World Animal Day is an international day of action for animal rights and welfare celebrated annually on October 4, which is also the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Here are 5 top books specially selected by Holiday House and Peachtree sure to please all animal lovers.

Perfect for fans of Maisy, William Bee’s beloved Stanley series features adorable hardworking hamster Stanley and his rodent friends as they work different jobs and help each other along the way. The sturdy padded picture book format is ideal for readers at a transitional age between board books and picture books, and the books are trusted models of basic preschool concepts such as colors and shapes, kindness and teamwork, community helpers, jobs and careers, vehicles, and daily routines.

Newest in the series is Stanley's Library (Peachtree, On-sale 8/1/2021)

It’s another busy day at Stanley’s library, and Stanley has stocked his bookmobile with lots of great books to take to the local park. All of Stanley’s rodent friends stop by to borrow a book that Stanley selected just for them, and later at the main branch, he hosts an out-of-this-world author visit from Agatha Mouse!

Lana Lynn is an intrepid sheep. The other members of her flock are content to nibble grass in the pasture, sip water from the pond, and nap in the meadow. But not Lana Lynn. She wants… adventure! Author Rebecca Van Slyke has created a charmingly overconfident heroine in Lana Lynn, accented by Anca Sandu’s adorable and funny illustrations. An ideal read-aloud full of good farm fun!

Newest in the series is Lana Lynn and the New Watchdog (Peachtree, On-sale 10/1/2021)

Fearless sheep Lana Lynn is all set to train her flock’s new watchdog, but will a case of mistaken identity derail her efforts and put the sheep in jeopardy?

Perfect for fans of dogs and books alike, these delightfully warm books follow young Madeline and the dogs who help her grow in patience, confidence, and empathy when faced with real-life challenges like learning to read, standing up for others, or making a difference as a young person.

Newest in the series is Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog (Peachtree, On-sale 9/1/2020)

Madeline Finn and Star are off to Walker Oaks, a retirement community where Star will take his tests to become a therapy dog. Accompanied by Mom, Mrs. Dimple, and Bonnie the library dog, Madeline and Star make their way through a variety of challenges and meet several new friends. But Madeline Finn can’t stop thinking about an elderly man in a wheelchair who never smiles. Is there something she and Star can do to help?

A lovable dog helps his human girl solve mysteries in this easy-to-read mystery series. With simple, straightforward language and great verbal and visual humor, the King & Kayla series from Geisel Honor Award-winning team Dori Hillestad Butler and Nancy Meyers is perfect for newly independent readers transitioning from easy readers to beginning chapter books. Great for introducing mysteries and the important concepts of fact gathering, list making, clues, and analytical thinking.

Newest in the series is King and Kayla and the Case of the Gold Ring (Peachtree, On-sale 2/1/2021)

King, Kayla, Mason, and Asia are playing in the snow. Later, Asia discovers her new gold ring is missing. What happened to it? Detective team King and Kayla are on the case!

A jealous cat really, really, REALLY wants to drive away his young owner's new dog in this playful illustrated chapter book series told entirely in letters. Simon has taken care of his owner, Andy, for many years. He's a loyal cat. What more could a boy want? So why would Andy's dad adopt a DOG?! Simon's job is clear: the beast has got to go. He decides to write him a letter. But when the dog's response sets off an unexpected correspondence, Simon realizes the beast may be here to stay. Can he make room for another pet in Andy's life?

Newest in the series is Dear Beast: Someone Is Missing! (Holiday House, On-Sale 11/14/2021)

Simon the cat and Baxter the dog have finally learned how to share their owner, Andy. It helps that Simon lives with Andy's mom and Baxter lives with Andy's dad. When a problem comes up, they simply exchange letters to sort it out. Baxter's spelling has even improved . . . though not by much. But then Andy's class pet goes missing, which causes an argument with his friend Noah. Andy is so, so sad. Both Simon and Baxter want to solve the mystery and make Andy happy again. Which pet will collect the clues and piece together the solution?