A disclaimer: Not all books are for all readers. I selected a wide array so that you can hopefully find one that sounds good to you. I also included two links to find these titles online, but I always suggest visiting your local bookstore first, especially for the books that are pre-orders! Shop local where possible!

Let’s get started, shall we?

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Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known by Scott Simon

Yep, that Scott Simon, and if you’re an NPR listener, I promise you will find yourself reading this book with his voice in your head.

This narrative is a memoir of sorts. We learn about Scott, his family, and his work through the animals who have entered and exited his life. It’s told in short bursts. Most of the chapters are micro-essays, running only a few pages and sometimes only a paragraph. This makes it easy to dip in and out, but it doesn’t lessen the emotional resonance or the connection you’ll feel to someone who loves animals as much as he clearly does. Even though on the surface the stories are centered around the animals, it’s also an examination of Scott’s family life and his professional life. The Sarajevo essays are particularly poignant.

Who is this for? Heartfelt, sometimes joyful and sometimes sad, these essays are a must-read for anyone who loves their animals with a side of whimsy. Parents, especially adoptive parents like me: Come to this book with a few tissues tucked in your pocket.

Available on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Poking the Squid by Perrin Roosevelt Ireland

This book. Where do I begin? As you likely know by now, I am a HUGE animal behavior nerd. This is my favorite book in the bunch.

Graphic nonfiction is such an underappreciated genre, in my opinion. This one, in particular, shines. It’s filled with an incredible depth of information about the biodiversity of how animals form relationships, mate, and more. I never knew how interested I would become in albatross or prairie voles, among many others. Poking the Squid delivers a delightful, quirky, and illuminating look at animal diversity through vivid comics and deeply-researched details. (I reviewed the ARC, which is in black and white, but I believe the final hard copy will be in full color, which is very exciting!)

Who is this for? I’d LOVE to say everyone, but I think this book is for anyone who is fascinated by the natural world and who wants to learn about the latest discoveries in this newer scientific field.

Available on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

10 Spiritual Lessons You Can Learn from Your Dog and 10 Spiritual Lessons You Can Learn from Your Cat by Joanna Sandsmark

Two different but similar books round out these recommendations. Both of these pretty, small hardcovers deliver life advice from the dog’s and cat’s perspective. Rather than a religious spirituality, these delightfully-illustrated books weave together quotes and lessons designed to help the reader feel more dog- or cat-like. They’re easy to flip through and glean some insight or idea unique to our beloved pets.

Who are these for? If you’re looking for a perfect gift for the dog or cat lover in your life, look no further. (hint, hint for any Father’s Day gifts for pet-loving dads) Or, if you’d like something small you can tuck into a bag or to accompany your journaling, these are it.

Dog book available on Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Cat book available on Amazon and Bookshop.org.

The Dogwalkers’ Detective Agency by Michael Hogan

Surprisingly, the only new novel on this list!

When a dog walker’s canine charges discover a dead body, the police are called in, but something’s not adding up. So, a motley mix of dog walkers put their heads together to solve the crime as more mysteries mount. This is the type of summer novel that you can toss into a beach bag for a day at the pool or on the sand; it’s long enough to keep you occupied, but light enough that you can dip in and out.

Who is this for? Fans of funny thrillers, cozy mysteries with an edge of darkness, and–of course–canine shenanigans. Must love puns and word play.

Available on Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Unleashed: How to Bring Out the Best in Your Dog by Jaime Goodrich

Summer is the perfect season to squeeze in extra dog training time. If you’re hoping to dig into some training this summer with your pup, pick this one up.

Unleashed establishes a beginner-friendly foundation for dog training rooted in best practice. It covers everything from polite walking and house training to separation anxiety and aggressive behavior. Little sketches throughout illustrate the concepts, and worksheets in the back of the book help you apply the learning immediately.

Who is this for? First-time dog owners would benefit tremendously from this. Also, anyone who loves to read more dog training perspectives and tips to round out existing knowledge, this one’s for you. An excellent, accessible reference to have on hand.

Available on Amazon and Bookshop.org.

King the Wonder Dog and Other Stories by Eleanor Lerman

Short stories are the perfect thing for summer: You can dip in and out while pushing a swing or supervising the pool. When you have pockets of time, you can read a short story and experience the entire arc of the narrative–even if you’re sitting in your car in the summer camp pickup line.

These stories feature older protagonists and their relationships with dogs. Most center around themes of healing, being seen and understood, and the restorative power of the human-dog bond. You’ll likely need a few tissues on hand for several of the stories.

Who is this for? Set in contemporary New York and featuring older adults, this collection is perfect for literary readers who appreciate reflective stories about people and their dogs. Highly recommend!

Available on Amazon and Bookshop.org.

The 7 best animal books of summer 2026…

At least, for now! I didn’t get any YA or picture books this time around, which is a big gap. I’m on the hunt for what’s coming next for younger readers, so stay tuned here or on Instagram for what I find.

In the meantime, I’d love to know: What’s on your TBR for this summer? Please share in the comments along with which of these seven you’d like to read!

I’d be remiss in a book post not to include a little call-out for my own book.

If you’re looking to deepen your bond with your dog, my book For the Love of Dog explores the science and heart behind how we connect with our best friends with stories about me and my dogs Emmett, Lucas, and Cooper.

Click here to grab your copy on Amazon or here for Bookshop.org.

It’s also available on audio if you prefer to read with your ears!

The Things I Lost*

A fear of spiders: as long as the room is well-lit and there is a cup nearby to place on top of the spider and a postcard or junk mail to slide underneath the cup so I can carry it outside to release it far, far away from me. 

My blankie: mine from the day I was born, tucked on a shelf in my closet since college, and then my daughter turned five and became scared of the dark and asked for it to comfort her.

The memory of why I came into this room. 

One sofa, two seatbelts, seven pairs of glasses, a fiber optic internet line, all my nice pens, three library books, and a talking, singing, dancing, light-up stuffed bear: I’m not too mad about that last one, but this puppy is a nightmare.

The recipe for the ranch-flavored baked pretzels I used to make every weekend: somehow the ingredients of that snack have disappeared from my memory, but the lyrics to every song I listened to on the radio in the 90s are still intact. 

A dozen pairs of heels: along with any desire to wear them. The shoe closet from twenty years ago has morphed into a shoe bucket, stuffed with one pair of sneakers, rubber rain boots, hiking boots, and two pairs of sandals–both bearing the puppy’s teethmarks. 

One zebra print rug purchased from the Urban Outfitters in Georgetown: misplaced in a move from DC to Indiana, or maybe it was Indiana to Louisiana. It wouldn’t really go with our house anymore anyway. 

My attention span: forfeit to endless tasks, demands, distractions, scrolling. 

The name of the girl from my sophomore poetry course who borrowed my copy of Firekeeper and left little notes throughout: I’m rereading this collection now, all these years later, and her sharp, funny margin notes make me wish that was a friendship I hung onto. 

The perfect black raincoat: left on a subway during the early spring when the cherry blossoms bloom and leave a faint vanilla scent hanging in the air until the hard rain falls and scatters the pale pink flowers along the sidewalk. I carried that perfect raincoat onto the train, settled in with my book, and–arriving at my stop mid-page–walked off the train with my nose in the book and the raincoat left behind on the seat. 

Forbearance: for a lousy government, for inattentive teachers, for people who are rude to the waitstaff, for anyone who cuts in line or drops litter in public. My patience in midlife is reserved for puppies, children, and my husband.

There’s no room left for more.

* Recently, I joined the Indiana Writers Center’s creative nonfiction group. The leader provides a prompt, and we all respond. The March prompt was to read this list essay featured in The Best of Brevity and write our own version. Here’s mine, which I’m sharing because it’s sort of about Stola (and maybe, also, about aging).

If you enjoyed this and want to read even more of my work–always for free–check out my Substack. Click on the image from my latest post below to head straight there:

“I love animals, but I can’t stand people.”

“I like every single dog and maybe three people.”

“I’ve never met a cat I didn’t like, but there are tons of people I detest.”

I’ve definitely said that I like dogs more than people on many occasions, usually in response to an animal abuse or welfare situation. And, truth be told, I’d much rather spend my time at home with my dogs and cats than out in a crowd of people.

But here is the reality, the hard truth of the matter: You cannot care about animals without caring about people, too.

We simply can’t have animal welfare without human welfare.

With assistance programs being gutted across the US on a near-daily basis, gas prices skyrocketing, grocery bills soaring, housing becoming unattainable, and so on… people are finding themselves in difficult situations.

Imagine the choices:

If you can’t afford to feed your kids, what are you going to do with your dog? If you don’t speak English well and your vet no longer provides a translator, or you can’t afford your car and can’t take your cat to the vet on the bus, or the spay-neuter assistance program you relied on got cut, or you get laid off and need to pay rent and your cat becomes sick, and on and on… put yourself in the shoes of someone facing these situations. (Read this post and the comments section to really get a sense of the realities here.)

How do we definite “welfare”?

Welfare, to me, means health, happiness, and well being. It means we are all well.

There are supposed to be safety nets in place to provide for the well being of people and pets. But those are disappearing rapidly, and–at least here in the US–the people who rely on them are being vilified.

By saying human welfare must come first, I am not suggesting animal welfare should be sidelined until all human problems are solved. What I am saying is that the failing social safety nets will fail people first… and that will trickle down to fail our animals.

There’s the age-old argument: Why should we care about animals when people are starving?

Can’t we care about both? We absolutely can, and we absolutely should. And, also, we can’t deny that the humans are the responsible party when it comes to animal welfare. We make the decisions and provide the care for our animals. So, again, people need to be cared for so that we can care for our animals.

Poverty is not a crime.

Experiencing hardship is not a moral failing.

If we gatekeep pet ownership only for those with perfect financial stability, how many millions of animals would be euthanized tomorrow for lack of a home?

Without human welfare, animal welfare suffers.

“You shouldn’t have a pet if you can’t afford to keep one.”

Okay, sure, but what if you lose your job or fall seriously ill or get into an accident or any number of other things that can befall a human living in late-stage capitalism.

The social systems that help people keep their pets are being gutted. So, how about, instead of vilifying people who fall on hard times, we champion elected officials who understand the importance of social services? How about we donate our time and money to clinics and shelters that make pet care accessible? How about we turn our attention to the human end of the leash with as much care, compassion, and empathy as the canine end?

Recently, someone on my local Nextdoor app posted that she was devastated to have to re-home her dog. She explained that she lost her home and her job back to back and found a new job and apartment in another town. She would be working long hours, taking the bus, and simply couldn’t afford to maintain her pet in the way he deserved. There were more than 80 comments blasting her for this.

“I would sleep in my car before I gave up my dog.”

They assume everyone has a car to sleep in, or that “sleeping in a car” is a stable, safe environment for a dog (or a person). And that there’s somewhere legal to park that car.

Again, imagine if we had as much empathy for this woman making a devastating choice as we do for her dog? We all want what is best for the dog. Sometimes, the most pro-dog thing a person can do is recognize they can no longer provide the safety that the dog deserves.

Sure, deteriorating social systems do not absolve us from personal responsibility. But, in a broken system, animals deserve to be cared for–even if that means re-homing your dog is the hardest but best option. We worry about the dog’s sadness without considering the cycles that led to the person becoming broken in the first place.

Focusing on the human side of the leash IS the best way to help the canine end.

On the flip side

If animal welfare can fail even when human welfare is secured, is human welfare truly the foundation, or is it just one of many variables?

Obviously there’s so much to take into account, and there are lots of people who are financially secure, healthy, and well-housed who still neglect their animals, just like there are people who are none of those things but still treat their animals like royalty. Obviously there’s nuance.

But, I guess my plea today is a call for compassion. For empathy.

We are all struggling in one way or another, even on a good day but most especially right now.

How can you extend some compassion or understanding to those around you? How can you help support animals in your community? And, maybe most importantly, how can you work to ensure that you vote for people who care about people?

What do you think? I’d love to know your thoughts on these big topics in the comments below.

If you’re looking to deepen your bond with your dog, my book For the Love of Dog explores the science and heart behind how we connect with our best friends with stories about me and my dogs Emmett, Lucas, and Cooper.

Click here to grab your copy on Amazon or here for Bookshop.org.

It’s also available on audio if you prefer to read with your ears!

The Silent Language: What Learning ASL Taught Me About My Dogs

My dogs are deaf. My daughter is hard-of-hearing, and our family has been working together to learn ASL since she was a baby. So, it made sense to us to adopt deaf dogs so we could integrate our training into our ASL learning. In fact, using ASL for dog training gave us a much more robust vocabulary to work with–if only I could learn to keep my mouth shut!

The Shift from Audio to Visual

Dogs don’t have a spoken language; they have a spatial one. Dogs use their entire body when they communicate. Everything matters: where and how they stand, the position of their ears, how they hold and move their tails, whether their eyes are hard or soft, if they have their mouth open or closed, even if they’re holding their breath or breathing calmly. No one can look only at one thing–say, the tail–and decide how a dog is feeling or what a dog is thinking. It takes the full picture to really get a sense of what’s going on.

In ASL, there are five parameters that are grammatical requirements. Handshape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers (like facial expressions) all contribute to forming a sign. Change one and you change the sign. (Ask anyone who’s accidentally signed “make out” when all they wanted was a cup of coffee…)

So, silencing my own verbal commands and focusing on my body posture–not just my hand signals–has made my cues so much clearer to Penny and Stola. Yes, I still vocalize because I’m human and can’t seem to help it, but the shift in focus to my movements has been dramatic.

One way to do this: Film your training sessions! I’ve been filming all of my sessions with Stola and hope to post some on Instagram soon, but it helped me realize I added a little step forward every time I cued “sit.” That’s not what I wanted to do. Same thing with “down.” I discovered that I bent at the waist each time I cued the behavior, and I did not want to anchor in that movement with the hand cue.

“Listening” with Your Eyes

This expression is modified from how we talk about reading paper books versus audiobooks: Are you reading with your eyes or with your ears?

In this case, we “listen” with our eyes to what our dogs are saying to us. Humans are vocal-heavy creatures. I know some dogs are, too, if you take barking, whining, howling, and so on into consideration. But dogs are masters of micro-expressions. The way they move their ears, their eyebrows, their tails–it all tells a story. We need to listen to that story with our eyes.

Learning ASL has helped bring this concept home for me. In ASL, verbs have direction. You make a change in your sign if you’re driving over hills or along a flat road; you change your sign if you’re walking on tiptoes or walking with heavy feet or a skip in your step; you change your sign if you’re singing softly or belting opera. Those movements convey so much meaning:

• A Hip Tilt: A subtle shift signaling they’re about to settle into a nap.
• The Lean: Into me for a pat vs. away to signal they were finished with snuggling.
• Weight Distribution: Front-loading weight to prepare for some zoomies vs. a relaxed, centered stance.

These subtle shifts tell a story if we can listen with our eyes.

Building Shared Communication

Incorporating intentional, clear hand signals has reduced the static in our training. It’s not just about commands; it’s about a deeper, quieter empathy.

Now, we have the advantage of a solid foundation in ASL. When Astrid was maybe nine months old, we started learning ASL with a Deaf mentor, and that one-on-one attention on and off until Astrid turned three gave us an incredible base for using a second language in our home. Since then, over the past three years, we’ve cobbled together classes, YouTube videos, apps, and so on to continue developing our signing skills.

And the dogs are coming along with us. This includes not just the specific signs I’m teaching them as behavior cues (key signs like sit, down, stay, wait, come, and so on) but also the incidental learning that happens as they watch and learn from how we communicate at home. Read more about incidental learning in dogs here.

Whether you choose to learn ASL to communicate with your dog or you decide to use traditional obedience cues, I challenge you to pay attention to all the nonverbal communication passing between you and your dog.

Observe what behaviors of yours make your dog excited, calm, overwhelmed, or even frightened. Build shared communication by listening with your eyes.

What that looks like for us right now: Stola tenses up whenever someone touches her ears. She doesn’t have an ear infection, but in case she ever gets one, this can’t be a disaster. So, I’m observing what kinds of touch she does and doesn’t like and counterconditioning what she doesn’t like. For Penny, her low vision is really impacting her learning speed, so I’m working on observing what lighting conditions help her and what conditions harm her. We know she can’t see well at all in bright light and really struggles when she moves from light to dark or dark to light. I’m experimenting to find the best conditions for her.

Learning ASL (and Deaf culture, too) has changed so much of how I move and operate in the world. Better communication with my dogs is icing on the cake!

If you’re looking to deepen your own bond with your dog through better communication, my book For the Love of Dog explores the science and heart behind how we connect with our best friends with stories about me and my dogs Emmett, Lucas, and Cooper.

Click here to grab your copy on Amazon or here for Bookshop.org.

It’s also available on audio if you prefer to read with your ears!