The team at Stoke Library share some of their favourite picture books about our favourite furry friends, cats and dogs! Browse our staff picks and pick up a copy from your local library.
Want more suggested books? Take a look at our recommendations or explore more of the National Year of Reading campaign.
All the Cats
Nicola Kent
Nicola Kent presents… ALL THE CATS!
Short cats, tall cats, careful-not-to-fall cats. Itchy cats and scratchy cats – can you see the matching cats? Spot the miles and miles of cats jam-packed into this gorgeous feline picture book! Read along and spot your favourite.
I Like Trains
Daisy Hirst
I like trains. I like playing with my train. I like putting all the animals on board so they can go off on a journey. Small Dog loves trains. Playing with them, reading about them, drawing them and pretending to be the driver.
But the best thing of all is going on a real train – looking at everything whoosh past the window! But who is Small Dog going to see? Celebrating the warmth of family relationships and the joy of imaginative play, this book is utterly charming.
Maisy Gets a Pet
Lucy Cousins
Maisy is getting a pet! Join her as she chooses the perfect kitten and takes it home to look after.
This bright and humorous story is ideal for teaching little ones about responsible pet ownership.
One Cat, Two Cats
Jonathan Emmett and Rob Hodgson
Here is a joyful, laugh-out-loud counting picture book with plenty of cat-itude! One cat, two cats, three cats, four. Five cats, six cats, how many more?
In this interactive counting book with rhyming text, sturdy flaps and surprising pop-ups, you will meet 20 funny felines in lots of silly scenarios!
There Are No Cats In This Book
Viviane Schwarz
Our furry friends from ‘There Are Cats in This Book’, and ‘Tiny, Moonpie and Andre’, have returned, and this time they are filled with the spirit of adventure – they are off to see the world!
They have their suitcases packed and are ready to set off – but they can’t seem to get out of the book.
They try pushing their way out, and jumping their way out but nothing works. Finally they decide to WISH themselves out and they are going to need your help!
Get Real, Mallory!
Daisy Hirst
What if one of your drawings became real?
Nomi loves drawing dogs, but finds them difficult to draw. It’s much easier to draw fish because she has a fish. But she’s not allowed a dog in her flat. Stephen tells her to get real – why should she have a dog? At bedtime Nomi tells her drawing of Mallory the dog to get real. Why should he be special?
And in the dead of night Mallory DOES. He’s real! Nomi has her own dog friend! And then the adventures really begin.
All the Dogs
Nicola Kent
Nicola Kent presents… ALL THE DOGS!
Big dogs, small dogs, hardly there at all dogs. Two dogs, three dogs, always need a pee dogs! Have fun reading along in this chunky, gifty doggy picture book and meet ALL the dogs… can you spot yours?
Spot’s Baby Sister
Eric Hill
Sally and Sam have a special surprise for Spot – a baby sister!
Follow this little puppy as she romps around the house with big brother Spot. A fun lift-the-flap book perfect for pre-school readers.
Funnybones
Janet and Allan Ahlberg
This story is about a family of skeletons who spend a night on the town looking for people to haunt and riding on the skeleton animals at the zoo. With rhyming text and plenty of repetition, this book will build confidence in beginner readers.
Packed with playful illustrations and easy-to-read text, discover this timeless bedtime story.
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