It's Hard to Be an Animal
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For readers of Shark Heart, Remarkably Bright Creatures and Hollow Kingdom, a funny, magical, and tender novel following a lonely, conflict-averse man whose sudden ability to understand animals sends him on a wild romp around NYC, and ultimately helps him discover his own voice.
Strolling through Central Park on a...
Published By Grand Central Publishing
Format Paperback
Number Of Pages 288
Publication Date 05/19/2026
ISBN 9781538773284
Dimensions 5.45 inches x 8.2 inches
“Acclaimed conductor and musician Isaacs turns his focus to fiction with this sweet and poignant debut… This novel is a standout, filled with both humor and heart. All of the characters, especially Yaryk, are laugh-out-loud funny. The star of the book is Gracie, though, with her profound observations that apply to humans and animals alike. Isaacs uses her thoughts to reflect on how we love and relate to one another.”—Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
"[An] exciting and hilarious debut. . . This is a hoot."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"It's Hard to Be an Animal is a feat of humor, yearning, adventure, angst, and romance. . . Hilarious, heartfelt, ever-surprising, Henry's story is one of hope, redemption, and self-discovery.”—Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW
"Once in a while you pick up a debut that is so singular, inventive and alive you know instantly that you're going to read everything from that author in the future. Well, meet Robert Isaacs, your new auto-buy author. Let's be his biggest fans together."
—Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author
"Any book that starts with a cursing warbler is the right book for me! I loved our main (human) character Henry and all his anxieties, and I loved free-spirited Molly, his love interest….not to mention the supporting cast of talking animals. Wild, weird, and super fun. I loved it."
—Annie Hartnett, bestselling author of The Road to Tender Hearts
“An uplifting, funny, original, and soulful novel! Through his wise and wonderful characters (some two-legged, some four, a few birds and a pair of deeply emotional beta fish), Isaacs has written a story that celebrates goodness, true love, and the magic of New York City. Perfect for fans of Shelby van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures.”—Amy Poeppel, author of The Sweet Spot
It’s Hard to be an Animal is both charming and witty… Some books you don’t want to end because they are absorbing; some, because you love the characters so much. It’s Hard to Be An Animal achieves both. A+”
—Hippo Press