Summer Reads for Animal Lovers

by Michelle Toglia (Subscribe to Michelle Toglia's posts): Jun 4th 2009 @ 2:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Cats, Pet Product Reviews

Photo: Flickmor/Flickr

With holidays and heatwaves approaching, there are tons of opportunities to crack open a new book, whether you're ocean side or relaxing on the couch. And for pet lovers, nothing warms the soul quite like inspirational animal stories. So grab your four-legged friend and dig into one of these page-turning pet reads.

For the Beach:

Hit the beach with 90 inspirational pet tales in Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul: Stories About Pets as Teachers, Healers, Heroes and Friends. The collection celebrates the companionship we share with pets through heartwarming stories written by several New York Times Bestselling Authors.

Be sure to get your copy of Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs by Sharon Sakson before heading to the shore. The book regales dog-lovers with touching anecdotes about their favorite companions -- from helping their owners deal with the loss of a loved one to preventing seizures and detecting breast cancer.

Relax in your beach chair with The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes: And Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and their Patients, a collection of comical, motivational and bizarre tales told by vets who have cared for zoo animals around the world. The 28 essays, including the titular story of a rhino with a glue-on shoe, are guaranteed to floor animal lovers.

For Long Weekends; For Your Coffee Table

For the Long Weekend:

With their sequel to Animals in Translation, Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson explore the lives of cats, dogs, and wildlife in Animals Make us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals. Their reflections on animal behavior after years of research and experimentation will undoubtedly enlighten your weekend getaway.

Grab The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein before escaping for the weekend. The novel, narrated by a dog named Enzo, illustrates dogs' insights through their interaction with humans. Enzo's experiences with his owner -- a race car driver -- teach him valuable life lessons.

If you liked Marley & Me, you'll love Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O' Brien. The heart-warming memoir is about O'Brien's rescue of an abandoned baby barn owl and the 19 years they spent together. The biologist-author tells the tale of Welsey's road to adolescence through her view as both a scientist and compassionate pet owner.

For Your Coffee Table:

Entertain guests with 101 Cataclysms: For the Love of Cats by Rachel Hale. This photography collection celebrates the beauty of over one hundred cats. From Zoe, the leaping Chocolate Mandalay, to Maximus, the four-week-old British Shorthair, these kitty portraits are sure to charm any cat lover that steps through your door.

Spice up your table with Kim Levin's Why We Love Dogs: A Bark & Smile Book. Through black and white portraits, Levin takes canine lovers on a journey through humorous and touching qualities of their favorite companion and explores what it means to be a dog.

Enhance your time on the couch with Wild Horses: Endangered Beauty By Traer Scott. The collection of black and white portraits showcases wild horses throughout America. Scott explores their locations, daily lives and the people who protect them.

Tags: cats, dogs, horses, owl, pet books, PetBooks, pets

Can't Miss Galleries

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=748445&pid=748444&uts=1268346491

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Camouflage Animals

Madagascar Day Gecko
The green Madagascar Day Gecko lives in the dry regions of forests in Madagascar and neighboring islands. They usually grow to be between four to six inches long. Their tail makes up almost half of their length.

Getty Images

Camouflage Animals

Argentine Horned Frog Reptiles
The Argentine Horned Frog, also known as the Horned Frog or Pacman Frog, originated in South America. The green and black amphibian, which can grow up to six inches long, is a popular pets and can live for as long as 10 years.

Camouflage Animals

Walkingstick
The Walkingstick takes its camouflage abilities to the next level by creating the appearance of a stick or twig to hide from predators. While they normally stand still, these insects are able to walk around as though they were a twig caught in the wind. They can be found in tropical forests or woodlands all across the world.

Camouflage Animals

Dwarf Puff Adder
Found in Nambia, the venomous Dwarf Puff Adder hides from the hot desert sun by burying itself in the sand, where only its eyes show.

Camouflage Animals

Stonefish
Often resembling a rock, the brown colored Stonefish camouflages itself perfectly in the ocean. With 13 venomous dorsal spines on its back, the Stonefish can cause tissue damage and respiratory distress, which can lead to cardiovascular shock if left untreated.

Camouflage Animals

Chameleons
Chameleons, the quintessential color-changers, can transform their skin color when their mood, temperature or the amount of light around them is altered. Their hue, which can vary from yellow and pink to brown and black, is also altered when they communicate.

Camouflage Animals

Green Anole
Often confused with chameleons, Green Anoles turn brown when they're stressed or sick. Found in the trees and shrubs of the Southeastern United States, these lizards are popular pets.

Camouflage Animals

The Eastern Wood Frog
The Eastern Wood Frog tricks competitors by changing colors to match its surroundings. Found in North American woodlands, the frog also has a dark black patch from its eye to the base of its front limb that can change colors.

Camouflage Animals