No. 01The Incredible Journey
Sheila Burnford · 1961
Reading level: Middle grade
Classic
Two dogs and a cat cross hundreds of miles of Canadian wilderness to find their way home. The original animal-journey adventure, and still one of the most gripping.
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No. 02The Hundred and One Dalmatians
Dodie Smith · 1956
Reading level: Middle grade
Classic
Before the films, the book: when their puppies are stolen, Pongo and Missis set out across the English countryside to bring them back. A proper dog-led adventure with a famously wicked villain.
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No. 03Shiloh
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 1991
Reading level: Middle grade
Classic · Newbery Medal
A boy finds a mistreated beagle and must decide what he'll do to protect him. A Newbery winner about conscience and courage, beloved in classrooms for good reason.
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No. 04Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo · 2000
Reading level: Middle grade
Modern classic · Newbery Honor
A scruffy dog adopted from a grocery store cracks open a lonely girl's summer. A modern staple about friendship and belonging.
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No. 05Love That Dog
Sharon Creech · 2001
Reading level: Middle grade
Modern classic
A reluctant boy slowly learns to write poems — and to grieve — through the story of his dog. A short, deceptively simple novel in verse that lands harder than its length suggests.
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No. 06A Dog's Way Home
Bobbie Pyron · 2011
Reading level: Middle grade
Recent
When a girl and her Shetland sheepdog are separated, the dog sets out alone across the miles to find her. An adventure for readers who like real stakes.
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No. 07Good Dog
Dan Gemeinhart · 2021
Reading level: Middle grade
Recent
A loyal dog is given one chance to return from the afterlife to protect the boy he loved. Imaginative and big-hearted, carrying deep feeling with a light, adventurous touch.
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No. 08The One and Only Bob
Katherine Applegate · 2020
Reading level: Middle grade
Recent
The wisecracking dog from The One and Only Ivan gets his own story, in his own voice, building to a storm and a rescue. Funny, warm, and a natural next read for fans of Ivan.
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More dog books
Continue with dog picture books for little kids, browse my list of the best dog books, or choose something lighter from these funny dog books.