More Holiday Gift Ideas: An Animal Reading List

As a writer, I can't help putting a plug in during the holiday season for giving books as gifts. Luckily, there happen be a lot of great animal books out there, especially for the dog lovers in your life. Here are some recent releases worth checking out at your local book store or, if you prefer to buy online, consider buying from Better World Books to support global literacy programs. I'd love to hear what you've been reading lately, too!

Bad to the Bone: Memoir of a Rebel Doggie Blogger by Bo Hoefinger:  This adopted dog has his own blog and a great sense of humor. If you've enjoyed memoirs like Marley & Me, you'll love this tale of family and fur told from the dog's point of view.

Demo: The Story of a Junkyard Dog by Jon Bozak,  illustrated by Scott Bruns: Don't let the illustrations fool you, this book has a great message for kids of all ages about pit bulls, acceptance, and our throwaway society. It doesn't hurt that Demo might be the cutest character ever drawn.

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz: I haven't read this one yet, but it's on my list. Since its fall release, it's been praised for being the latest in canine cognition, revealing the science of our dogs' secrets in an entertaining and enlightening way.

One Nation Under Dog: Adventures in the New World of Prozac-Popping Puppies, Dog-Park Politics, and Organic Pet Food by Michael Schaffer: In the last decade, the number of households with pets has skyrocketed, and so has the amount that we spend on them annually. This book takes a look at how the elevated status of dogs as family members has changed the way we relate to them, and to each other.

Hope for the Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued From the Brink by Jane Goodall: If you're looking for a great, inspiring read on wildlife, you can't go wrong with Jane Goodall. If you're particularly in the mood for a little optimism, you'll have no problem finding it in these success stories of nearly extinct species who have regained their footing in the natural world.

The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society by Frans de Waal: In Chimpanzee Politics, de Waal explored some of the darker behaviors we share with primates. His latest book explores the other side of instinct, looking at examples of empathy throughout the animal kingdom  -- more evidence of how close we are to other species.

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer: This is not a book written by an animal rights activist. Safran Foer is just a regular guy (well, and a genius writer) who started to investigate the origins of what he was feeding his son. This book shows you what he found out about the state of factory farming, and what it's doing to animals and humans. A lot of this information won't come as a surprise to many of you, but it's worth reading his "layman's" viewpoint, and he makes the topic accessible for your friends who might not know how their burgers are made.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver: Kinsolver chronicles her family's year as committed locavores, eating home-grown and local food, including raising their own animals for food. If you're interested in learning about the possibilities and ethics of sustainable eating, this book is a fantastic starting point.

(These next two aren't on the shelves yet, but I've included them because they're worth holding out for if you find yourself with a wallet full of gift cards after the holidays.)

Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras: Understanding the World's Most Intriguing Animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (February 2010): The author known for showing the world the emotional lives of animals has taken on the fascinating behaviors of a range of species in his upcoming book.

Ape House by Sara Gruen (August 2010): While Gruen's Water for Elephants was not an animal welfare themed book, it was one of the best novels I've read in the past five years, so how could I not be excited about her next book, where "a family of apes teaches us what it means to be human?"

Photo credit: KitAy