Little Fuzzy - H. Beam Piper

Little Fuzzy is a science fiction novel by H. Beam Piper. It is generally seen as a work of juvenile fiction. It was nominated for the 1963 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
The story revolves around determining whether a small furry species discovered on the planet Zarathustra is sapient, and features a mild libertarianism that emphasizes sincerity and honesty.
The book was followed by a sequel, Fuzzy Sapiens (original title The Other Human Race) published in 1964, the same year that Piper committed suicide in November.