Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul by Jack Canfield

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Reviews

• 
  RM(Alwaysdaddygirl)

  5 stars.
  
  I cut and paste this from another book of this author.
  
  5 stars.
  
  -Book for all animal lovers.
  -Book for those who are not animal lovers and want to understand the bond and intelligence of animals.
  -A book that would also help grief with losing a furry child.
  🇺🇸
  
• 
  Piper

  I love animals. I've had this book for a long time; my mother gave it to me as a gift once. I decided to pick it up recently, because I was sad, I had a lot of time on my hands, and I had nothing new to read. I wasn't expecting much, because I don't remember appreciating the book as a kid. I am not sure if the stories were extra touching because they were really great or because I am a pet lover and I was just feeling really emotional at the time... Anyhow, I BAWLED. I sobbed through at least every story in the first chapter. It left me thinking, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?" I figured it deserved a high rating since it was able to hit me in the heart that strongly.
• 
  Sophia

  This is another goo Chicken Soup Book!! There are times that i laugh till i tear but there are times that my eyes collects tears and my heart aches in pains. This book contains many happiness, joy, but also sadness. I remember read one of the stories called "Friends" by Karen Del Tufo and i have this nostalgic feelings like when my fishes die. In the story, Sam who is a dog was adopted by a couple and later adopted a gray cat named Lighting. Eventually the dog and kitten developed a friendship relationship. But Sam who is suffering from a weak heart and they have to let them go. And Lightening realized that his best friend will never come back but will always remember Sam
• 
  Lanna A

  This story full of stories is probably my favorite book ever. It has humor, and sadness, and happiness combined. It is such a great book, and I read and reread the stories over and over again. I have been inspired by this book for more than enough times, and it will continue to inspire me always.
• 
  Rossy

  This book is a must-read!
  Even though I haven't had the chance to have a pet (but I will someday!), I love all (most) creatures, especially cats, dogs, pigs and sheep <3
  It made me laugh, cry (yes, mostly cry), think, and have hope. It has tons of short adorable stories, so be sure to check it out, you won't be able to put it down!
• 
  Me

  Many celebrity contributions in this edition. Pet stories from Gilda Radner (her dog attempted suicide to get Gene Wilder to marry her!) to James Herriot and Betty White. My only complaint is that the individual stories should have a pre-rating system of 1 tissue, 2 tissues, 3 tissues, on up to you're going to bawl your eyes out! LOL
• 
  Danielle Palmer

  This book made me cry more than most, in the most heart wrenching kind of way. If you have ever loved an animal, the stories in this book are sure to touch your soul. There were a couple stories that were a bit too sappy or a bit melodramatic or a bit dated, which is why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5. The remaining stories though, they are 5 star stories. And they stick with you!!
• 
  Nancy

  Sweet. Sweet. Sweet reminder of all the pets I have loved and those pets I have had the occasion to meet. I miss my dogs and cats--Brownie, Wolfie, Ted, Shiloh, Mac, Titania, and Paradise. I am preparing to add a new member to our family. However the story of the pet Boa moved me NOT AT ALL! We will get a kitten . . . or two. . . maybe a corgi, too?
• 
  Lisa James

  I had this book, & I think I loaned it to someone. This is a collection of stories that will by turns make you smile & make you sad. But it will definitely touch your heart. I would recommend it to anyone who holds a special place in their heart for their pets, no matter if it's a fish or a dog.
• 
  Anna Cardoso

  Heartwarming short stories. 4*, because there are a few too simple and ordinary stories.
• 
  Garrison Kelly

  This book was published in the late 90’s and over two decades later, it has come into my life to comfort me with cute and cuddly animal stories. We all need stories like these during the 2020’s. We need to hear about German Shepherds who not only detect bombs in a war zone, but also comfort the soldiers during times of stress. We crave stories about dogs who repay a doctor’s kindness by protecting him from angry hyenas. Even those who never considered owning a python for a pet will have their hearts melted at the story of one bringing love and joy to a child with muscular dystrophy. Animals of all kinds are welcome into this collection of stories as long as they warm hearts quicker than a bowl of chicken noodle soup. The book should get an A+ just for that alone.
  
  But the reason it gets a B today is because some of these stories have not aged well, which is an unfortunate consequence of publishing media in the 1990’s. There’s a story that glorifies selling baby horses to the circus, which as we know now is not a healthy environment for any animal due to their abusive treatment. Okay, maybe information was limited back then. There’s another story that glorifies pet shops, which we now know where they get their animals from: mills. Again, maybe not a whole lot was known about pet shop practices back in the day. However, there’s one story told by Gilda Radner about her on and off again relationship with Gene Wilder. In response to Gene finally pulling the plug on their relationship, Gilda’s dog eats a bunch of rat poison and suddenly Gene is convinced to return to a marriage he never wanted. This is passed off as cutesy-wutesy, but if this happened in a Jamie McGuire or Anna Todd novel, people would rightfully be upset. The optics aren’t very good here, but it’s not enough for me to judge the book too harshly.
  
  And then there are stories dedicated to saying goodbye to our beloved babies which are heartbreaking in their own way, but the optics are much better by comparison. This is the good kind of pain, where your faith in owning animals is restored despite the deaths. While the writing style of these stories overall could be described as beige prose, they are very effective in making the reader cry as painfully as the characters being presented. I came very close to doing that several times in this section of the book. It can’t all be rainbows and sunshine, even in a book with Chicken Soup in the title. Death is the price of love. It’s something all pet owners will have to come to grips with. These gentle stories will gladly help you along your journey through a difficult time. See? I told you I couldn’t judge the book too harshly.
  
  One more thing I’d like to touch on is how these stories feel complete despite their brevity. Usually with nonfiction writing, anecdotal storytelling is the norm. But in these stories, you’ve got character development, a plot arc, a beginning, a middle, and an end. One example of this is a story about a bitter wheelchair user named Corey, who was permanently paralyzed after a brutal car accident, which left him without a baseball career. But he found new life again when he sought the comfort of animals. In that short space, he went from a whiny jerk to an understanding and empathetic person with a new lease on life. Corey’s story isn’t the only one that does this. There’s another about a grumpy father who becomes less grumpy at the presence of an old dog. This even encourages him to make new friends at church and fully realize his character arc. How cool is that?
  
  There’s something for everybody in this collection of short stories, despite the glaring flaws. Maybe you’re reluctant about adopting a pet and need some convincing. I’m sure this book will do just that for you. Maybe you need to rest easy after an animal-related hardship. Guess what? This book is here for you. Don’t even worry about the Christian overtones if you’re not religious; it doesn’t come off as forceful or heavy-handed. By all means, cuddle up with your favorite creature and read until it’s over. I give this collection of sweetness a B grade. Not bad at all! In fact, you’ll love it to pieces!
• 
  Brandi D'angelo

  Well, who doesn't like heart warming stories about animals? This book is full of cute stories that will make you laugh and cry. One of my favorites was about a cat who rescued, one by one, her five kittens from a burning building. The section entitled "Saying Good-bye" was understandably difficult, but there were some great stories there, too. I would've given this five stars had it included some pictures. I wanted to see the coffee squirrel, the perfect Appaloosa born to the imperfect one, the two Schauzer puppies rescued by the older gentleman, the baby raccoons, the nursing home deer, and more!
• 
  Laura Thomas

  How do I review this amazing book?
  
  I laughed. I cried. My heart ached, and filled with joy.
  
  Many people contributed to this wonderful collection. They share their tales of rescue, healing, unconditional love, and letting go.
  
  Heroes of all shapes and sizes roam these pages, both animal and human.
  
  It’s a large book yet it reads fast. The chapters are short, most are two to three pages, and there are some fun cartoons scattered throughout.
  
  I can’t urge you strongly enough to read this book. It’s now found a permanent home on my coffee table. I pick it up often. Open to a random page. And read again.
  
  I picked this up at my favorite used book store. I never know what gems I'll find in the stacks.
• 
  Kami Francis

  Reading this collection while having pets was absolutely heartwarming and made me love my cat and dog even more. But WARNING: the "Saying Goodbye" chapter is (as expected) all about beloved animals dying, so either space out your reading or prepare for a cry fest (I sobbed at least thrice).
  
  I highly recommend any of the Chicken Soup books for quarantine reading, as they're predictable, uplifting, and feel safe. Yet on the other hand, these pieces feel dated - they follow the same pattern and all have a similar tone, and it made me realize and feel thankful for the ways short stories and anecdotes have (generally) improved. All that to say, I'm always down for chicken soup!
• 
  Titish A.K.

  Siapapun yang sayang sama binatang mah pasti seneng-seneng aja baca buku ini. Jelas bukan bacaan yang tepat sebagai teman mengantre atau menunggu di ruang publik karena itu sama dengan menangis di tempat umum, haha (Saya nangis waktu membaca buku ini di antrean bank :p)
  
  Untuk buku dengan kontributor superbanyak, sepertinya editor cukup banyak berperan karena saya mendapati adanya keseragaman gaya bercerita. Bukan masalah besar karena gaya berceritanya ya asyik2 aja sih ...
  
  Mari lanjut baca Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover's Soul! :) *cepak2 tisu
• 
  Kirsti

  I always love a Chicken Soup for the Soul book, and any about animals even more so. This one features the animals of both celebrities and ordinary folk, and it was truly a delight to read. At times I was almost teary with the emotion,and at others I wanted to laugh aloud. There are cats, dogs, horses, parrots and many more stories to be found here.
  
  This one was an op shop find I think, so even better. All these wonderful stories for $2. A bargain, and sure to put a smile on your face. Five stars.
• 
  Clyde

  What a wonderful read. Follows the formal of all the other Chicken Soup Books . . . .
  
  Lots of 1-5 page stories about how loving, caring, smart, intelligent, clever, heart-warming, kind and loving our fellow animals are.
  
  I cried ever 2-3 stories, as they were so heart-warming.
  
  Hard to imagine ANYONE eating animals - of any species - after they read all the different species (including a snake) and how wonderful they truly are.
  
  Only difference between them and us - they can't speak up for themselves.
• 
  Dominique King

  These "Chicken Soup" books are always fun to read, and I often find them in a Free Little Library Book box...so they are easy to pass along to other readers.
  The Chapter about "Saying Good-Bye" was especially sad to read, but the stories in these books are often feel-good and uplifting for a quick read...and easy to pick up and put down as a break from heavier reading.
  Started this one in July and read over time for several months until now (October)...between several more serious and difficult books.
  
• 
  Angel

  I’m not crying...YOU’RE crying...
  
  Anyways. I read this while my ebooks charged. It took forever because no matter how much you love your pets there’s always that horrible day at the end. Even so, most of us dive in to do it all over again.
• 
  Dilash De Silva

  A valuable and very enjoyable book for all pet lovers
• 
  Camille Sandler

  Amazing Pets
  
  I love animals. All animals. If you do too, you will love this book. I couldn't put it down. You won't either.
• 
  Cheryl

  The dog stories always get to me. I cried at every other one.
• 
  Chana

  Wonderful stories, I enjoyed this book thoroughly.
• 
  Joanna

  Easy simple read...light and entertaining...dog loves everywhere can relate to more than one of these cute stories!