Looking for pet books for your preschool theme? Check out our favorites!
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BOOK LIST: PET BOOKS
One great theme to use in your preschool classroom or at home with your little ones is PETS.
Preschoolers love this theme since they love animals, especially animals they may have at home! Plus I love that you can teach this theme any time of the year…it’s not tied to one specific season or holiday.
Keep reading to check out some of our favorite pet books for preschool that you’ll definitely want to read to your little ones…plus I’ve included a freebie and a snack idea to make these books come alive!
Looking for pet activities to go along with these books? Check these out!
PET BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL
How Do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets: What in the Mesozoic! These dinos really are crazy, then well-behaved; naughty, then kind; reckless, then careful. The first part will make anyone laugh, and the second will give kids pet advice-all through dinosaurs you might never have heard of!
Pirate’s Perfect Pet: If your little one likes a good pirate tale with a twist, they will LOVE this book! As Clancy searches for a pet, he finds the perfect one. What is it? Read this book and find out!
Wanted: The Perfect Pet: A heartwarming story of friendship, this book is a perfect read aloud! With cool facts and an enchanting storyline, this book is perfect for all ages!
My Pet Feet: When the letter R disappears, everything goes absolutely crazy! From the author of the “It’s Not” fairy tale books comes a hilarious read aloud you’ll never forget!
Take Your Pet to School Day: This book is simply hilarious! With wow-worthy illustrations and rhyming text, you’d be crazy not to read this book!
Extraordinary Pets: A lift-the-flap book of surprises that is a great read aloud. This book also boasts fifteen different diverse kids, so your little one can find one just like them! You’ll never guess which pet is lurking under each flap, and that’s the fun of it!
Spencer’s New Pet: In this wordless picture book, Spencer gets a new pet…a balloon animal dog! They go everywhere together and have so much fun! In the end, we discover the balloon animal dog wasn’t the only balloon, Spencer was one, too!
Fancy Nancy: Oodles of Kittens: This is a great picture book and read aloud with captivating and inspiring illustrations! Your little one will love this cat-filled tale and learn some amazing vocabulary, too.
Rory the Dinosaur Wants a Pet: This is a silly yet heartwarming book with beautiful illustrations and easy-to-read text. Little ones will laugh at Rory choosing a coconut as a pet, and older ones will smile at the heartwarming message.
If You Give a Dog a Donut: Is there anything in common with donuts and baseball? Or how about apple juice and pirate play? This books makes them have something in common! A perfect read aloud, YOU WILL LAUGH when you read this book! (If you love the If You Give A…series, be sure to check out our favorite activities for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie in this post!)
A Pet for Pete: What can you do with a fish? If you’re Pete the Cat and the fish is Goldie, you paint! And paint! And paint! A perfect read aloud, this book also boasts wonderful illustrations and easy-to-read text!
Bark, George: What kind of dog has a cat, a duck, a pig, and a cow inside of him? George, that’s who! A hilarious story that is sure to make your little one laugh, this book is a must-read!
Lola Gets a Cat: Lola and Makeda seem to be made for each other. But how will Makeda feel about her new home? This book has beautiful illustrations and a captivating storyline that your little one is sure to love.
Dear Zoo: An entrancing lift-the-flap book that leaves you guessing what the zoo sent this time! How could they think a lion could be a good pet? Or a giraffe? A perfect read aloud for a zoo unit OR a pet unit, a kid could also read this by themselves! *If you love this book, check out these activities we’ve paired with it to bring it to life!*
PET BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL
Mama Cat Has 3 Kittens: Fluffy, Skinny, and Boris love and idolize Mama Cat. But while Fluffy and Skinny copy EVERYTHING Mama Cat does, Boris just naps until the very end. What happens then? Read this book to find out!
Unusual Pet Pals: This informational book is a treasure trove of information about unusual pets! It’s a great reference book, however, I don’t recommend it for a read aloud.
Don’t Lick the Dog: Have you ever met a new dog that instantly bit you? Or how about one that wouldn’t stop jumping! This book will help you and your little one avoid that in a rhyming, playful way.
Some Pets: Do you have a pet that cuddles? One that bites? One that squeaks? Some pets do that! With so many pet adjectives packaged in one book, you are sure to find an adjective that reminds you of your pet!
Children Make Terrible Pets: Almost every one of us has read a story about someone who adopts a wild animal as a pet. But how many stories have you read about a wild animal who adopts a kid?! Hilarious things ensue as the epic tale of Lucy and Squeaker unfolds in a story perfect for any read aloud!
How to Catch a Class Pet: Another hilarious installment in the How to Catch A… series (check out the activities we love for How to Catch a Snowman in this post!) This time, the story invokes pet chaos! You’d think at least the turtle would be easy…but no! NOTHING’s easy when it comes to catching these class pets!
Pet Show: Archie can’t wait to enter his cat in the pet show, but as the day dawns, he can’t find the cat. Well, Archie isn’t going to give up that easily! Using his trademark creativity and kindness, Archie comes up with the perfect solution.
The Snoopy Show: Time for the Vet!: Snoopy stars in this HILARIOUS story that you can’t put down. A must read that is perfect for any fan of the Peanuts series. It’s impossible not to laugh while reading this!
I Love You, Bingo: Lulu and her dog, Bingo, have a fun-filled day full of dog play! This book is a great read aloud and proves a dog can be girl’s best friend.
Can I Be Your Dog?: This is a heartwarming story that is good for all ages! It’s also a good read aloud with lots of pictures.
Is This Your Class Pet?: A silly book told by letters and emails (mainly written by a dog) that will make you laugh! Older readers will love picking up the clues while younger readers just love the plot.
Not Norman: This book has wonderful illustrations and a captivating storyline. The story teaches what good friendship is all about. Messages for both kids and adults make this story a fantastic read aloud!
Not That Pet!: This is a hilarious book with full-page illustrations and only a few words on each page. A perfect read aloud, it’s impossible not to laugh!
Trees Make Perfect Pets: With realistic illustrations and a heartwarming storyline, this book is a great read aloud! Together, Fido and Abigail prove that trees can make perfect pets.
My Tiny Pet: A great read aloud with full-page illustrations, this story is perfect for kids and adults! With fun science facts, it’s a captivating story that you can’t put down.
Strictly No Elephants: This is a heartwarming tale about belonging that you and your little one will enjoy. It’s a perfect read aloud and will lead to an important discussion about inclusion and kindness. With full-page illustrations and a few words on each page, it’s also a great book for kids to read on their own! *If you love this book, check out these activities we’ve paired with it to bring it to life!*
PET BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL
Ginny Goblin Cannot Have a Monster for a Pet: A hilarious book with full-page illustrations, it’s almost impossible to put down! Reading it, you and your little one will surely laugh out loud!
Luna’s Green Pet: Pets come in all shapes and sizes, and this book proves it! With beautiful illustrations and easy-to-follow text, it’s perfect for a read aloud.
Fairy Tale Pets: Any fan of fairy tales and pets will devour this book’s silly plot and epic characters! With huge illustrations and large text, it’s perfect for a read aloud.
My Pet Wants A Pet: This is a silly story that is perfect for all ages! With a clever underlying message that will make you smile, and a silly plot for kids, you won’t want to put it down!
Caring for Your Lion: This is a hilarious book which is perfect for a read aloud! Kids and adults alike will laugh out loud and enjoy this story.
Invent a Pet: This book is far from ordinary…it includes a mysterious time machine and the scientific method! It’s a marvelous story with relatable characters and a great message.
I Wanna Iguana: This book is told in an unusual and amazing way that hooks you on every page! With cool iguana facts sprinkled throughout the storyline, you’ll find yourself rooting for Alex the whole time.
Gwendolyn’s Pet Garden: With breathtaking illustrations and easy-to-read words, this book is perfect for read alouds! It also has an intriguing and inspirational plot.
What Pet Should I Get?: An enchanting rhyming story perfect for reading together, this book also boasts beautiful illustrations that enhance the story. The simple words make it easy for a kid to read it by themselves, which boosts their confidence!
Vet: Just how much does a vet do? You’re about to find out in this perfect picture book and read aloud for any kid interested in veterinary medicine!
Ana and Andrew: This book is an early chapter book with as many illustrations as a picture book. It’s short enough to be read aloud, but long enough to challenge any new reader.
Katie Woo’s Neighborhood: Katie’s Vet Loves Pets!: This is a heartwarming story with an everyday superhero, a.k.a. a vet! This book is a fantastic read aloud. With short chapters and lots of illustrations, it’s perfect for your advanced little one!
PET BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL
Prehistoric Pets: What do parakeets, goldfish, and corn snakes have in common? They all have prehistoric ancestors! Awesome pop-ups and illustrations illustrate the majesty of the Titanoboa, the Leedsichthys, and the Epicyon, along with many more. Filled to the brim with facts about our pets, and chock-full of prehistoric facts, this is an amazing book!
Little Kids First Big Book of Pets: This is a perfect pet reference book with info on practically every pet! Learning about dogs? Have your little one flip through Chapter Two. Learning about cats? Just go on over to Chapter Three! Adults, bigger kids, and your little one can all enjoy this book!
Hooray for Veterinarians!: Most nonfiction books aren’t good for read alouds. However, this one is! With real photos, a few words per page, and reading questions, it’s a must read for any pet unit.
I Want to Be a Veterinarian: This book is a great introduction to different types of vets. You can read it aloud OR have your little one read it by themselves!
PET SNACK
Want to pair one of your pet preschool books with a fun snack? Try these delicious Paw Print Cupcakes! Your preschooler is sure to enjoy making (and eating!) these adorable cupcakes. All you need are cupcakes, Oreos and M&M’s! Yum!
ANIMAL ALPHABET FREEBIE
If you’re looking for a great pet freebie for your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten kiddos, try these animal ABC cards! These cards are great for learning animals AND letters. They will go along perfectly with your pet theme!
This activity (along with all of our freebies!) can be downloaded from the Free Activity Library. If you’re already a member of our email community, you can click HERE to head to the Free Activity Library, enter your password (it’s on your most current email from me), and download your copy!
If you’d like to join our email community & receive the password as my way of saying THANK YOU for joining, you can click HERE to subscribe. Once you enter your information, the password will be emailed to you within minutes.
PET MATH & LITERACY PRINTABLES
I hope this book list helped you fill-in your pet lesson plans for your preschool classroom or homeschool. If you want an entire pack of printable math & literacy centers for this theme, check out my Vets Love Pets Activity Pack.
SHARE YOUR FAVORITES
Do you have any favorite pet or vet books for preschool? I’d love to hear them and add them to our list! Comment below or find me on Instagram [@littleslovelearningblog].
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Looking for other book lists for preschool and kindergarten? Click HERE to check them out!
Happy Learning!
