83 books like Dr Xargle's Book Of Earth Tiggers

By Jeanne Willis, Tony Ross (illustrator),

Here are 83 books that Dr Xargle's Book Of Earth Tiggers fans have personally recommended if you like Dr Xargle's Book Of Earth Tiggers. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of What Did the Tree See?

Deborah Chancellor Author Of Milly Cow Gives Milk

From my list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved writing and drawing, so the perfect combination of these two passions is creating picture books. I began my career as a nonfiction book editor, writing texts for illustrated children’s books. I soon became a freelance writer and have never looked back. I love writing on many subjects for readers from kindergarten to high school—but my favorite is writing narrative non-fiction picture books. I get a kick out of finding just the right story to communicate tricky information so the reader has fun while they learn. This is the best way to discover amazing truths about our incredible world.

Deborah's book list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts

Deborah Chancellor Why did Deborah love this book?

I love how this beautiful picture book teaches us to value trees as precious life forms that watch over and outlive us. I am fascinated by how the simple life story of a particular oak tree, from acorn to majestic ancient landmark, tells us so much about the passage of time and the changes our planet has seen over the centuries regarding farming, industrialization, and environmental damage.

I’m simply blown away by the wonderful rhyming text and sensitive, detailed illustrations, which work together to present the young reader with a relatable timeline from the distant past stretching far ahead into a hopefully more positive future.

By Charlotte Guillain, Sam Usher (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What Did the Tree See? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

'This beautifully drawn book is a delightful launchpad for home learning' - Sunday Times

Told in gentle rhyming verse, this beautiful non-fiction picture book follows the story of an oak tree on a hilltop as it witnesses life changing around it over the course of hundreds of years. From the time when hunters chased deer through the woodland, to when trees were cleared for farmland, to the smog and factories emerging during the industrial revolution. One majestic oak has seen it all, and now we can too.

Accompanying pages at the end of the book include a timeline of events…


Book cover of If I Were the World

Deborah Chancellor Author Of Milly Cow Gives Milk

From my list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved writing and drawing, so the perfect combination of these two passions is creating picture books. I began my career as a nonfiction book editor, writing texts for illustrated children’s books. I soon became a freelance writer and have never looked back. I love writing on many subjects for readers from kindergarten to high school—but my favorite is writing narrative non-fiction picture books. I get a kick out of finding just the right story to communicate tricky information so the reader has fun while they learn. This is the best way to discover amazing truths about our incredible world.

Deborah's book list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts

Deborah Chancellor Why did Deborah love this book?

I am captivated by this original take on the environmental problems we face and love that so much is communicated here through a simple story. This important picture book views problems such as pollution and deforestation from the Earth’s perspective, challenging the reader to show empathy for our planet as though it were another human being.

Given the potentially gloomy subject matter, this amazing story succeeds in being uplifting and optimistic. It engages us directly and makes us see our world as something to be cherished and cared for. The inclusive illustrations celebrate global diversity and challenge us to connect in a practical way with our endangered world. The future is in the hands of the young, who should definitely be holding this book.

By Mark Sperring, Natelle Quek (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked If I Were the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A beautifully illustrated picture book with a powerful message about looking after our AMAZING planet! If I were the world, I'd want flowers and bees. A chorus of birds singing high in the trees. If I were the world, I'd want sparkling seas. If I were the world . . . would YOU look after ME? Today is the day to listen to our world! This beautiful and uplifting book will inspire us all to join hands and help our amazing planet. With an irresistible rhyming text by bestselling author Mark Sperring and stunning illustrations by rising star Natelle Quek,…


Book cover of Stone Age, Bone Age!

Deborah Chancellor Author Of Milly Cow Gives Milk

From my list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved writing and drawing, so the perfect combination of these two passions is creating picture books. I began my career as a nonfiction book editor, writing texts for illustrated children’s books. I soon became a freelance writer and have never looked back. I love writing on many subjects for readers from kindergarten to high school—but my favorite is writing narrative non-fiction picture books. I get a kick out of finding just the right story to communicate tricky information so the reader has fun while they learn. This is the best way to discover amazing truths about our incredible world.

Deborah's book list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts

Deborah Chancellor Why did Deborah love this book?

I am a big fan of this imaginative, time-traveling picture book, which transports the young reader back to prehistoric times. The Stone Age is not always the most accessible subject for little ones, but there is nothing dry about the bones seen here.

The story is told in a fun, relatable text, with expressive language perfect for reading aloud—‘Water dripping! The wind moaning!’ etc. Supporting explanations are added in italic text, which I found fascinating. Direct invitations immediately grab attention, such as ‘Make tricky traps and track wild animals. An ambush…Shhh!’

I love how the language and illustrations complement each other perfectly in this little gem of a book, which is both immersive and hugely informative. I would definitely recommend it!

By Mick Manning, Brita Granstrom,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Stone Age, Bone Age! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

Travel back in time for an amazing stone age adventure! Learn to shape flints, carve bones and tickle trout; join in a mammoth hunt and wild dances in flickering torchlight. Discover for yourself just how clever our stone age ancestors were! Includes notes and activities to support the new primary curriculum.

The Wonderwise series presents facts in a way that will inspire young children's imaginations about the world around them. Wonderwise is an award-winning series of information books, perfect for introducing younger children to non-fiction.


Book cover of Meet the Planets

Deborah Chancellor Author Of Milly Cow Gives Milk

From my list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved writing and drawing, so the perfect combination of these two passions is creating picture books. I began my career as a nonfiction book editor, writing texts for illustrated children’s books. I soon became a freelance writer and have never looked back. I love writing on many subjects for readers from kindergarten to high school—but my favorite is writing narrative non-fiction picture books. I get a kick out of finding just the right story to communicate tricky information so the reader has fun while they learn. This is the best way to discover amazing truths about our incredible world.

Deborah's book list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts

Deborah Chancellor Why did Deborah love this book?

I am a kid at heart, and like most kids, I can’t get enough of the planets and space in general. This wildly entertaining picture book introduces the reader to the solar system via a crazy spaceship ride with a small girl and her dog. The story has brilliantly paced rhyming text and zippy neon and black cartoon illustrations that anthropomorphize the planets in a way that cleverly matches their characteristics.

Everything plays its part in this book—I love the way that even the curved typography echoes the movement and excitement of the content. We learn many facts about the planets as the spaceship zooms; by the time we return to Earth with our astronaut guides, we are much wiser and better informed. Stellar!

By Caryl Hart, Bethan Woollvin (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Zoooooooom! We're off on an exciting space adventure in our rocket to meet all the planets of the solar system. Join in with the rhymes and spot all the smiley-faced, friendly planets, from shimmering Saturn to mighty Mars. Little ones will have a blast (and be back in time for bed!) in this striking, read-aloud, story-led picture book. Combining STEM learning with a rhyming twist, it's perfect for all would-be astronauts! Don't miss the other titles in this fantastic picture book series: Meet the Weather and Meet the Oceans. Packed with big, beautiful illustrations, fascinating facts and fun rhymes, these…


Book cover of Chester

Nicola Winstanley Author Of How to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps

From my list on funny picture books about cats.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved cats my whole life, ever since I started to crawl around with our two cats Tabby and Tubby when I was a baby. Cats are cute and beautiful and have so much personality that they get away with all kinds of shenanigans. This makes cats the perfect subject for picture books for children, which is why I wrote my own cat picture book, and why I’m always on the lookout for kids’ books where they’re the star of the show. So many picture books have serious and instructive themes, and while these books are obviously important, sometimes you just want to snuggle up with your little one and have a good laugh.

Nicola's book list on funny picture books about cats

Nicola Winstanley Why did Nicola love this book?

I’m a big fan of rascally cats, and Chester is the rascalliest of them all. Like most cats, he wants to be the centre of attention. He rewrites the story and draws over the pictures to make the book about him, instead of a mouse. Funny—and clever!—this book was a great inspiration for my book

By Mélanie Watt,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Chester is more than a picture book. It is a story told, and retold, by dueling author-illustrators. Mélanie Watt starts out with the story of a mouse in a house. Then Mélanie's cat, Chester, sends the mouse packing and proceeds to cover the pages with rewrites from his red marker, and the gloves are off.Mélanie and her mouse won't take Chester's antics lying down. And Chester is obviously a creative powerhouse with confidence to spare. Where will this war of the picture-book makers lead? Is it a one-way ticket to Chesterville, or will Mélanie get her mouse production off the…


Book cover of The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival

Amra Pajalić Author Of Sabiha's Dilemma

From my list on YA fiction that represent marginalised communities.

Why am I passionate about this?

I spent my adolescence reading young adult novels that featured characters who were nothing like me, and yearned to read about characters who shared my struggle in mediating my community’s cultural expectations as a first-generation Australia. This is the inspiration for writing own voices stories as these are the books I wished I’d been able to read. I draw on my Bosnian-Muslim cultural heritage to write own voices stories for young people, who like me, are searching to mediate their identity and take pride in their diverse culture. Own voices books are an opportunity to learn and celebrate culture and diversity, and to show young people that they are not alone in the world.

Amra's book list on YA fiction that represent marginalised communities

Amra Pajalić Why did Amra love this book?

As I am of Bosnian heritage, I always love reading books about my culture.

The name Amra is very common in Bosnia and yet is very uncommon everywhere else, so it was a particular thrill for me to read a book by another Amra. This memoir is about Amra's experiences living under siege in Bihac during the Balkan War of 1992-1995 which gives an amazing insight into the hardship and heartbreak of war.

Maci, the cat that Amra and her family adopted who arrived at their town as a refugee, was such a beautiful soul and helped give Amra hope and fight for life, when it seemed that none was to be found.

The writing was beautiful and evocative. I keep seeing Maci in my mind's eye. I also have to say that the cover was absolutely stunning, and I loved the use of the image in the novel to…

By Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, Laura L. Sullivan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Cat I Never Named as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

It is 1992 and Bihac, Amra's hometown, is a multicultural city with Muslims, Croats, and Serbs. But when tensions escalate, the Serbs turn on their Bosnian neighbors. The Serbs control the army, and now they have peaceful Bihac surrounded. Soon Amra and her family are dealing with starvation and the threat of brutal violence; school, friendships, and the attentions from a new boy have to take a back seat to finding food and the tragic fallout from rising bigotry and ethnic hatred. Through it all, a stray cat, Maci, serves as a guardian spirit to the entire family.


Book cover of His 'n' Hers

Nancy Barone Author Of Storm in a D Cup

From my list on iffy marriages and other adventures.

Why am I passionate about this?

I can’t remember how many times I thought someone was The One, but I know I’ve had to kiss a lot of frogs before I found my own Prince Charming. The path was riddled with self-doubt, interfering wicked witches, and wondering whether it was all worth the heartache. As it turns out, none of them were until I finally did find my HEA. I’d become an expert on navigating all the Single Lady tropes: moving to another country in search of the elusive happy ending, getting a better job, enduring the gossip about why I was single. I’d recommend all of these if you are having relationship trouble or doubts about yourself. You're not alone!

Nancy's book list on iffy marriages and other adventures

Nancy Barone Why did Nancy love this book?

His ‘n’ Hers is about a love story gone awry. No one to blame. That’s just how the cookie crumbled. But now something has happened.

Allison and Jim’s cat Disco, the one they shared while they lived together, has just died, bringing back all the memories of when they shared that flat. Trouble is they both have new partners. After grilling themselves about what went wrong, who did what, and are they better off, Alison and Jim give each other a good hard look to understand what happened to them.

And is there still hope for them, despite their current partners? Were they meant to be?

By Mike Gayle,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked His 'n' Hers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A brilliant romantic comedy for fans of Bridget Jones's Diary.

A cat. A flat. And a couple who think it's over.

From their first meeting at the student union over a decade ago, Jim and Alison successfully navigated their way through first dates, meeting parents, moving in together and more . . . Then they split up and divided their worldly goods (including a sofa, a cat and their flat) into his 'n' hers.

Now, three years on and with new lives and new loves, they couldn't be happier. Until a chance encounter throws them back together, and causes them…


Book cover of The Tenth Good Thing about Barney

Betsy DeVille Author Of Grief for Atheists: A Compassionate Guide with Evidence-Based Strategies to Navigate Your Loss

From my list on for grieving without God.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an artist and writer drawn to the intersections of non-believe. My work explores the friction points non-believers encounter and illuminates a path forward informed by reason and empathy. My writing is evidence-based, with the skepticism that comes with being an atheist, but infused with warmth, clarity, and understanding. Grief can present friction for non-believers. I aim to support those navigating such losses by providing evidence-based guidance and compassion. I hope you find some valuable nuggets in this list of books. 

Betsy's book list on for grieving without God

Betsy DeVille Why did Betsy love this book?

This simple children’s book shares the story of the death of a beloved pet and the subsequent processing of the loss. It has a gentle and clear approach, without any suggestion of an afterlife but rather an appreciation for all the wonderful things about the pet who is gone. 

If you are interested in continuing bonds with a child after a loss, this is a nice way to approach and expand on the topic. 

By Judith Viorst, Erik Blegvad (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Tenth Good Thing about Barney as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

My cat Barney died this Friday. I was very sad. My mother said we could have a funeral for him, and I should think of ten good things about Barney so I could tell them...
But the small boy who loved Barney can only think of nine. Later, while talking with his father, he discovers the tenth -- and begins to understand.


Book cover of Big Cat, Little Cat

Deb JJ Lee Author Of In Limbo

From my list on chew up your heart and spit it out.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve dealt with depression from a young age. Books like these make me feel better because they give me the time to focus on someone else dealing with similar (or worse) feelings without minimizing my own circumstances. Or perhaps, is it schadenfreude? I have no idea! Huge warning, though. This list mixes some really dark stuff. Please proceed with caution. But I did throw some sweet ones in there, too, as a treat! 

Deb's book list on chew up your heart and spit it out

Deb JJ Lee Why did Deb love this book?

Everyone I love who’s seen my shelf knows how much I love this picture book. I adore the simple ink drawings; it’s all I need to understand to story.

I never expected a 32-page book to break me like this. It makes me want to hug my cat Marlie and never let go (to her annoyance). To me, it explained life and death so perfectly—when one goes away, another comes into our lives.

By Elisha Cooper,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Big Cat, Little Cat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

There was a cat
who lived alone.
Until the day
a new cat came . . .

And so a story of friendship begins, following two cats through their days, months, and years until one day, the older cat has to go. And he doesn't come back.

This is a poignant story, told in measured text and bold black-and-white illustrations about life and the act of moving on.


Book cover of Kat Kong

Steve Patschke Author Of Don't Look At It! Don't Touch It!

From my list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for.

Why am I passionate about this?

Steve Patschke is a retired elementary school library media teacher of over thirty years, now living in Woodstock, N.Y. In November of 2022, his essay appeared in The New York Times' “Tiny Love Stories.” In February of 2023, his essay appeared in Chicken Soup For The Soul: Cat Lovers Edition. He has published six children’s picture books. His most recent is Don’t Look At It, Don’t Touch It. Steve’s rendition of the classic Nutcracker and the Mouse King will be published as a pop-up book through Templar books in the fall of 2023.

Steve's book list on funny picture reads kids will sit still for

Steve Patschke Why did Steve love this book?

Dev Pilkey is another New York Times best-selling children’s book author that I highly recommend for funny picture books that children will sit still for.

His Captain Underpants series is read worldwide and even earned its main character a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

As a children’s Librarian this is another sure shot book I loved to pull from my shelf if ever I needed an emergency read or as a recommendation for parents looking for a book to interest boys who were more interested in action stories.

This book is a follow-up to Pilkey’s Dogzilla. In both books Pilkey’s humor is a parody. In Dogzilla he uses photos (which is always a novel idea) superimposed on illustrations. Dogzilla acts like Godzillia combating mice.

In Cat Kong the cat is a parody of King Kong and battles the same mice for control of mouse-opolis.

This book is…

By Dav Pilkey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Kat Kong as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

Kat Kong is a funny picture book from the genius mind of Dav Pilkey—creator of laugh-out-loud kid favorites including Captain Underpants and Dog Man.

When the fearsome Kat Kong wreaks havoc on the rodent citizens of Mousopolis (all played by Pilkey's own pets in mixed-media photographic illustrations) someone must halt the massive meowing menace before it's too late!

But is anyone clever enough to halt this massive meowing menace?

For kids not quite ready to enter the chapter book world, Kat Kong is a winner. This silly spoof of King Kong has all of the zany cat-and-mouse action you'd expect…


Book cover of What Did the Tree See?
Book cover of If I Were the World
Book cover of Stone Age, Bone Age!

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