93 books like Avocado Baby

By John Burningham,

Here are 93 books that Avocado Baby fans have personally recommended if you like Avocado Baby. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Baby's Catalogue

Why am I passionate about this?

Lots of us rely occasionally on technology to help us entertain a young child, but the connection we form when looking at a book together cannot be beaten. I have found, both personally and professionally, that great books are born when a kind of magical mix-up is created in a child’s imagination between the words you read and the pictures they see. It feels so wonderful when this happens that they want to revisit the book again and again. I have written many books for young children over more than 20 years, and I am always striving to help cast that magical spell.

Fiona's book list on families and growing up–the funny bits, the comforting bits. . .and the scary bits

Fiona Munro Why did Fiona love this book?

This is a classic and should be on every child’s bookshelf. It was a family favorite and held a very special place in our hearts. Twenty years after coming across the incomparable Ahlbergs, this little book also inspired our own Every One is Special series. 

In my experience as a parent, young children love pointing to things they think are funny, spotting things they recognize, finding things on a page they think no one else has noticed . . . and then doing it all over again! We used to pore over this at bedtime or dip into it for a few spare minutes on a bus. There is no story–just themes familiar to every family, like shopping, books or pets, and wonderful little pictures to go with them.

By Allan Ahlberg, Janet Ahlberg,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Baby's Catalogue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Janet and Allan Ahlberg's classic picture book, The Baby's Catalogue

The bestselling picture book The Baby's Catalogue by the iconic British husband and wife picture book team Janet and Allan Ahlberg, creators of Peepo!, is filled with easily recognizable objects - perfect for your baby or toddler!

Mums and Dads, breakfasts and bedtimes, pets and toys and prams and swings - and lots and lots of other fascinating things!

Allan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created many award-winning children's picture books. The Baby's Catalogue was inspired by their daughter, Jessica. The Ahlbergs'…


Book cover of Mog and the Baby

Mary Hoffman Author Of Babies, Babies Everywhere!

From my list on babies.

Why am I passionate about this?

Mary Hoffman is not exactly an expert on babies but she has had three of her own and five grandbabies. The youngest is two and Mary has made colourful blankets for each one. The four-year-old still takes hers everywhere. Mary is very good at sending babies to sleep, which Mog might have appreciated, but she has never fed any of them avocado. Mary has been making up stories for babies and children for as long as she can remember, long before she had any of her own. She does this because what she liked best herself as a small child was stories and she would have loved to have any of these books read to her when she was little.

Mary's book list on babies

Mary Hoffman Why did Mary love this book?

“Mog loves babies!” says the poor cat’s owners but this is not strictly true. Mog just wants to snooze undisturbed but a visiting baby soon puts paid to that. Her expressions are brilliantly done as the baby takes more and more liberties. When Mog escapes out the window, the baby follows, with almost catastrophic results in the road outside. But Mog saves the day - and the baby - and is rewarded with a gigantic fish. 

By Judith Kerr,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mog and the Baby as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Share in fifty years of a really remarkable cat...

Mog is everyone's favourite family cat! Join her in this warm-hearted and funny escapade about Mog's first meeting with a baby...

From the creator of The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Mog the Forgetful Cat comes a delightful family adventure about a really remarkable cat!

Celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Mog the Forgetful Cat with special anniversary editions of her much-loved adventures.

Mog's peaceful day is shattered when a baby comes to visit. All Mog wants to do and sleep and play but there is no chance of that now...…


Book cover of A Baby Sister for Frances

Mary Hoffman Author Of Babies, Babies Everywhere!

From my list on babies.

Why am I passionate about this?

Mary Hoffman is not exactly an expert on babies but she has had three of her own and five grandbabies. The youngest is two and Mary has made colourful blankets for each one. The four-year-old still takes hers everywhere. Mary is very good at sending babies to sleep, which Mog might have appreciated, but she has never fed any of them avocado. Mary has been making up stories for babies and children for as long as she can remember, long before she had any of her own. She does this because what she liked best herself as a small child was stories and she would have loved to have any of these books read to her when she was little.

Mary's book list on babies

Mary Hoffman Why did Mary love this book?

It’s a family of badgers but Frances has some very human emotions about having a baby sibling. She is not outright hostile but does pack a rucksack with snacks and runs away – as far as under the dining table. Her very understanding parents handle it in an exemplary fashion and Frances sees there are advantages to being the older sister, since babies can’t eat chocolate cake.

By Russell Hoban, Lilian Hoban (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Baby Sister for Frances as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of a reissued series about the Badger family. With a new baby in the house, Frances thinks that no one pays much attention to her any more. So she decides to run away, but not so far that she won't be able to hear how much she'll be missed - even by baby Gloria.


Book cover of Cave Baby

Mary Hoffman Author Of Babies, Babies Everywhere!

From my list on babies.

Why am I passionate about this?

Mary Hoffman is not exactly an expert on babies but she has had three of her own and five grandbabies. The youngest is two and Mary has made colourful blankets for each one. The four-year-old still takes hers everywhere. Mary is very good at sending babies to sleep, which Mog might have appreciated, but she has never fed any of them avocado. Mary has been making up stories for babies and children for as long as she can remember, long before she had any of her own. She does this because what she liked best herself as a small child was stories and she would have loved to have any of these books read to her when she was little.

Mary's book list on babies

Mary Hoffman Why did Mary love this book?

Two great talents came together to produce this classic story of a bored baby who annoys his parents by drawing on the walls. Only their home is a cave. In the night, he is whisked away by a mammoth, which could be terrifying, but the great beast just wants the baby to paint animals on his cave walls.

By Julia Donaldson, Emily Gravett (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cave Baby as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A hairy mammoth takes a cheeky little baby on a thrilling ride through a moonlit landscape populated by a sabre-toothed tiger, a leaping hare, a laughing hyena and even, just maybe, by a big brown bear . . . But where are they going? And what has it to do with the baby's scribblings on the cave wall?

Created by the critically acclaimed author Julia Donaldson and Kate Greenaway medal winner Emily Gravett, Cave Baby celebrates the messy creativity of babies!


Book cover of Everyone Loves Bacon

Lisa Wheeler Author Of People Don't Bite People

From my list on picture books that are even better read aloud.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm an award-winning children's book author who loves everything about kid's books--including the smell! With over 50 books on bookstore shelves-- which have been read aloud hundreds of times all over the world-- I feel that I've become an expert on the subject.

Lisa's book list on picture books that are even better read aloud

Lisa Wheeler Why did Lisa love this book?

The first page reads: Everyone loves Bacon. Including Bacon. How can you not love it? As I read this aloud, I love to use a smarmy playboy-type voice. The reader witnesses how Bacon becomes so full of himself and his celebrity status, that he forgets about those he left behind. (The makings of a BLT with avocado, minus the bacon are shown sitting alone in the fridge, missing their pal.) This book is just an all-around good time!

By Kelly DiPucchio, Eric Wight (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Everyone Loves Bacon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A cautionary tale about a little slice of bacon with a big, greasy ego.

Sure, everyone loves Bacon-until Bacon's popularity goes right to his head. He's so busy soaking up the attention from his fans, that he soon forgets the important things in life, like friendship and family. How will things end for our deliciously crispy hero?


Book cover of Bites on a Board

Pamela Ellgen Author Of The I Love Trader Joe's Snack Boards Cookbook: 50 Delicious Recipes for Charcuterie, Spreads, Platters, and More Using Ingredients from the World's Greatest Grocery Store

From my list on cookbooks for entertaining.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a chef and food writer. But I have always known that I loved to prepare and enjoy beautiful food! In college, that meant throwing dinner parties for my friends. This was before Instagram, but I still wanted my food to look pretty and draw a crowd! Fast forward a couple decades. I have worked as a private chef, taught farm-to-table cooking classes, and written more than 27 published cookbooks. My favorite thing about my work is creating inspired meals that bring people together with those they love.

Pamela's book list on cookbooks for entertaining

Pamela Ellgen Why did Pamela love this book?

I stumbled on this book while on a long weekend holiday in San Francisco with my fiance. 

I love the unstudied air of the book. It feels like what a charcuterie board should be – just food casually arranged on a plate to share. I especially love her lush boards, which are luxurious, beautiful, and filled with color. Unexpected flavor combinations – grilled pineapple with poke avocado salad with edible flowers – make this a fun change of pace from traditional charcuterie board books.

Bonus, she recommends thrift shops for finding trays and boards, which makes entertaining even more accessible.

By Anni Daulter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bites on a Board as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Delicious recipes and creative presentations served up on a board.

Cutting boards aren’t just for prep anymore. From classic charcuterie boards with prosciutto, olives, and roasted figs to luscious dessert boards with mini cheesecakes and red-wine ice-cream bites, food stylist Anni Daulter shows creative hosts how to make the most of their boards and serving platters. With rustic, trendy, pickled, and even culturally-inspired boards and recipes, the last thing you’ll want to do when you’re finished cooking is put away the cutting board.


Book cover of Babies

Lisa Rojany Author Of The Twins of Auschwitz: The inspiring true story of a young girl surviving Mengele's hell

From my list on picture books for all ages.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have published over 50 books, including award-winning and bestselling titles. I am also a publishing executive and editor with 20+ years of professional experience. My latest The Twins of Auschwitz: The Inspiring True Story of  Young Girl Surviving Mengele’s Hell, with Eva Kor, got a stellar review by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and is an international bestseller. As well as spearheading four publishing startups, I have run my own business, Editorial Services of L.A. I was Editorial/Publishing Director for Golden Books, Price Stern Sloan, Intervisual Books, Hooked on Phonics, and more. I am also the Publisher & Editor in Chief of NY Journal Of Books, the premier online-only book review site.

Lisa's book list on picture books for all ages

Lisa Rojany Why did Lisa love this book?

This old standby is one of the most memorable picture board books; I still recall reading it when I was four. Illustrating babies in all spaces and of all colors, Fujikawa makes the reader yearn to play with them. Fujikawa (1908–1998), designed many books for the Walt Disney Company, including promotional work on the movie Fantasia. But her work in Babies is not so cartoony as much as illustrated pen and ink. A keeper.

By Gyo Fujikawa,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Babies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A charming first look at the soft and sweet world of babies.


Book cover of Larky Mavis

Tricia Tusa Author Of Is That You, Eleanor Sue?

From my list on truly unique children’s tales.

Why am I passionate about this?

I decided at the age of 5 that I wanted to write and illustrate books for children. That is exactly what I have been doing the last 40 years of my adult life. I find that I walk around seeing and hearing the world as potential stories. It’s fun! I can not imagine doing anything else for a living! I recommended the 5 books that I did because they are a little strange and curious and thought-provoking. The art, as well. Therefore, they feel like they emerged from the author/illustrator from that place within, way down deep, where only authentic expression of self can be found. 

Tricia's book list on truly unique children’s tales

Tricia Tusa Why did Tricia love this book?

This feels like a fairy tale, of sorts. A curious feel to it. It is touching and evocative and strange - in that good and compelling way. Larky Mavis is somehow an endearing outcast in her small village. Is she a gypsy, is she homeless? The village sees her as socially unacceptable. Not “normal.” It would be interesting to hear the child reader’s take. I would guess a child would relate to Larky’s guilelessness - her open heart and her trust in others. Larky finds 3 peanuts. She does not eat the third one because she sees a baby inside. Perhaps a metaphor for seeing the potential in life if one’s heart is open enough. She shares her delightful discovery with others from town.

These individuals feel they are more the expert in knowing what is inside this peanut. One declares it a worm, another a mouse, another a deformed…

By Brock Cole,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Larky Mavis as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Another orginal picture-book fairy tale

Larky Mavis, an eccentric soul, finds three peanuts in the middle of the road. The first tastes like liver and onions. The second, like bread pudding. And the third -- well, inside the third is a baby. Larky Mavis decides to name it Heart's Delight and to take care of it. She shows it to the teacher, and he says it looks like a worm. She asks the parson to christen it, but he thinks it's a mouse. And when she asks the doctor to help her teach the baby to say "Ma," he thinks…


Book cover of Peek-A-Boo!

Meghan Cox Gurdon Author Of The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction

From my list on picture books to build a baby’s brain.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a journalist, WSJ book critic, and mother of five, I‘ve been perfectly placed to witness the astounding effects of reading aloud. For decades I've been reading to my children (and to my husband, too) every night, often for a solid hour or more. Storytime has been the central civilizing joy of our family life: We’ve bonded emotionally, gone on shared imaginative adventures, and filled our heads with pictures and words. Long ago I knew something big was happening to us, and I felt sure my children were benefitting, but it wasn’t until I began digging around into the behavioral and brain science that I learned just how consequential reading aloud can be. In my book, I lay it all out.

Meghan's book list on picture books to build a baby’s brain

Meghan Cox Gurdon Why did Meghan love this book?

This brilliant and surprisingly sophisticated book has a satisfying rhyming pace that breaks every other page, both visually and aurally, into a“Peek-a-Boo!” Tracing one day in the life of a baby boy in wartime London, it’s full of cues for parents to engage in questions and answers. For instance, the baby in the book goes to the park; the scene contains, inter alia, two perambulators, a double-decker bus, a picket fence, a zeppelin, a church spire, pink flowers, children fishing in a shallow pond, a policeman, boys with a toy boat, a gentleman carrying a walking stick and a rolled-up newspaper…. you get the idea.

By Janet Ahlberg, Allan Ahlberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Peek-A-Boo! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Perfectly tuned for a first-book experience.”—Booklist

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

Baby peeks through holes cut in sturdy board book pages. The perfect way for very young children to play along with the classic game of peek-a-boo!


Book cover of The Little Ones of Silent Movies

Ann Lewin-Benham Author Of Parsley: A Love Story of a Child for Puppy and Plants

From my list on how infants and toddlers develop literacy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by children’s language development and am a word hound. For over five decades I’ve been a teacher, teacher trainer, school founder/director, mentor, founder/executive director of a large children’s museum; author of 6 classic textbooks on how children think and learn, and author/self-publisher of one of my many story-poems. My passions are writing, studying new findings in brain development, and launching top-quality schools in underserved urban areas. Between 1969 and 1990, I founded six schools, five still running, three as private non-profit schools and two as essential entities (one called the “safety-net") in their public school systems. The MELC is the only U.S. school accredited by Reggio's founders.

Ann's book list on how infants and toddlers develop literacy

Ann Lewin-Benham Why did Ann love this book?

At Gianni Rodare Scuola for 3-month to 3-year-olds, I watched 2 to 3-year-olds draw, a year-long project described in the book The Little Ones of Silent Movies by Loris Malaguzzi and Tiziana Filippini: The authors explain:

“Children are born with “insuppressible, vital, eager urges to build conversational friendships... Words that come later are not a sudden event born from nothing but emerge from a submerged silent laboratory of attempts, trials, and experiments in communication using tools children constantly improve through long preparation. The results—words and drawings—show the strong desire to communicate and interact, basic traits of children.”

I love this book because its text explains and drawings show the roots of language. It inspired me to observe babies more closely and introduce paints and markers.

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