When we encounter another animal who is struggling our hearts respond. For some, this moment of compassion leads to action. Their courage and dedicated, selfless work transform them from ordinary beings into HERO characters who deserve to be written about.
This collection of picture books highlights true stories, from all over the world, of humans who rescued other animals as well as nonhuman animals who helped each other and us. Let’s offer young readers these role models–real individuals who cared, who connected with someone of a different species, and who did everything in their power to make unfortunate situations better.
A search for true animal rescue stories turns up hundreds of suggested titles, so we’ve been busy with this list! After reading so many, and saving the preemptive rescues (like constructing wildlife crossings) for another post, we narrowed it down to a selection that meets the following criteria:
- The true story is presented from a human’s point of view and is not a fictionalized telling by the rescued animal.
- The people who find the injured animals seek help from trained rehabilitators or veterinarians instead of trying to take care of the creatures themselves.
- If wild, the rescued animals are released back into freedom or are moved to a sanctuary that mimics their natural habitat rather than a zoo. A non-releasable rescued animal does not become an “ambassador” used by rehabilitators.
- The nonhuman animal heroes depicted decide to assist another on their own. These are not tales of animals that have been trained to help humans like search and rescue dogs, landmine sniffing rats, homing pigeons, etc.
- And of course, the writing itself has to be interesting! And there have to be fantastic illustrations! And bonus points for including photographs in the back so the kids can see the actual characters! (We have very high standards around here.)
These are happy endings to celebrate! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Please help our list grow by suggesting additional titles that you love in the comments section below. If you can help us diversify our animals a bit, we are also wondering if anyone knows of a fantastic picture book about the true rescue of an insect/reptile/amphibian/fish, some coral, or a human by the member of another species.
Oh! And be forewarned…Your opportunity to step up might come sooner than you think once you read these books. We were presented with the challenges of baby birds fallen from their nest AND a snake trapped in landscape netting while just starting our work on this list.
⭐A star next to a title in this list indicates the book is part of our Inspiration In Print collection that we bring to public spaces for children to read and gift to teachers upon request.
The Eye of the Whale ⭐ — Written and Illustrated by Jennifer O’Connell
On December 11, 2005, a fisherman off the coast of San Francisco observes a humpback whale in distress and calls for help. A marine rescue crew discovers that the whale is tangled in crabbing lines connected to the seafloor and can barely breathe. Instead of working from the safety of the boat, they send brave scuba divers down to cut the lines off of the whale. Luckily, the whale remains calm and still while they work. Once freed, the whale swims excitedly around the divers and then comes around again to nuzzle each one up to the surface before leaving.
You can see a free copy at Open Library, but unfortunately this particular scan job is not the best quality.
Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic — Written and Illustrated by Mônica Carnesi
On January 23, 2010, a dog is spotted floating on a piece of ice in the Vistula River in Poland. The fire department attempts to save him but is not successful. After two more cold days and nights he is spotted by the crew of a ship in the Baltic Sea. They try to get near enough to grab him but instead shift the ice causing him to fall into the freezing water. Eventually a small boat is sent out from the ship and one of the officers manages to pull the dog safely onboard. They warm and feed him, and after some rest, he enjoys the company of his rescuers who adopt and name him.
The Spirit of Springer: The Real-Life Rescue of An Orphaned Orca ⭐ — Written by Amanda Abler and Illustrated by Levi Hastings
When a starving, lone baby orca is observed in Puget Sound in January 2002, researchers work together to identify her as Springer, a member of a pod that usually swims much farther north near British Columbia. A team of veterinarians and scientists work together to capture and rehabilitate her before transporting and then releasing her back in Canadian water. Springer is successfully reunited with her original pod and is observed years later with two calves of her own!
Lucky Ducklings: A True Rescue Story — Written by Eva Moore and Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
In June 2000, Mama Duck takes her family for a walk and all five ducklings fall into a storm drain in Montauk, New York. She tries to defend them as humans try to help. Three firemen are unable to open the grate. A man hooks a roll of cable from his pickup truck to the drain and pops it off for them. Finally, a fireman is able to climb down to rescue the ducklings. When he is about to return them to the park, another fireman stops traffic so Mama Duck can cross the road safely and be reunited with her babies.
The Elephants Come Home: A True Story of Seven Elephants, Two People, and One Extraordinary Friendship — Written by Kim Tosic and Illustrated by Hadley Hooper
Lawrence Anthony saves the lives of an angry herd of elephants in 1999 by welcoming them into his wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. He works hard to understand their needs and emotions and is able to convince them to stay. The bond that he forms with the elephants is so strong that when he dies unexpectedly while out of town, the entire herd immediately begins walking from a remote part of the reserve to his home to visit his grieving wife–a tradition they continue for the next three years on the anniversary of his death!
Elephants Remember: A True Story — Written and Illustrated by Jennifer O’Connell
This is another more in-depth version of the Lawrence Anthony story summarized in the previous entry. Where Tosic’s book is a simple introduction to the elephant rescue, O’Connell’s includes more realistic details for slightly older elementary school readers. Both are great!
Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story — Written by Wendy Tokuda and Richard Hall and Illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama
In October 1985, Californians are surprised when a humpback whale turns up in San Francisco Bay and even more shocked when instead of heading back out to sea, he travels up the Sacramento River. He appears to be very lost. Rescuers try to get him to turn around by banging pipes and using recordings of whales eating, but their methods are not successful until they also help him get past the pilings of a small bridge which have him trapped in the shallow, fresh water. Once he finally makes it back to the bay, he spends a whole day jumping for joy. Humphrey continues to visit the area on his annual migration and also has to be rescued again a few years later when found beached in the mud.
You can read a free copy at Open Library, but unfortunately some of the pictures overlap in the center.
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival ⭐ — Written by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery and Illustrated by Jean Cassels
A cat and a dog, both without tails, are left behind when their family leaves New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. They stick together for months through the challenges of escaping the water, roaming to find food, and getting help from a construction worker. When they are dropped off at an animal shelter, the volunteers discover that the cat is blind and the pair is inseparable. After their story is aired on the news, a family from Oregon adopts them both. *The details of the animals’ experiences prior to their rescue obviously cannot be known for sure, but the remainder of the story is factual.*
The Cat Man of Aleppo ⭐ — Written by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha and Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
Mohammad Alla Aljaleel remains in his beloved Syria to work as an ambulance driver while most people are fleeing the war. When he notices the hundreds of abandoned cats roaming the streets, he begins to feed and care for them and decides in October 2013 that he needs a safe place for all of them. With assistance from the internet and many volunteers, he collects donations from all over the world and is able to put together a sanctuary which eventually expands to help other animals, orphaned children, and the community as well.
Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey ⭐ — Written by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes and Illustrated by Sue Cornelison
In August 2015, a family of refugees from Iraq attempts to take their precious cat Kunkush with them on their long journey to safety. But when he escapes after a terrifying boat ride to Greece and cannot be found, they have to continue on without him. Volunteers notice Kunkush among the feral cats on the island, rescue him, and start an online project to try and find his family. One of the daughters sees Kunkush on the news, and a photographer agrees to fly him to Norway where the family is finally reunited after four months of searching.
Also, Don’t Miss These Titles for Older Readers!
What’s missing from this list? Comment below!
