Charge up your Kindle or Kobo, log into your Libby, or schedule time to visit your local bookstore! It’s summer reading season! I’ve had the pleasure of reading through a dozen or so new releases kindly provided to me by their publishers. These are the 7 best animal books: Summer 2026 edition.
A disclaimer: Not all books are for all readers. I selected a wide array so that you can hopefully find one that sounds good to you. I also included two links to find these titles online, but I always suggest visiting your local bookstore first, especially for the books that are pre-orders! Shop local where possible!
Let’s get started, shall we?
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Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known by Scott Simon
Yep, that Scott Simon, and if you’re an NPR listener, I promise you will find yourself reading this book with his voice in your head.
This narrative is a memoir of sorts. We learn about Scott, his family, and his work through the animals who have entered and exited his life. It’s told in short bursts. Most of the chapters are micro-essays, running only a few pages and sometimes only a paragraph. This makes it easy to dip in and out, but it doesn’t lessen the emotional resonance or the connection you’ll feel to someone who loves animals as much as he clearly does. Even though on the surface the stories are centered around the animals, it’s also an examination of Scott’s family life and his professional life. The Sarajevo essays are particularly poignant.
Who is this for? Heartfelt, sometimes joyful and sometimes sad,
