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Celebrate National Pet Month

By Chetla Jackson on May 4, 2023 12:00 AM

Pets are not only our furry companions, for many of us they are considered family. They play, sleep, and even watch movies with us. Each one has their own personality and curiosities.

For National Pet Month, some MPL staff members share what they think their pets, or, well, family members, might enjoy reading if they took a trip to the library. Take a look at their book recommendations!

Hi, my name is Martha and I just love to cozy up with a blanket and a good book. I have recently started reading book one of the Broken Earth series: The Fifth Season. It was written by my favorite sci-fi author, N. K. Jemisin, and has been on my TBR list for a while now.

I’m Martha's little brother, Henry, and I recommend the Flubby easy reader series by Jennifer E. Morris. My mom says that the series is perfect for a new reader like me, "Reading won't feel like a chore with this series. Morris incorporates visual cues and humor to propel your new reader through this enjoyable series."

Please paws for my pick! My name is Mad-Eye, but don’t let that mislead you, I’m super friendly. After rescuing me post-op surgery, my mom decided to name me after the one-eyed Mad-Eye Moody from her favorite series, Harry Potter. But MY pawsitively favorite series is about Nibbles, The Dinosaur Guide book especially. Nibbles is a little monster who loves to explore, sounds familiar… The Dinosaur Guide contains so many fun facts about dinosaurs without being scary! The pop-ups are a major bonus too.

There’s nothing better than a vegetable salad, especially when the vegetables are grown right in your own backyard. Or porch! Or window box! I’m Puff Ball, and I recommend gardening expert Melinda Myers’ book The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook to help get you started. Plus, my favorite human, East Branch Reference Assistant Beth Gabriel, also gets to help host Melinda as part of Milwaukee Public Library’s Green programming series. Can you imagine how thrilled I was to see the latest webinar, “Growing a Bountiful Harvest Even When Time, Space, and Budget are Limited,” because it means soon she’ll be enjoying her first homegrown salad of the season! Wheek!

Hello my name is Lefty and YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND! Right? RIGHT?!! Okay, maybe that was a little extra so let me slow down and tell you a bit about me. I am four years old and extremely handsome. I have two pet humans named Kat and Andrew. I have two books I really want to tell you about and the first is You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown. I have a hard time making dog friends because I guess I come on a little strong. This book helped me learn that you can't force it. You have to chill out and wait patiently for the right pal to come along. I also want to tell you about Puppy In My Head: A Book About Mindfulness by Elise Gravel. Did you know that every human has a puppy in their head? Most of the time, the puppy is calm, but sometimes it gets scared or worried or too excited. My pets read this book with me and it helped me understand my anxiety and learn ways to manage my feelings. 

I’m Penny, and one of my favorite hobbies is watching what the squirrels are doing in my backyard. I enjoy following their activities through the different windows in my house. The book I recommend is The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri which features a squirrel getting ready for winter.

Mewo-llo, my name is Himari and I love spending time outdoors in my neighborhood. I wanted to share one of my favorite stories from the Highlights Puzzle Readers, Kit and Kaboodle Explore the City. In this book, Kit and Kaboodle choose three places in Sillyville to visit for the day. My favorite parts are the hidden picture puzzles throughout the book. Bonus fact: "Kit and Kaboodle" is the first book series Mitch Mortimer has illustrated. He lives in Wisconsin, just like me!

Find these books and so much more at your Milwaukee Public Library and enjoy them with the furry friends - and family - in your life. 



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