On March 23rd of every year, National Puppy Day recognizes the special place dogs have in our homes and hearts while raising awareness about pet adoption and rescue. With about 6.3 million pets taken into shelters yearly in the United States, nearly half of them dogs, one of the best things that animal lovers can do when thinking about adding a furry family member to their home is consider adopting over shopping. To celebrate rescue pups and the people who love them, we’ve gathered ten adorable picture books about finding a new best friend at the local animal shelter.
Before You Were Mine by Maribeth Boelts, Illustrated by David M. Walker
In this beloved ode to shelter pets, a child imagines the life their new dog had before it was adopted. Did they have a home or a family? Was the kindly canine neglected or hungry? Cold or alone? Did they run away, never to be found, or did they never have a place to run from in the first place? Touching and tender text explores the myriad backgrounds the shelter pets can come from before finding their forever home, while warm, cozy illustrations capture the happiness of a dog finding their person and that person finding their dog.
The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
A family is out for a picnic one day when a little dog wanders up and charms them. When the time comes to leave, the children ask to bring the dog — who they call Willy — home with them, but the parents insist that such a friendly, sweet dog must have someone looking for him. Yet on the way home, the daughter asks the question that will stick in their minds all week: “What if Willy doesn’t have anybody?” After a week of contemplating, wondering, and worrying, they return to their picnic spot, hoping to find their friend. And there he is — but has the dogcatcher found him first?
Operation Rescue Dog by Maria Gianferrari, Illustrated by Luisa Uribe
Alma is lonely: her mami is serving in Iraq, so Alma wears her mother’s scarf every day like a hug. Lulu is lonely, too: she was abandoned near a highway and spent weeks eating acorns and drinking from muddy puddles before the animal rescue found her. Today, however, the two are fated to meet when Alma’s abuela takes her to the Operation Rescue Dog truck. Disaster nearly prevents their rendezvous twice over: Abuela’s car gets a flat, and Lulu spooks and runs from the rescue team. Yet when the little girl and pup finally come together, it’s clear to see: they were destined to be one another’s home.
Mr. Scruff by Simon James
Sometimes, people and their pets just seem to match. Little Molly the girl has Polly the poodle, elderly Florence loves her bully dog Lawrence, and shaggy sheepdog Minnie fits perfectly with her saxophone-playing owner Vinnie. But the massive mutt Mr. Scruff? It seems he has no match at all, until a little boy named Jim comes to the shelter. At first, the two don’t seem to match at all: “He’s so BIG, / and you’re so small!” Jim’s parents point out. That doesn’t matter to Jim or Mr. Scruff, though: the gentle dog needs a home and love, and Jim has both to give. Both a lovely ode to dog adoption and a subtle reminder that friendships come in all shapes and sizes, this endearing and cheery tale is a winner.
Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
More than anything, Arfy the mutt wishes he could find a person of his own. Deciding to be proactive, he writes letters — adorably holding the pencil in his mouth — asking every business and resident of Butternut Street if they have room in their home for a lonely dog. A housetrained one! Who is great with cats and kids! Who can help keep things tidy by eating scraps that fall on the floor and comes with his very own squeaky bone! The local mail carrier picks the letters up from Arfy’s cardboard box and delivers them yet only returns with rejections and best wishes. Arfy begins to lose hope that he’ll ever find a home … until he receives a letter of his own.
Perdu by Richard Jones
Perdu is a little dog who wanders from the wilderness into a big city. It’s a hardscrabble existence: the weather is cold, blustery, and unforgiving without shelter, and most of the people he encounters shoo him away or call him names. His short legs ache from walking, and his tummy grumbles all the time, but when the delicious smells of a cafe lure him in, he is met with disaster. Can he ever find a place to rest his paws or head, or a person to trust his heart with — or maybe one has been looking for him all along? Achingly beautiful in its lyrical storytelling and gorgeous artwork, this one pulls at the heartstrings like a Sarah McLachlan song (you know the one) yet ends on a perfectly hopeful note.
I’ll Be Your Dog by P. Crumble, Illustrated by Sophie Hogarth
On an average morning at the shelter, Retriever Reg pumps his friends up by reminding them that, for any of them, today could be the day! He is rooting for all nine of his canine pals to find their forever homes today and maybe hoping for one of his own. After all, Reg has been at the shelter a long time, and while he’s happy when the others find their new families, he can’t help but long for the day that someone chooses him. Still, he is happy to act as a cheerleader for his friends, detailing their unique appearances and personalities to prospective owners. One by one, each of the pets is chosen… but what about Reg? A charming book that celebrates the diversity of dogs and dog ownership (and don’t worry, it offers a satisfyingly sweet ending).
Three by Stephen Michael King
“Every day was a skip and a hop for Three.” The titular tripedal hound at the center of this tale possesses an infectiously optimistic attitude; though he may be homeless and ownerless, he is happy for the warm sun, the clean rain, and the occasional nibble that a kind stranger offers. He is happy to see that the things with six legs (ants) have an underground home and happy that the thing with eight legs (a spider) has a high place where it’s safe from passing cars. Mostly, he’s happy to walk and wander wherever his nose leads, especially the day that it leads him to a country home full of two-legged things — including a little girl named Fern who likes to explore as much as he does.
Charlie Chooses by Lou Peacock, Illustrated by Nicola Slater
Sometimes, choices can be hard; unfortunately for Charlie, that time is all the time. Constantly anxious about choosing the wrong thing, he often finds himself beset with indecision, from whether to dress for the rain, to what ice cream flavor he wants, to which pair of underwear to put on. And picking a dog from the shelter for his birthday present? Why, that might just be the most challenging choice of all! There are so many in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and they’re all so cute. It would be so much easier if someone else could just choose for him, but who? A delightfully funny yet affecting boy-meets-dog tale that will tickle the funny bone before it touches the heart.
Tails from the Animal Shelter by Stephanie Shaw, Illustrated by Liza Woodruff
Of course, it’s not only dogs that end up in shelters: companion animals of all kinds can find themselves in need of a new home. After briefly introducing young readers to the concept of animal shelters and the always-urgent need for welcoming forever homes, the spritely, rhyming text takes them on a whirlwind tour through the many types of dogs and other critters who call the rescues their (hopefully temporary) home. From a piddly puppy to a magician’s retired rabbit, a de-stinkified skunk to a pot-bellied pig, and a loveable yet hairball-producing cat to a disabled yet gleeful terrier, each fictional animal represents millions more in need of one thing more than all others: a second chance at a loving home.
We hope that you and your young readers enjoy these books about rescue pups and that you strongly consider welcoming a rescue animal into your lives when the time is right. Happy reading!
Can’t adopt a new furry friend? Try volunteering! Check out our article on Books That Will Get Kids Excited About Volunteering With Animals.
To see all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
