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Quick answer: If you liked West with Giraffes, read Lynda Rutledge's other work, then Water for Elephants, Orphan Train, The Giver of Stars and Lonesome Dove. All are warm historical novels about journeys, animals and unlikely friends.
Lynda Rutledge's 2021 novel follows Woodrow Nickel, a teenager in 1938 who joins a truck carrying two surviving giraffes across America, inspired by a true story, and later tells the tale as a 105-year-old. It is tender, funny and adventurous. The books below offer similar historical journeys and gentle stories of survival.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water for Elephants | Sara Gruen | Adult | circus in the Depression |
| Orphan Train | Christina Baker Kline | Adult | children on the rails |
| The Giver of Stars | Jojo Moyes | Adult | horseback librarians |
| Lonesome Dove | Larry McMurtry | Adult | Western epic |
| The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek | Kim Michele Richardson | Adult | packhorse librarian |
| Where the Crawdads Sing | Delia Owens | Adult | marsh girl |
| The Lincoln Highway | Amor Towles | Adult | road novel |
| Of Mice and Men | John Steinbeck | Adult | Depression friendship |
| The Grapes of Wrath | John Steinbeck | Adult | the Great Depression |
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Adult | grumpy hearts |
| The Kitchen House | Kathleen Grissom | Adult | plantation life |
| Sarah's Key | Tatiana de Rosnay | Adult | secrets of the past |
| The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared | Jonas Jonasson | Adult | comic adventure |
| Travels with Charley | John Steinbeck | Adult | road memoir |
| The Secret Life of Bees | Sue Monk Kidd | Adult | found family |
1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A veterinary student joins a travelling circus. Vivid and romantic.
Best for: circus in the Depression.
2. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
An elderly woman recalls her time on an orphan train. Moving and historical.
Best for: children on the rails.
3. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Women deliver books on horseback in 1930s Kentucky. Warm and adventurous.
Best for: horseback librarians.
4. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Two retired Texas Rangers drive cattle to Montana. Long, sad and beloved.
Best for: Western epic.
5. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
A blue-skinned librarian delivers books in Kentucky. Gentle and hard.
Best for: packhorse librarian.
6. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
A girl raised alone in the North Carolina marsh becomes a murder suspect. Lyrical.
Best for: marsh girl.
7. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Three boys set out across 1950s America. Large, warm and inventive.
Best for: road novel.
8. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Two migrant workers dream of a farm. Short and tragic.
Best for: Depression friendship.
9. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Joad family leaves Oklahoma for California. A towering American novel.
Best for: the Great Depression.
10. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A cranky widower finds friendship and purpose despite himself. Funny and moving.
Best for: grumpy hearts.
11. The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
An orphaned white girl grows up with enslaved people on a Virginia plantation. Dramatic.
Best for: plantation life.
12. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
A journalist investigates the Vel d'Hiv roundup in Paris. Poignant and haunting.
Best for: secrets of the past.
13. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
A man escapes his nursing home and stumbles into adventure. Silly and charming.
Best for: comic adventure.
14. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
Steinbeck drives around America with his poodle. Quiet and funny.
Best for: road memoir.
15. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A girl runs away to a house of beekeeping sisters in 1964. Warm and moving.
Best for: found family.
How to Choose
For circus and travel stories choose Water for Elephants or The Lincoln Highway. For Depression-era journeys pick Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath or Orphan Train. For brave women read The Giver of Stars or The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. For humour try The Hundred-Year-Old Man. West with Giraffes is warm and episodic, so these picks suit readers who like journeys with a heart. The novel is inspired by the true story of two giraffes who survived the 1938 hurricane voyage to the New York zoo, and Rutledge based the book on archival research. The history gives the story a fascinating anchor.
Related: 15 Books Like It Ends with Us You’ll Love: Emotional Romance and Hard Choices · What Age Is It Ends with Us Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is West with Giraffes about?
A teenager in 1938 helps transport two giraffes across America.
Who wrote it?
Lynda Rutledge.
When was it published?
2021.
Is it a true story?
It is inspired by a true event, but the characters are fictional.
Is it a sad book?
It has sad moments but is hopeful.
Who narrates it?
An elderly Woodrow Nickel looking back.
Is it good for book clubs?
Yes, it gives plenty to discuss.
What should I read next?
Try Water for Elephants or The Giver of Stars.
Which book here is best for Western epic?
Try Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, which suits readers looking for Western epic.
Which book here is best for road novel?
Try The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, which suits readers looking for road novel.
Which book here is best for grumpy hearts?
Try A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, which suits readers looking for grumpy hearts.
Which book here is best for comic adventure?
Try The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson, which suits readers looking for comic adventure.