Townsend Books with Animal Protagonists

Orwell's 1945 fable about the power struggles among animals on a farm parallels the situation in Russia at the time as Orwell saw it; the characters include the ruthless pig Stalin, his idealistic Trotsky-like adversary, and the simple, kindly horse who represents the common man. All animals are equals but some animals are more equal than others. George Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution is the account of the bold struggle, initiated...

"Flora 717 is a sanitation worker, a member of the lowest caste in her orchard hive, where work and sacrifice are the highest virtues and worship of the beloved Queen the only religion. But Flora is not like other bees. With circumstances threatening the hive's survival, her curiosity is regarded as a dangerous flaw, but her courage and strength are assets. She is allowed to fee the newborns in the royal nursery and then to become a forager, flying...

"There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he is stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska. His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival...

Optimus Yarnspinner inherits a manuscript by an unknown writer. To track down the author, he goes to Bookholm, the City of Dreaming Books, where book-related attractions abound.

"First came the pandemic, then came The Calamity. The few remaining humans are huddled in impoverished villages. The animals, meanwhile, have convened a gathering, each group sending a representative to debate and vote on whether to help the last human stragglers... or to kill and eat them. As each animal makes its case, the fate of humanity depends on whether each species will act in its own self-interest, or if they will follow the lead of the kindly...

"Kay Powell wants to find that break-out client who will become a star. And she thinks she's found him: His name is Bruno, and he has to be walked three times a day. Bruno's humans, Trent and Louise, butt in a lot, and Les McMaster, the famous director now mounting a revival of Annie, might not hire Bruno just because he can't stand Trent in particular. That becomes less of an issue when Trent is discovered face down in Bruno's water dish. With...

"Rob Kugler's A Dog Named Beautiful is an uplifting and unforgettable story of a US Marine, his extraordinary dog, and the road trip of a lifetime."--Provided by publisher.

A humorous, thoughtful, absorbing narrative about
the metaphysical joys of a simple daily task

Imagine if Annie Dillard had taken a dog along with her to Tinker Creek. Now imagine Tinker Creek was a New Jersey suburb, and you have an idea of the surprises that await in John Zeaman's book. Humorous, thought-provoking, and playful, Dog Walks Man might also be called Zen and the Art of Dog Walking. Zeaman

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"Buddy is a good dog, finally at peace after searching for his purpose through several eventful lives. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into mischief on his family's farm, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own. This delightful novel continues the soulful story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. A Dog's Journey is...