A sampling of many books that could be read alongside Marley: A Dog Like No Other:
Nonfiction
Maggie by My Side by Beverly Butler
Butler, who is blind, describes how she was accepted by Pilot Dogs, a program in Ohio that trained her and gave her Maggie, her guide dog.
The House of a Million Pets by Ann Hodgman
The Hodgman house is home to two miniature dachshunds, along with three cats, a guinea pig, a prairie dog, birds, a hamster, rabbits, and 26 pygmy mice. The author writes about her experiences as a caregiver to her menagerie. There are lots of funny moments and some sad ones as well.
My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen
Adventure author Gary Paulsen recounts the many dogs he has owned or befriended in his life, including Dirk, who protected him from bullies, and Cookie, who once saved his life.
A Dog's Best Friend: An Activity Book for Kids and Their Dogs by Lisa Rosenthal
This book offers a selection of activities, crafts, and recipes that teach children how to take care of dogs and form a lasting bond at the same time.
Fiction
Old Yeller by William Armstrong
Living on the Texas frontier can be brutal and difficult, but life begins to get a little bit better for Travis after he has the companionship of Old Yeller. When Travis' father travels to Abilene on a long cattle drive, Old Yeller proves his worth by protecting the family at all costs.
The Good Dog by Avi
Told from the point of view of McKinley, a malamute, this is the story of a beloved pet dog who is torn between being a "good dog" and joining Lupin, a wolf that is trying to recruit dogs to replenish his pack.
Wanted . . . Mud Blossom by Betsy Byars
Convinced that Mud is responsible for the disappearance of the school hamster that was his responsibility for the weekend, Junior Blossom is determined that the dog should be tried for his "crime."
Risby by Beverly Cleary
When Risby goes to the mall with Henry Huggins, he gets an adventure he never imagined. Bothered by a barking Pomeranian, Risby uses the window's automatic opener to get out of the car. After searching for Henry, Risby gets lost and ends up climbing into a car that smells just the same as the Huggins's new car, only to find that he's entered the wrong car. The Dingley's take him home, and so begins Risby's journey to find his best friend Henry.
Dog Sense by Sneed Collard
Guy gradually adjusts to his new home in Montana, learns to cope with a bully and finds a new friend, all with the help of his Frisbee loving dog, Streak.
Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
Told in free verse, this story by Newbery Medal-winning Sharon Creech, tells the tale of a boy who grows to love poetry through inspiration from his dog and Walter Dean Myers.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog, Winn-Dixie.
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
The Pye family had always had a cat, Gracie, but she was not a pet as much as a part of the family. And she really didn't want much to do with the kids. So when Jerry and his family get Ginger, life is wonderful. She's the most wonderful dog in the world, smart, famous all over Cranbury, and best of all, she's all theirs. Until someone steals her.
Jim Ugly by Sid Fleischman
Jake's actor father is missing and Jake teams up with his father's homely one-man dog and sets out to search through the Old West to find him.
One Small Dog by Joanna Hurwitz
Curtis is having a hard time adjusting to his new life after his parents get divorced. Curtis' mom finally gives in to his repeated requests for a dog and they adopt Sammy from a shelter. But things don't work out they way Curtis expects.
White Fang by Jack London
Buck, a dog happy in his domain of the Santa Clara Valley, is traded into a fast paced world of training and preparation for the wild. Buck goes from temperate California to the Arctic with men consumed with the desire to find gold and he must learn how to survive.
A Dog for Life by L. S. Matthews
When John finds out that his dog Mouse can no longer live with them and is going to be sent to the pound, he and Mouse run away to find John's uncle, who John hopes will be able to help them.
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor
Georgina wants to help her mom and their depressing financial situation. After seeing a reward poster for a missing dog, she comes up with a great idea. She and her little brother will steal a dog, and then return him for the reward money. Perfect, she thinks, until she actually tries it.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Billy buys two puppies and quickly the three of them become inseparable. Together they have joys and struggles, and Billy learns about the pleasures and trials of owning a dog.
Probably the World's Best Story about a Dog and the Girl Who Loved Me by D. J. Smith
Paolo and his six-year-old brother, Georgie, have lost their dog - and everyone in their very large extended family seems too busy to care. It is up to the two boys and their deaf cousin Billy to try to find the dog, and also cope with a brand new paper route and the attentions of a girl.
The Green Dog: A Mostly True Story by Suzanne Fisher Staples
Suzanne has always wanted a dog. Although her father never really says "yes," she is sure that a dog that has followed her home is hers to keep. But she never counted on all the trouble a dog could get into.
