Animal Stars by Robin Ganzert and Allen & Linda Anderson

Animal Stars by Robin Ganzert and Allen & Linda Anderson gives us an inside look at the lives of famous animal actors. Learn what they do to get motivated to “work”, what they do off-camera, training tips, and much more!

Book Description

“When cameras roll and directors call, “Action,” some of the most dependable, funniest, and most enthusiastic actors stand poised on four legs, with ears alert. From Joey in War Horse to the wolves in Game of Thrones, what we see on screen is the result of meticulous preparation and professional teamwork. The eye-popping, heartwarming stories in these pages reveal the trainers, actors, directors, and, of course, dogs, cats, horses, penguins, deer, and other animals in all their behind-the-scenes glory. You’ll discover that some animal actors have diva tendencies and others have rags-to-riches backstories. American Humane Association certified animal safety representatives work carefully to ensure that no animals are harmed, as they have been doing for decades.

Animal stars have done it all — convinced us to eat more tacos, broken our hearts in war dramas, inspired us with enduring love and loyalty, kept us at the edge of our seats as they snarled in the shadows, mirrored human antics to make us roar with laughter, and, like Uggie (from The Artist), stolen the show on the red carpet. Who besides a monkey named Crystal could impress a brilliant comedian like Robin Williams in Night at the Museum? And animal stars will work for food, including only KFC original recipe for Casey the bear — no other fried chicken will do! 

These charming and sometimes hilarious stories will give you a new appreciation for the skill and patience it takes to teach nonhuman actors to perform on camera. Training tips from the pros and personal recollections of celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Hailee Steinfeld, and Steven Spielberg make this insider’s look at the lives and work of these incomparable stars as irresistible as the animals themselves.

A portion of the publisher’s proceeds from this book will aid American Humane Association.” – Animal Stars

My Thoughts

Animal Stars is the perfect book for animal lovers who also enjoy movies and TV shows which feature them. Find out what their lives are like off the screen, get tips from the pros on training them, and much more!

My favorite sections of the book included reading about the wolves Thunder, Harley, Shadow, and Cody (who appear in True Blood, Game of Thrones, The Vampire Diaries, and Teen Wolf) – only some of my favorite TV series right there! I also quite liked the section on famous cats (like Hermione Granger’s cat Crookshanks in the Harry Potter series) and Mr. Jinx in Meet the Fockers. I learned a few tips on training cats, too, but mine will never be nearly as trained as these famous felines.

I really enjoyed reading about all of the animal stars in this book. It is truly the purrfect book for an animal lover. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Animal Stars, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.