October is National Adopt-a-Dog Month, and I couldn’t let that pass without doing a column all about dog books. Although I’m most certainly a cat person (seriously, ask anyone — I’m a cat lady all the way), there is no denying that dogs have a special charm. Their devotion, loyalty and inability to take no for an answer make them fiercely reliable companions that anyone would want by her side. Plus, they’re cute, and who can deny that? Whether it’s a fluffy Pekingese or a gruff German Shepherd, a dog can be an inimitable partner and a bone-afide (pun intended) canine counterpart. Here are four dog books that any puppy lover should not pass up.

####“Marley and Me” by Josh Grogan

I really can’t mention dog books without mentioning “Marley and Me.” The book shot to fame after the blockbuster success of its 2008 movie adaptation and has become synonymous with the dog book obsession ever since. The book was so popular that the publishing company even made two versions: one for kids and one for adults.

Although I would recommend the one for adults, as it’s a more realistic portrayal of the grittiness of life, both versions portray the main theme of the novel: the unconditional love between dogs and their human companions. Marley is an adorable lab but an extremely naughty one, and his rowdy antics always end up being a point of hilarity in the novels. The interactions between Marley and his family are the best part of the book because of their sweet simplicity. No matter what Marley does and what messes he causes, he is family, and there is no denying that. I must warn you, though: When you are reading this novel, bring a big box of tissues. You are going to need them.

####“Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love” by Larry Levin

One of the best parts about this book is the cover: a cream-colored portrait of a sweet-eyed dog with a half-scarred face and one ear, his name in red across the cover. Oogy gets his name from a goofy and affectionate derivative of the word “ugly” because of his unique appearance. Oogy grew up in a dogfighting ring and only found solace from it when the police rescued him and brought him to the Ardmore Animal Shelter.

The Levins, Oogy’s new family, find him when he knocks them over with excitement after escaping his cage. Even though the Levins had just put down their cat, they cannot ignore Oogy’s tenacity and spirit, and they adopt him on the spot. “Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love” is written simply, but Levin’s perspective is filled with moments of hilarity and hard-ridden reality. Oogy’s disposition and excitement for life despite his past certainly forms a lesson from which we could all learn. In the afterword of the book, Levin writes, “Once you’ve seen Oogy, it’s not hard to remember him,” and he couldn’t be more right. Oogy’s story is one that sticks with you as a true example of the bond between humans and canines, illustrating dogs’ capacity for loyalty and love. Don’t put that box of tissues away just yet for this one. This book is a tearjerker, too.

“The Art of Racing In The Rain” by Garth Stein

The best part of “The Art of Racing In The Rain” is that it is uniquely told from a dog’s perspective. Despite the seemingly tricky storytelling, the book actually reads like an extremely philosophical dog wrote it, with insights that only a dog would be able to notice about his human counterparts. Enzo, the narrator, is a mutt who spends a lot of his time thinking about what it would be like to be a human and how to reach that in his next life.

When he’s not theorizing about how to obtain his human goal, he watches car races with his semi-pro car racing owner and best friend, Denny. They watch car races on television and on the Internet, trying to figure out what went right, what went wrong and most importantly, how to race in the rain. If you’ve ever cried during Animal Planet’s “Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet” — I definitely have — then you’ll most definitely cry during this. Full of raw and unforgiving emotional twists and turns, the book details Enzo’s intuitions about the struggles that Denny goes through in his life and the harsh ways he has to deal with them. “The Art of Racing In The Rain” is both a heartbreaking goodbye letter and a hopeful and hilarious tale, making this book one that you can’t miss.

####“Underwater Dogs” by Seth Casteel

While this is not necessarily a novel, it is a bound collection of pictures, and one that definitely deserves to make this list. The book contains photos of dogs as they jump into water. Yes, it is just as incredible as you would imagine. The book only lists the names and breeds of the dogs, but that is all it needs. The fuzzy floppy ears and excited faces are the best part, as the pure excitement of the dogs is clearly illustrated. The book shows incredibly fun and free moments frozen in time. Oversized paws, bulging eyes and wide-open mouths reaching for a tennis ball show a new perspective on the game of catch. There are 80 dog pictures, which seems like a lot, but I promise, you won’t want them to end.