100 Books Like Penguin Bloom

An emotional story that talks about bravery, hope, and loyalty. During an adventure race through the jungle of Ecuador in South America, a Swedish race team lead by Mikael Lindnord befriends a mangy, but determined dog. The dog (Arthur) joins the team and their adventure begins. In the end, the team saves the dog. But, as is so often the case in these animal/people encounters, it is the dog who becomes the quiet hero and ultimately saves the human.

A fascinating story about two unlikely comrades, who, in their own way, save each other. James Bowen, the Author, is a London street performer (a busker), who earns a living playing his guitar. He's a recovering drug addict, who struggles to stay focused and clean. Bob is a homeless Ginger Cat who James finds injured in his apartment building and takes to the vet. James spends most of cash-on-hand to get antibiotics to treat Bob's wounds, and this act of kindness and sacrifice is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. You'll come to care about them both very quickly and you'll really hope that everything turns out well for both of them. James tells his story in very blunt terms, about dealing with addiction and trying to turn his life around.

This may be the ultimate stray dog rescue story. Craig (the human) rescues Fred (the dog) from a war zone in a remote part of Afghanistan. What Craig goes through to bring this dog home to the US is astounding. And Fred is one of those instantly lovable, charming dogs whose personality shines through in Craig’s writing. In many ways, this book crosses genres—dog book, memoir, adventure, military, and thriller (I held my breath while reading several times!).

Nala's adventure shows how the love of an animal can change the trajectory of a man's life. Dean set out to explore the world on his bike. Along the way he met and fell head over wheels (!) with a kitten, whom he named Nala. Something about the piercing eyes and plaintive meowing of the bedraggled little cat proved irresistible. He couldn't leave her to her fate, so he put her on his bike and then, with the help of local vets, nursed her back to health. Soon on his travels, they forged an unbreakable bond -- both curious, independent, resilient and adventurous.

Perhaps the soft spot I have for this book is because it’s another story about rescuing a wild animal and giving it a further chance.

Every day at the park, Theo makes sure the slow bird with the raggedy wing gets some of the birdseed he throws to the younger, quicker birds. But when a dog runs at the birds, Theo learns that old Pearl, as he names her, can’t fly. He saves Pearl and brings her home, and he and his grandma take care of the bird. Theo’s heartfelt concern allows Pearl to live the rest of her life out of danger, and she and Theo become close companions. But with animal friends, there will come a time to have to say goodbye...

To stick with my love of historical novels, this book is about rescuing Gamal, the last diving horse in the U.S.

In the early 1900s horses were used in a carnival stunt in which the horse with a rider on board would dive off a platform several stories high and plunge into a tiny pool of water. This is the non-fiction story of the last known diving horse. 

If you are like me, you love a good horse story. Combine that with history and this non-fiction story of the last diving horse was a perfect fit for me. As a lifelong horse lover and owner, I can't imagine asking my horses to jump off a high dive into a tiny pool. And I can't imagine being the rider that goes down with him!

I love a story that deftly demonstrates how the dogs we rescue return the favor and then some. Shannon Kopp bravely shares her struggle with an eating disorder and how her work in an animal shelter encouraged and aided her recovery. Kopp’s story is harrowing and inspiring, and ultimately a tale of compassion.

It takes courage to carry on living after an emotional catastrophe. Some of us never quite make it and others, like Masha in The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, get there with a little help from unexpected places.

This book made me both laugh and cry. It is poignant and emotional but also parades crazy, colourful characters such as eccentric Elvis and Sally Red Shoes herself. This character of the book’s title has a relatively small but important part in the book, bursting into Masha’s life during her regular meanders in a Victorian graveyard. 

Have the tissues ready!

After reading this book, I discovered a new art form.

Lucia was a multifaceted creative professional. She collaborated with schools to train teachers in creative journal writing, developed a method called "healing the inner child," and co-wrote The Arts in Schools program with L.A. school officials.

The book discusses brain functions and ways to enhance creativity. The author recounts her experiment with drawing and writing using her non-dominant hand and encourages readers to try it themselves.

I tried it out as a test subject, and instead of drawing upside down, the author asked me to write a question with my dominant hand and answer it with the other.

The answers were unexpectedly profound, and drawing with my non-dominant hand was an eye-opener.

My students loved this process.

This book not only changed my entire life, but it has also helped me shape the ending of my own book. Wilson gave me the permission and vocabulary to express abstract concepts that I was carrying around; sacred rage, patriarchal oppression, a lineage of matricidal trauma… big stuff. Rather than a book, Maiden to Mother is a cultural and feminine ancestral movement. By traversing your own underworlds and excavating all of the buried, scorned, traumatized parts of ourselves, we can then begin the healing journey and live honest to our souls. In this non-fiction book, Wilson asks the reader to go where they’ve never gone before, and in return, promises liberation and true joy. She delivers this in a no-bullshit manner. And guess what? It works.