Book description
This is the story of how, one by one, a man found himself a family. Almost nowhere in fiction is there a stranger, dearer, or funnier family -- and the life that the members of The Animal Family live together, there in the wilderness beside the sea, is as extraordinary…
Why read it?
1 author picked The Animal Family as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Not much happens in this light-hearted 1965 children’s book by an award-winning poet.
A solitary hunter befriends (and shares an abode with) a mermaid, a bear, a lynx, and a young boy. They live together, totally unbound by human rules. The hunter teaches human language to the mermaid and learns about the perspective of undersea creatures.
The mermaid is a perfect audience for the animals’ wild antics and the hunter’s strange human habits. She finds it hilarious that the hunter uses a fishing pole to catch fish. (“You look so helpless just sitting there waiting for one,” she says.)
This…
From Alberto's list on contemplating and appreciating laziness.
If you love The Animal Family...
Those That Wake
Mal's older brother has disappeared into thin air. Laura's parents went away for the weekend and when she gives them a call, they have no idea who she is. In pursuit of answers, the teens become entangled with two others similarly targeted by a force they don't understand and now,…
Want books like The Animal Family?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Animal Family.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,276
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like The Animal Family, you might also like...
Zara the Zebu
Zeni lives in the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas. This tale begins with her dream of befriending a miniature zebu calf coming true and follows Zeni as she works to befriend Zara. Enjoy full-color illustrations and a story filled with whimsy and plenty of opportunity for discussions around the perspectives…
From Cells to Ourselves
4.5 billion years ago, Earth was forming - but nothing could have survived there…
From Cells to Ourselves is the incredible story of how life on earth started and how it gradually evolved from the first simple cells to the abundance of life around us today. Walk with dinosaurs, analyse…
