Animals are a great way to get students interested in reading — and they also get both fiction and nonfiction books in kids' hands. In particular, these animal book pairings will help your students learn more about their favorite animals while sparking their enthusiasm for reading.

For young pet lovers in preschool and kindergarten, use the nonfiction book Dogs and the fiction book If You Give a Dog a Donut for classroom read-aloud time. Dogs teaches kids skills like counting and naming objects, while If You Give a Dog a Donut illustrates cause and effect in a cascade of fun.

Meanwhile, older students in grades 3-4 who are fascinated by sea creatures can independently read Who Would Win?: Killer Whale vs. Great White Shark, a STEM book about the ocean’s fiercest predators. And for a lighthearted fiction read, they will love Stink and the Shark Sleepover, about a sleepover at an aquarium and encounters with deep-water animals.

Shop all of the best fiction and nonfiction books about animals below! You can find more books and activities at The Teacher Store.