Best friends come in all shapes, sizes, and creatures! These wonderful picture books capture the lives of pets and the bonds we form with them. They're perfect for reading aloud to your own pets, too!

1. Gaston 

Gaston, a petit French bulldog, loves his poodle sisters Fifi, Foofoo, and Oohlala, but can't help noticing he doesn't quite fit in with his family. A celebration of all things French and the families we choose, this is sure to be a new family favorite. Use of a French accent is highly encouraged (part of our "Story Time Dogs!" collection!).

2. Landshark

Wildly entertaining, witty, and brilliant. Bobby wants a shark for his birthday, and is very disappointed when his parents bring home a puppy instead. Even though the dog is destructive like a shark, and can swim like a shark, Bobby insists that shark-lovers cannot be converted to dog-lovers... or can they? (Part of our "Story Time Dogs!" collection!)

3. Love is my Favorite Thing

We have fallen in love with Plum, the exuberant pup who tries very hard to be good, but finds mischief irresistible. Plum has lots of favorite things—catching sticks, her bear, her bed—but really, LOVE is her absolute favorite thing. This is an adorable book about the power of unconditional love (part of our "Story Time Dogs!" collection!).

4. Can I be your Dog? 

The perfect read-aloud story. A very dextrous dog named Arfy writes a series of letters to everyone on Butternut Street, looking for a home. As his rejection letters pile up, he starts to worry he will never find a home... until an unexpected friend comes along with a request of her own! (Part of our "Story Time Dogs!" collection!).

5. Mina

All-caps brilliant. Everything about this book is unexpected. Mina is a mouse whose father brings home... a cat? Doesn't that seem like a bad idea? Only time will tell, with truly gorgeous illustrations along the way! (Part of our "Pets!" collection).

6. Negative Cat

Max the cat is a perfect sour puss, until his sweet and determined owner finds a way to make him smile. Based on a true story, kids will adore this book about the wonderful things that happen when we face our fears (part of our "Pets!" collection).

7. Odd Dog Out

A celebration of weiner dogs! Kids will love this delightful tale about learning to stand out from the crowd and march to the beat of one's own drum (Part of our "Story Time Dogs!" collection!).

8. My Pet Goldfish 

Truly one of the most beautiful children's books I have ever seen. Half story, half how-to-take-care-of-a-goldfish, this precious tale about taking care of your pet and knowing when to let them go (into a bigger and better pond!) will be a bedtime favorite (part of our "Pets!" collection).                          

9. Margaret’s Unicorn

The operative word here is enchanting. Margaret moves with her family to a little cottage in the Scottish highlands, where she finds a lost baby unicorn.  Kids will love this gorgeously illustrated tale about love, new homes, and goodbyes (part of our "Princesses and Unicorns" collection!).   

10. Rosie the Truffle Hound 

In this charming and quirky story, our indomitable bike-riding, scent loving hero introduces readers to the joys of both kinds of truffles - chocolate and fungi. Children will delight in discovering loads of fun details tucked into the whimsical drawings (part of our "Story Time Dogs!" collection!).

11. Lizzy and the Cloud 

It’s a little out of fashion to buy a pet cloud, but Lizzy doesn’t mind. She’s not looking for a big one or a fancy one, just one that’s right for her. And she finds it in Milo.  A sweet, whimsical tale of a little girl who cares for her pet cloud as it grows.  This enchanting book is perfect in every way.  And another bit of magical genius from the  author/illustrator Fan brothers (part of our "The Power of Imagination" collection!).

12. The Girl and the Dinosaur

Simply put, this book is enchanting. In a picturesque town by the seaside, Marianne wishes for her dinosaur to come to life, beginning a thrilling journey through ocean and forests and sky to a land of children and the creatures they dream of. It’s paleontology meets Peter Pan! (Part of our "Dinosaur Delights" collection!).