Top 5 Animal Sidekicks

One thing that can really make a good book GREAT for me is a fun animal buddy. You know, that fuzzy companion that just really gives you the feels. The one that if anything bad happens to you WILL take down the author, and I think you all know which one I’m talking about. Today I want to celebrate these wonderful creatures in all their fluffy glory!

1. Hedwig

Art by rattenfanger

from Harry Potter
If you don’t care about Hedwig you either haven’t read Harry Potter or you don’t have a heart. There, I said it. She’s beautiful and sassy and affectionate and Harry’s first friend. An entire generation adores owls because of Hedwig.

2. Mrs. O’Leary

Art by Ski-Machine

from Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Is it just me, or is there something incredibly endearing about a non-evil hell-hound? Riordan never bothers to explain Mrs. O’Leary, specifically why she is good, but I find that I really don’t care. She’s got all the personality of any other dog, except she’s big enough to ride on and she can shadow travel. I wish Mrs. O’Leary was my hell-hound…

3. Bill

Art by Mary Sanche

from The Lord of the Rings
This attachment might say more about how I feel for Sam than anything else, but I just love Bill the Pony. He’s only in four or five chapters, but Sam gets attached, so I do too. I always tear up a little bit when they send him away outside the mines of Moria. And the scene where they come back to Bree and Sam sees that he’s safe! Be still my heart!

4. Reepicheep

Art by The-Starhorse

from The Chronicles of Narnia
I honestly don’t know if Reep should count as an animal sidekick since he can talk and everything, but whatever! Reepicheep is so brave, so unwilling to let his disadvantages define him, and so full of faith. I really admire how he learns from his prideful mistakes in Prince Caspian and becomes a better mouse because of it.

5. Richard Parker

Art by Will Lonnequist?

from Life of Pi
I’m just going to throw out that if you’ve never read Life of Pi, you should. Richard Parker is a wild tiger that Pi gets stuck on a lifeboat with after a shipwreck. I feel like Martel did a great job of portraying an actual wild animal and how scary that could be, but by the end of the book making Richard Parker a real actual character that you sort of fall in love with. Which makes the ending even more mind-blowing. Just read it guys.

Honorable Mention: Marvin

Art by Vampirenko

from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 
Not an animal, but I don’t care. Marvin is all the things that are sweet and wonderful about Eeyore, but with a fan-freaking-tastic sarcastic streak. Hands down Marvin is the only reason I continued reading this series as far as I did. And Alan Rickman’s voicework in the movie is ON POINT.

So do you have a favorite animal sidekick? Let me know in the comments!