My daughter has just read The Cow Who Fell in the Canal which she loved, are there any other books about animals doing fun or unlikely things in an everyday setting?
Phyllis Krasilovsky and Peter Spier’s classic title The Cow Who Fell in the Canal is a “building” story that is funny, charming and also a touch ridiculous. All things that young readers adore, so it is no surprise that it has been loved for over half a century! Peter Spier’s illustrations vividly create the simple life in the countryside, capturing the small changes as it becomes increasingly bustling and then as Hendrika the cow gaily floats in a dignified way along the canal towards the hectic life in the city.
Although very different in tone, Elfrida Vipont and Raymond Briggs’s The Elephant and the Bad Baby has the same characteristic of contrasting reality with something absolutely entirely unlikely. When an elephant meets the bad baby he offers it a ride on his back and so, “rumpeta rumpeta rumpeta”, begins an unlikely and anarchic adventure set in a familiar urban landscape. The repetitive, building text tells how the elephant, with the bad baby perched high on its back, sets of a shop lifting spree. An ice cream, a lollipop, a bun - whatever the baby wants, the elephant stretches out his long trunk and takes for him. Soon the pair are pursued by a gaggle of irate shopkeepers who only catch up with them when the elephant stops abruptly to berate the bad baby for never once saying please!
Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea also juxtaposes real and imaginary and human and animal. Sophie and her mother are just about to have tea when the doorbell rings. The tiger on the doorstep steps smartly inside and proceeds to drink all the tea followed by all the beer and even all the water in the system! He also eats all the food. Once done, he gets up to leave. Although the tiger does nothing that makes him seem threatening, and Sophie strokes him lovingly, his very presence is scary – in a delightful way.
In Anthony Browne’s Gorilla, unhappy Hannah’s disappointment is turned to joy when the toy gorilla she has been given appears as a real gorilla in her dreams. Together the pair have wonderful adventures in the zoo, as the gorilla gives Hannah all the excitement she has been craving.
In Polly Dunbar’s Where’s Tumpty?, one the titles in her highly successful Tilly and her friends’ series, Tumpty the elephant tries to hide – without much success. But then Tumpty really goes missing… how can Tilly and her friends find him? Polly Dunbar makes the idea of a little girl having a group of animal friends seem completely plausible, as they play inside the house acting mostly as humans but never losing their animal characteristics. She does the same in Doodle Bites, where Doodle the crocodile wakes up one morning feeling very “bitey”. And the thing he wants to bite is Tumpty’s bottom? Tilly needs her wits about her to control her animal friends.
Mo Willems’s Pigeon in Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus has been longing for his opportunity to seize the wheel, but is sure his moment will never come. When the bus driver has to leave the cab for a break he says “Listen, I’ve got to leave for a little while so can you watch things for me until I get back? Thanks. Oh, and remember: Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!” but the cab driver is no match for the cunning pigeon and soon the unlikely, the absurd and the hilarious is happening as the pigeon, muttering “I thought he’d never leave” takes control – of a sort! Mo Willems’s Pigeon is a character to be reckoned with!
Got any great picture book recommendations on this animal theme? Tell us on email childrens.books@theguardian.com or on Twitter @GdnChildrensBks and we’ll add them to this blog. You can also ask the Book Doctor a question on Twitter or email using #BookDoctor.
Your suggestions:
@GdnChildrensBks My children really loved "There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake"
— Carole Ann Ogden (@boltonpoetry) September 7, 2015
Timothy, via email
Storysongs/Chantefables, thirty little animal poems by the great French surrealist Robert Desnos, with witty English versions alongside. Pictures by Cat Zaza. A beautiful bilingual book.
@GdnChildrensBks @Booktrust how about this one? It's the only wombat story I've ever read, and it's very funny... pic.twitter.com/6S7FPVvSmG
— shortstorylady (@shortstorylady) September 7, 2015
Genevieve, via email
I really recommend Beastie and the Boys by Matt Harvey and illustrated by Chloe Uden. My grandchildren all love this book, and it is also great for adults who have to read it over and over again. The story is enchanting and the pictures provide endless chances to engage the children with questions about the story, and to encourage their own imaginations. Brilliant!
The Very Hungry Crocodile by Roald Dahl is full of strangely behaved animals. @GdnChildrensBks
— Ian Lewis (@bookmeme) September 7, 2015
Ellie, via email
I want to recommend Yuck! Said the Yak by Alex English about a rude Yak who comes to stay at Alfie’s house. He says yuck! to all the food Alfie offers him until he explains to a rather fed up Alfie that Yaks eat grass not chocolate cake! It’s a great book about picky eaters and how everyone is different when it comes to tastes.
Zagazoo written and illustrated by Quentin Blake is a work of genius. Perfectly anthropomorphic. @GdnChildrensBks
— Ian Lewis (@bookmeme) September 7, 2015
Clara, via email
Beastie and the Boys is a much thumbed adventure of two boys and their cat, by the very funny Matt Harvey. It’s imaginatively and intriguingly illustrated by Chloe Uden... There’s always more detail and wonderment for the children to find in each and every reading, and we’ve had lots!
@GdnChildrensBks @Booktrust The Octopuppy by Martin McKenna! I am just slightly biased as I am married to him...
— Washingborough FS2 (@wash_fs2) September 7, 2015
Hyunjung Kim, via email
Selvagem, illustrated by a brilliant Brazilian illustrator, Roger Mello, winner of 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
@GdnChildrensBks How about Animal Supermarket from @eerdmansbooks available in the UK from @AlbanBooks ? #bookdoctor http://t.co/I5ydexpodT
— Elaine Reid (@reidelaine) September 7, 2015
Arryn, via email
My son who is 6 loves The Dragon Machine by Helen Ward, with illustrations by Wayne Anderson.
Wanted: children's books with surprising animals http://t.co/YvA29mEAIp Dear @GdnChildrensBks how can you have missed Mango & Bambang!?!
— Zoe Toft (@playbythebook) September 7, 2015
@GdnChildrensBks How about Shel Silverstein's Don't bump the Glump? Meet the Slitghergadee, the Gheli and the Bloath http://t.co/Vn3VtnOTo2
— Corinne Vuijk (@corinnevuijk) September 7, 2015
@GuardianBooks @GdnChildrensBks And all time fave Lost & found by @OliverJeffers
— Cloudbusting (@shrada_g) September 7, 2015
@GuardianBooks @GdnChildrensBks Aunt Amelia by Rebecca Cobb
— Josie Skillman (@josieskillman) September 7, 2015
@playbythebook @GdnChildrensBks The Blue Baboon who played the flute - Quangle Wangle's Hat, Edward Lear
— Leah Zakss (@LeahZakss) September 7, 2015
