Humans liked to believe that tool use was a quality unique to our species. Jane Goodall did Amazing work with chimpanzees To break that notion. You will find that, if you are open to it, there are many unknown similarities between us and other animals. Some of us already know this and spend our time imagining their vivid inner lives, or even projecting ourselves into characters that look like them. We also create creatures that fascinate us and have the ability to hold the stories we want to tell. The wide diversity of species serves as a window and mirror for us to understand ourselves.
Here is a list of some books where authors and illustrators have tried this in cute, soft and sharp ways. I had a great time putting this together, so I can only imagine you’ll love joining in too. Some of these can be enjoyed by people of all ages and are widely loved by adults.
Badly Drawn Lines: Good Ideas and Amazing Stories By Reza Farazmand
If you hang out on the Internet like I do, chances are you’ve seen Reza’s adorable cartoonish illustrations. This book puts them all together in a group that has not been seen before. The humor is dry, the art is minimal, and the smiles are right around the turn of the page.
emotional support animal By Nicole J. Georges
If you want a walrus for a doctor, this book is for you. While this is by no means a substitute for therapy, it does have the emotional support of animals as a reminder of therapy insights. Sometimes we all need a pug to tell us that saying no isn’t cruel, or an alligator to remind us to take care of ourselves. It also serves as a workbook with gentle and simple exercises to help you express yourself.
Aggretsuko: Metal to the Max By Daniel Barnes, DJ Kirkland and Brenda Hickey
In this book, we see the red panda, Retsuko, go through three difficult situations and fight to the death as a way to relieve her stress. In the first, we see him trying to go through his workday while everyone around him is falling sick. In another, she’s out shopping with a shallow coworker, and in the third, we see an office improvement expert or literally “Karen.” It’s cute, funny and relatable.
Tea Dragon Society By Kay O’Neill
The illustrations in this are very charming. They are bright, vivid and completely immerse you in the world of Tea Dragons. It is aimed at middle grade reading, but is widely loved by adults. If you’re looking for a relaxing read that will tug at your heartstrings and make you scream softly, this is the one for you.
Always remember: the boy, the mole, the fox, the horse and the storm by Charlie Mackesy
As the author himself describes it, this is a book for people of all ages. If you have read the first part of this series, here is the long-awaited second part. It has the same tenderness, humor and reassurance. Read it by yourself, or read it with other people, adults and children, to feel as connected to the book as you are to them.
a man and his cat by umi sakurai
This beloved series deserves all the love it gets. Fukumaru is a cat who is left stranded in a pet shop and feels unloved, until Kanda finds him. With the cat, Kanda finds a place where his loneliness can rest. What follows is a heart-touching story of love, protection and care. Keep some tissues handy for this!
breaking cat news by Georgia Dunn
I bet you can’t get over this without at least cracking a wide smile. It’s silly and spicy to see cats telling each other what they’ve seen throughout the day. The cats chase Dunn’s pets – Elvis, Lupine and Puck – making it realistically hilarious. If you’ve ever wondered what your cat is thinking, Georgia has a great guess!
sharp teeth by sarah anderson
It’s so cute and funny. It depicts the love relationship between a vampire and a werewolf with all its challenges and rewards. It will make you smile, laugh and swoon. The black and white line art focuses on Elsie and Jimmy’s relationship and their love for each other’s quirks.
hyperbole and a half By Eli Brosh
This is a fun memoir style comic by Eli Brosh. Her dogs are a big part of her life and this comic. We have a helper dog and a simple dog, and they are both the cornerstone of his life. It deals with her mental health struggles and is portrayed with self-aware wit. check out Wild animal (ordinary dog goes for a joy ride) Head over to Ellie’s blog to start your adventure into her world.
If you enjoyed reading this, also check out 8 fantasy graphic novels for adults to lose themselves in and 18 great graphic novels and comics about animals.
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