In honor of National Wildlife Day, this week's title round up features wild stories about animals! We have titles about the lifestyles of the wild and famous, survival stories, and factual titles that will show you that animals lead some pretty interesting lives. Whether your students are beginning readers or high schoolers who want a great story, there's something for you to recommend in this round up. And remember these titles represent just a small selection of all the wild animal stories available in the library!

Focus on Facts

Sounds of the Savanna by Terry Catasus Jennings

From the first light of dawn until the sun sets at night, the savanna is alive with noise. A lion roars in the early morning, a young baboon shrieks at noon, and a young mouse squeals at dusk. What are the animals saying and why? Animals communicate in many ways; explore the thriving African savanna as its inhabitants “talk” to one another throughout the course of a day.

Know It Alls: Wild Cats! by Diane Muldrow 

As part of the unique, science Know-It-Alls! Series that features interesting science facts, this audiobook puts the spotlight on Wild Cats! Did you know that lions are the only cats, that live in family groups called prides? Children will learn about the lion, tiger, jaguar, cheetah, leopard, clouded leopard, and snow leopard. Awesome narration and sound effects plus many interesting facts, makse this audiobook fun and exciting for young science enthusiasts! Titles in the Know-It-Alls! Series include: Butterflies, Crocodiles, Dinosaurs, Farm Animals, Safari Babies, Snakes, Sharks, Spiders, Whales, Wolves, Puppies, Wild Cats, Bugs, Birds of Prey, Fish, Frogs, Apes, Seals, Bats, Bears, Predators, Mummies, Volcanoes, Lizards, Kittens and Horses.

Wild Stories

Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow

World War II has just ended when Mikhail finds a dying man and his German shepherd, Zasha, in the woods. It's dangerous - some say traitorous - to own a German dog after Germany attacked Russia, so Mikhail must keep Zasha a secret to keep her alive. But Mikhail's rival, Katia, is determined to find the dog she is sure he's hiding. At the same time, a soldier named Dimitri is breeding a new Russian dog at a nearby farm. So many dogs were lost to starvation and in combat that the country is in dire need of every kind of dog. Dimitri, too, has suspicions of Zasha's existence, and would like nothing more than to add her to his breeding program. However, Dimitri will have to compete with the armed dog thieves who are also on her trail. Mikhail's inspiring journey to save his best friend, the last German shepherd in Russia, forces him to face some of life's hardest lessons about war, hate, forgiveness, hope, love, and man's best friend.

Pinduli by Janell Cannon

Pinduli's mama has always told her that she's the most beautiful hyena ever. But Dog, Lion, and Zebra don't think so. Why else would they make her feel so rotten about her big ears, her fuzzy mane, and her wiggly stripes? Poor Pinduli just wants to disappear. But then a case of mistaken identity lets her show the creatures of the African savanna how a few tiny words can create something enormous. From the creator of the best-selling Stellaluna comes this triumphant story about self-image, self-acceptance, and treating others with respect.

True Stories

Grayson by Lynne Cox

Seventeen-year-old long distance swimmer Lynne Cox was out training in the cold Pacific one morning when she became aware that an 18-foot baby gray whale was following her, apparently lost and separated from its mother, without whom it would surely die. Something so enormous as a mother whale 50 feet long suddenly seemed very small in the vast Pacific. . . .

The Whale Who Won Hearts by Brian Skerry and Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Follow an underwater wildlife photographer on four real-life adventures as he photographs leatherback sea turtles, harp seals, a whale named Wilma, and some gray reef sharks.