What is it about animal stories?

"You'll be needing these!"

A friend thrust a packet of tissues in my hand before a showing of the stage play of War Horse.

"There won't be a dry eye in the house."

She was right. The story of the farm horse Joey and his plight through the terrors of war was deeply moving. Other animal stories we have taken to heart have stood the test of time…Black Beauty, Lassie, Watership Down, Kes…to name a few. From animal characters essentially humans thinly disguised in the animal image, to characters closer to the true nature of the animal they represent, children's stories are filled with them and always have been.

For younger readers, the animal characters are often heavily anthropomorphised to such an extent that they are humans, in nearly every aspect except image. The settings and characters become a direct representation of the child reader's life and yet are not confined to ethnic group, class or culture. The central protagonist is often small and vulnerable, a feeling shared by children in an adult world. However, the child reader feels a sense of empowerment when the protagonist wins through in the end, often using qualities of courage, honesty, truth and love.

For older readers, we tend to see animal characters where the behaviour and environment are similar to the animal represented but the thought process is inherently human, such as in Black Beauty. We also see stories where the animal is realistically portrayed and has no human attributes thrust upon it, but provides the framework for the story. For Sky Hawk and White Dolphin I wanted both the osprey and the dolphin to remain true to their own nature and develop a human story around them.

What is it about animal stories? Why do they maintain their appeal?

At first glance, these stories give us a window into the animal world; to the challenges an animal faces in its environment and the good and bad happenings at the hand of man. They allow us a deeper understanding of an animal's needs. The story of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, highlighted the unnecessary pain caused by the check-rein to horses in Victorian England, and brought about the ultimate ban of its use. In Bambi, we follow the fortunes of a cute tiny fawn to an impressive fully-grown stag. Stories abound with the bravery and loyalty of dogs.

So is our need for animal stories a refection on our reputation as nation of animal lovers? Is it overindulgent sentimentality? Or maybe a supposed belief that children should not be faced with the difficult realities of life and need them dressed up as stories about animals?

Well, it may be true that we are a nation of animal lovers. We form deep bonds of affection with our pets. In return they give us unconditional friendship, something that can be hard to find in our relationships with people. From elderly people whose pets may provide their only company throughout the day, to young children who grow up with a willing playmate, pets provide great companionship. Our own family dog has grown up with my children. He has sailed with them across the high seas in his pirate-ship dog-basket, he's carried (and then eaten) the picnic in the jungle of our garden, he's dressed up as SuperDog (see photo), listened to their stories and he's been there for them when they've had a bad day at school. He has been a constant in their lives, and in giving his friendship and loyalty, my children have developed empathy and compassion for another living creature.

Gill's dog in his SuperDog outfit

Some may criticise that our fondness of our pets is overindulgent sentimentality. But I would disagree. Animals have an incredible ability to connect with us in a way that many humans cannot. The positive effect of dog and dolphin therapy for people with autism has been well documented. As a vet, I have seen that we channel some of our deepest emotions through our animals. I remember during one consultation, a man was inconsolable over the death of his son's rat. I was to discover that this was an outpouring of grief for his first child who had died during childbirth. It was the first time he had been able to release those emotions held deep inside for many years.  A small creature he had provided care for, had allowed him to grieve for his child.

So I think that's why animal stories endure…because of the human connection…because of the way we see ourselves. I had my tissues out at the poignant moment in War Horse when both sides called a temporary truce to untangle Joey from the wire. That small scene showed the utter futility of war. But it also showed a moment of empathy and compassion not only for Joey, but perhaps more importantly between the English and German soldiers.

Maybe animal stories touch us deeply because they mirror our own humanity. They show our human capacity for kindness and compassion, to the very depths of our brutality. Maybe through these stories we gain an understanding of ourselves, and just maybe, we become better people for it.

As Mahatma Ghandi said… 'The morality of a nation can be judged by the way it treats its animals.'

Take a look at Booktrust's list of our favourite books about animals