Animal Tales

Ahhhh, the dog days of summer are here, so let’s explore some great dog stories and mix in all the other animals you can think of, too. From heartfelt to scary to utterly ridiculous, there’s something for everyone in our new display on the second floor of the library! If you’re looking for a fun way to pass the time while you retreat into your air-conditioned homes, I have some suggestions. Here at the Crawfordsville District Public Library, we have all the books, movies, and TV series on our shelves to keep you entertained for days.

Before we begin, let me explain what prompted this search for crazy animal stories, both true and fictional. While shelving earlier in the summer these three movies were all together on the shelving cart, and I think they are pretty self-explanatory: “Cocaine Bear” (DVD FIC Coc), “Meth Gator” (DVD FIC Meth), and “Sharknado” (DVD FIC Sharknado). But don’t worry – these movies are just a small sampling of what I found for you!

As a library employee, I have to include “Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World” (636.8 Myr). As you can probably guess, this much-loved book is about a cat who ends up being essentially adopted by a small-town library where he is aptly named Dewey in honor of the Dewey Decimal System. This touching true story will warm your heart and might bring a tear to your eye. Next, we have some feline fiction about a cat and his human who set off on a road trip across Japan to visit some old friends, among other things. “The Travelling Cat Chronicles” by Hiro Arikawa (FIC Arikawa) is narrated by the cat, named Nana, which adds an even more endearing quality to the story.

Perhaps you’re more in the mood for some quirky non-fiction? “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law” (591.5 Roa) tells the story of the criminal underbelly of the animal world. The stories come from all over the globe. Some examples are jaywalking moose, vandal gulls, and burglarizing bears. And finally, “Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed” by Marc Bekoff (591.5 Bek), is a collection of essays that sheds light on the fascinating topics of animal emotions and behaviors. Did you know that chickens display empathy or that combat dogs can suffer from PTSD? I didn’t either, but I’m really interested to learn more.

You will find these materials and many more on a new display on the second floor of the library starting the first week of August. We look forward to assisting you on the 2nd floor soon! Questions? Please call the Adult Services Info Desk at 765-362-2242, ext. 3. Our hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and closed on Sundays.