every respect and a treasured addition to the home library.”

King of the Wind - also by Marguerite Henry

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for ages 8 - 12
When 11-year-old Marty Preston chances upon a mistreated beagle pup in his hometown of Friendly, West Virginia, he is not prepared for the ethical questions he has to face. Should he return the dog to its owner, only to have the animal abused again? Should he tell his parents? Should he steal food?

The Red Pony by John Steinbeck for ages 12 - 15
Book of four related stories published in 1937 and expanded in 1945. The stories chronicle a young boy’s maturation. In “The Gift,” the best-known story, young Jody Tiflin is given a red pony by his rancher father. Jody develops empathy and also learns from his grandfather about “westering,” the migration of people to new places and the urge for new experiences.

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Where the Red Fern Growsby Wilson Rawls for ages 11 - 15
In spite of being written during the Depression, there is a timelessness to this simple story. Young Billy works two long, hard years to earn the money to realize his dream-to own a pair of dogs for hunting raccoons. Rawls instills this autobiographical piece with a strong sense of right and wrong, as well as innocence and integrity. A true tear-jerker.

Draw 50 Animals: The Step-By-Step Way To Draw Elephants, Tigers, Dogs, Fish, Birds, and Many More… Lee J. Ames for 10 and above