What child doesn’t love caring for a furry pet, visiting the zoo, or watching their favorite animal-themed cartoon shows? In fact, if you think about it, so many children’s television characters are animals.  Our children’s love for animals is innate, somehow developing at such an early age, even without any pets around. From their stuffed teddy bears and monkeys to friendly characters on their onesies and shirts, children are socialized to love animals. And what better way to build on that love and wonder than through books. Whether through fictional stories about friendly animals with human characteristics or realistic ones about unruly pets, animals are often the primary characters through which lessons and values are conveyed to children.

That’s why we made sure that our Maktabatee collection includes some of the best animal-related Arabic books out there, for every age group and interest area. With a language that is second for most of our children, it’s important for us that Arabic books bring them the same joy as other books they cherish with their favorite lovable animals.

For the youngest readers, those exploring books with all of their senses, our Arabic alphabet book features brightly illustrated animals for every letter of the Arabic alphabet. 

The beauty and complexity of the Arabic language is highlighted here, as some animals have more than one name in Arabic, so you will be sure to see some names that you may not have known before! Pair it with your favorite animal puzzle, and your toddler will be saying “kharoof” before you know it! Tweet Quack Moo is the perfect interactive counting book that will have you and your little one mooing, quacking, and meowing all day long! Once your preschooler is ready to start counting, add some wooden Arabic blocks for them to count along with the animals in the book (see more about how to teach basic preschool skills with our books).

If you’re ready to add a pet to your home and introduce your child to the responsibilities of caring for one, these short stories will be a perfect addition to your library. The pets in Karma’s Rabbit, The Sky is Raining Food, and Kaak are tiny troublemakers that take their owners on a wild goose chase of sorts. They always bring laughs to our evening reading routine, followed by requests for a pet turtle, bunny, and cat! 

The stories came to life recently in our home when my son brought his two class bunnies to care for over the long weekend. Thankfully, these bunnies weren’t as mischievous as Karma’s!

We get even more belly laughs when reading Fifi and Uncle Khalfan’s Sheep, two stories with highly imaginative scenarios featuring some “wild” cows and sheep. Fifi happens to be a birthday gift that goes wildly wrong, while the sheep taking a trip to the dentist keep us on our toes! As the author of Uncle Khalfan’s Sheep told us when we interviewed her, she was inspired to write the book as she waited to see the dentist with her son and wanted to help other children see the lighter (and beneficial) side of getting a regular check up for those pearly whites.

Last but certainly not least, is our Animal ABCs Encyclopedia for the animal aficionado in your home. For every letter of the Arabic alphabet, an animal is featured on a two-page spread highlighting interesting facts about the animal's environment, diet, family life, and our relationship with it. My detail-obsessed son has learned even more with this encyclopedia, including a ton of new Arabic vocabulary that I can’t even say I knew! 

If your elementary schooler is starting to read Arabic, they will also enjoy the animals in our Arabic Early Readers collection-- from friendly dolphins to prehistoric dinosaurs. 

Whatever animal is a favorite in your home, your child will fall in love with the friendly characters in these books, carefully handpicked, reviewed, and approved from one mom to another! Click here to browse our full selection of animal-themed books, and let us know which one is your favorite!