Talking Animal Novels

Many books have featured talking animals as protags (in that they talked among each other)

It's certainly not an unusual concept.

Tailchaser's song

The Duncton Chronicles

Watership Down

uh...that book featuring badgers...

I generally find those kinds of books in the fantasy section of the library, but not always.

Is that what your story is about? Animals?

Well, I think that depends on your story. Talking animals has certainly been done, and very successfully.

Nakhlasmoke said:

uh...that book featuring badgers...

Click to expand...

Badgers? We don't need no stinkin badgers!

*ahem* *sorry*

Add to the list: Animal Farm and (for younger readers) Wind in the Willows and Charlotte's Web

Animals have been used as a substitute for humans for as long as the written word has existed and are a popular medium. Consider what you see at the movies: Pandas, cats, dogs, penguins; people of all ages enjoy them.

Targeting the Middle Grade or Young Adult markets is a good bet. Subject matter like politics (Animal Farm is a good example) are more literary attempts.

I also think if you've got a novel planned out with conventional human characters in a human world, and just arbitrarily swap them with talking animals... well, I don't know what to think about that. I suppose there would be an appeal there to some. But I'm not sure of the point.

Merged

As others have mentioned, it's certainly been done before.
You should do it if it's what you want to do. And maybe read some of the books people mentioned above to see how it's done.

Yup, of course. I used to love those books. Still will read them if they seem likely to appeal to adults in any way.
Black Beauty is another one you can check out. The horse is the narrator.

A Dog About Town - JF Englert - mystery narrated by a dog
Three Bags Full - Leonie Swann - mystery with talking sheep

Not endorsing, just reporting...