Book picks similar to
Mad about Minibeasts! by Giles Andreae


picture-books
kids
mini-beasts
children-s-books

The Bog Baby


Jeanne Willis - 2008
    They find a bog baby. Small and blue with wings like a dragon, the girls decide to make him their secret. I won't tell if you won't.But the bog baby is a wild thing, and when he becomes poorly, the girls decide they must tell their mum. And she tells them the greatest lesson: if you really love something, you have to let it go.

Owl Babies


Martin Waddell - 1992
    At last she does, and they all bounce up and down with joy, welcoming her home.

The Girl and the Dinosaur


Hollie Hughes - 2019
    . . In a little town by the seaside, Marianne can often be found foraging on the beach. But she isn’t playing with children her own age; instead Marianne is alone, digging for dinosaur bones. When she finds an entire skeleton, she names him Bony and vows to become his best friend.That night, she goes to sleep wishing with all her heart that her dinosaur might come to life . . . and her wish comes true. Together, a girl and her dinosaur’s adventures are only limited by their imagination.

Mr. Gumpy's Outing


John Burningham - 1970
    Gumpy's Outing is a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner and an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. In England, illustrator John Burningham, with Mr. Gumpy's Outing, became the first artist ever to win England's Kate Greenaway Medal twice. Mr. Gumpy lives by a river. One sunny day he decides to take a ride in his small boat.It is such a perfect idea, for such a perfect summer day, that he soon has company: first the children, then the rabbit, the cat, the dog, the pig, the sheep, the chickens, and still others until-- Mr. Gumpy's outing comes to an inevitable but not unhappy, conclusion."Come for a ride another day," says Mr. Gumpy at the book's end. And young readers will return again and again to this sprightly story with its clever, captivating illustrations that reflect the sunlit quality of a lazy summer afternoon.An ALA Notable Children's BookA New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's BookA Child Study Association Children's Book of the YearA Library of Congress Children's Book of the Year

Goodnight Everyone


Chris Haughton - 2016
    The sun is setting, and everyone in the forest is getting sleepy. The mice, rabbits, and deer all give great big yawns as they snuggle up with their families for the night. But "someone" isn't sleepy just yet. Little Bear thinks he can stay awake a bit longer. Can he do it? Chris Haughton's bold and vibrant illustrations will captivate little ones eager to stay up just a teeny bit longer, while sweet depictions of animals cozying up in their beds for the night will soon have them yawning off to a dreamland of their own.

The Giant Jam Sandwich


John Vernon Lord - 1972
    It's a dark day for Itching Down. Four million wasps have just descended on the town, and the pests are relentless! What can be done? Bap the Baker has a crazy idea that just might work. Young readers will love this lyrical, rhyming text as they watch the industrious citizens of Itching Down knead, bake, and slather the biggest wasp trap there ever was!

How to Catch a Star


Oliver Jeffers - 2004
    So much so that he decided to catch one of his very own. But how? Waiting for them to grow tired from being up in the sky all night doesn't work. Climbing to the top of the tallest tree? No, not tall enough. The boy has a rocket ship . . . but it is made of paper and doesn't fly well at all. Finally, just when the boy is ready to give up, he learns that sometimes things aren't where, or what, we expect them to be. First-time author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers offers a simple, childlike tale of reaching for the stars, and emerging with a friend.

Whatever Next!


Jill Murphy - 1983
    The moon and back before bathtime? Whatever next! Join Baby Bear as he finds a rocket, makes friends with an owl and has a picnic on the moon! This enlarged edition is the second Bear family adventure following the bestselling 'Peace at Last'.

Bats at the Beach


Brian Lies - 2006
    The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series. Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach! So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets—don’t forget the moon-tan lotion—and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet. Brian Lies’s enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, firelight, and . . . bats! Check out brianlies.com for more escapades with these zany bats.

Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book


Rod Campbell - 1982
    The zoo send a series of unsuitable pets, revealed behind flaps in the form of crates and packing cases. These animals are all sent back for different reasons, except the last one, which is perfect!Dear Zoo is twenty-five years old -- and still as popular as ever! And with an updated look, this children's classic is sure to delight a new generation of readers!

Little Owl's Night


Divya Srinivasan - 2011
    Hedgehog sniffs for mushrooms, Skunk nibbles at berries, Frog croaks, and Cricket sings. A full moon rises and Little Owl can't understand why anyone would want to miss it. Could the daytime be nearly as wonderful? Mama Owl begins to describe it to him, but as the sun comes up, Little Owl falls fast asleep.Putting a twist on the bedtime book, Little Owl's Night is sure to comfort any child with a curiosity about the night.

Big Blue Whale: Read and Wonder


Nicola Davies - 1997
    A great resource for teachers!Read and Wonder books tell stories, take children on adventures, and reveal how big and WONDER-full the natural world really is.

Bear Feels Sick


Karma Wilson - 2007
    He sniffles and sneezes. He cannot sleep. He aches all over. Worst of all, he's feeling too poorly to play with his friends. How Bear's good friends take care of him with herbal tea and lullabies until he begins to FEEL BETTER is the heart of this loving story that will be familiar to any little one who has ever had the sniffles.

Frog on a Log?


Kes Gray - 2014
    Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas, and frogs sit on logs."Each animal's designated seat rhymes with that animal's name. "It's not about being comfortable," explains the cat. "It's about doing the right thing."The frog does not want to sit on a log. Doing his best to find an alternative place to sit, the frog asks the cat a litany of questions. For every answer the cat has, the frog has another question--until the frog finds out what dogs sit on!Peppered with catchy rhymes, Frog on a Log? shows young readers that every animal has a special place to sit. With rhymes that are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's beginner books, Frog on a Log? is a fun, educational read-aloud story that helps teach phonics!

Bear and Hare Go Fishing


Emily Gravett - 2014
    Bear loves fishing! Hare seems more interested in his picnic. But after a long wait, the two adventurers catch more than they expect in this tale of fun, friendship and fishy goings-on.Full of warmth and humour, and starring two loveable new characters, this beautifully illustrated story from the twice winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal is sure to delight children and parents alike. Look out for more Bear and Hare stories coming soon!