Why writers use animals in books

I love reading books that have animals in them. Do you? When I write, I also use animals in books. I use them for humor and to show love, plus I think animals are the best thing!

I took this question – why do writers use animals in their books – to Facebook and got three top answers.

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Why use them?

I created a poll on FB:

As you can see, the most popular answer was that animals make life better, and my characters need them. In the books I’ve written/am writing, I have animals for that reason.

Plus, I think they help with foreshadowing and backstory, and they provide comic relief.

What are your favorite animals in books?

I should have asked this question! I love cats, and when they’re in books – especially black cats or tuxedo ones – they make me smile. Many cozies have animals in them. It’s actually one of the marks of a cozy.

So far, I’ve used a big white dog named Ollie and a black cat named Red in one book. And a gray Weimaraner named Charlie Brown (CB) and Roscoe the canary in another. Ollie and CB are taken from real-life dogs. The Weimaraner is my cousin’s dog. He’s a beautiful sleek gray fellow.

This is our dog, Oliver. He’s a mess. We think he’s some kind of Great Pyrenees mix. He was just a little 10 lb puppy that grew to be over 100 lbs!

Our black cat, Tom, is my buddy and likes to sit by me at the computer.

Sometimes the animal is the main character

In some books–sci-fi, fantasy, middle-grade books, etc.–animals are the main character. They may have the lead in the story. And those are always fun!

Does having an animal in the book make you pick it up?

Do you love reading books with animals in them? What are some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments and post pics of your fur babies!

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married 37 years, have 5 amazing kids and 2 adorable grandkids and one on the way. I homeschooled our three youngest children. I used to blog about homeschooling and taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)