You might expect stories about talking animals to be endearing and cute, but non-human perspectives can be used to turn a harsh spotlight on the behaviour of us humans. Just think of Animal Farm or way back to Aesop’s Fables. It’s always a revelation when an author can present us with a convincing alien view of our behaviour and so expose human motivation and activity for what it really is.
Stories from alien viewpoints shake up our certainties and give us precious insights. How will we understand aliens from other worlds if we encounter them? It’s an age-old question. It’s magical when a writer can move us into another mind and a totally different world experience to our own.
There are also a lot of creatures that might as well be alien to us, living in our own houses. Read some of these books and you will never squash an insect again. You might also view your pet cat in a very different light.
