As much loved family members, pets hold a very special place in our hearts. Here are twenty books, both fiction and non fiction, featuring pets or at least those animals that we would like to consider as pets. Cats in particular would potentially sneer at being labelled and I hesitate to call Terry Pratchett’s Greebo a pet, but then again, he is a big soft ball of fur to Nanny Ogg. We have a few unusual animals in the mix here, an alligator and a hawk are included alongside the more traditional dogs, cats, fish, and hamsters.

A recent LoveReading favourite is Sosuke Natsukawa. The Cat Who Saved Books is an absolute treasure and the perfect book for book-lovers as well as cat fans. Chosen as a Liz Robinson Pick when it was first published in the UK it is a gorgeously simple and thought-provoking read translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai. Following on from this The Cat who saved the Library is the must-have sequel. Tiger the talking tabby cat returns to celebrate the power books have to make a difference in the world. Liz Robinson describes it as "Quirky and deceptively simple, this Japanese novel sitting between fantasy and reality is a lovely choice for any book lovers out there".

Speaking of more non-traditional pets, Sipsworth by Simon van Booy is an engaging story of a rescued mouse, harbouring friendship and the beauty of second chances. A LoveReading Star Book, touches on both light and darkness as Helen return to the English village of her childhood after the loss of her husband and son. A chance encounter sets helen on a suprising journey and a way backinto life itself. 

There is a whole heap of love to be found within the pages, but occasionally a few tears too. One thing is for sure, the animals within this collection are absolutely fabulous (even Greebo!).