26 books like Poo! Is that You?

By Clare Helen Welsh, Nicola O'Byrne (illustrator),

Here are 26 books that Poo! Is that You? fans have personally recommended if you like Poo! Is that You?. Shepherd is a community of 9,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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The Rabbit Problem

By Emily Gravett,

Book cover of The Rabbit Problem

Alice Hemming Author Of The Leaf Thief

From the list on great fun and happen to be educational.

Who am I?

I write books for children of all ages but I began with picture books, and they will always have a special place in my heart. I like all different types of picture books. Sometimes we read for pure entertainment, and sometimes to find out about the world, but the books on this list hit the sweet spot between the two. They are all books that will inspire further conversation and might even lead to related projects at school or home.

Alice's book list on great fun and happen to be educational

Why did Alice love this book?

I love rabbits. We have our own free-range rabbit at home who hops up and down the garden as I work away in my writing shed. I also think rabbits make great picture book characters, so any bunny-based book will always be a hit with me. But this one isn’t just any bunny-based book. These bunnies live in Fibonacci’s field and keep multiplying…With its calendar format and quirky visual jokes, it’s great fun. It’s also a good way to introduce younger (and older) children to some maths (and biology)!

By Emily Gravett,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Hop along to Fibonacci's Field and follow Lonely and Chalk Rabbit through a calendar year as they try to handle different seasonal challenges each month, from the freezing cold of February to the wet of April and the heat of July, all while coping with their rapidly expanding brood.

The Rabbit Problem by Emily Gravett is an extraordinary book, packed with funny details and novelty elements including a baby rabbit record book, a rabbit newspaper and a surprise pop-up ending!


Betsy Buglove Saves the Bees

By Catherine Jacob, Lucy Fleming (illustrator),

Book cover of Betsy Buglove Saves the Bees

Alice Hemming Author Of The Leaf Thief

From the list on great fun and happen to be educational.

Who am I?

I write books for children of all ages but I began with picture books, and they will always have a special place in my heart. I like all different types of picture books. Sometimes we read for pure entertainment, and sometimes to find out about the world, but the books on this list hit the sweet spot between the two. They are all books that will inspire further conversation and might even lead to related projects at school or home.

Alice's book list on great fun and happen to be educational

Why did Alice love this book?

A must for all bug lovers (as well as those who need convincing)! This is a sweet book with a traditional feel to the illustrations, and the only rhyming book on my list. I love it because it captures a child’s perspective on the world so beautifully. It has great messages about enjoying the outside world and making a difference no matter how small you are. There are fun fact pages too about various minibeasts!

By Catherine Jacob, Lucy Fleming (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Betsy Buglove Saves the Bees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Meet Betsy Buglove in this magical picture book - a girl who
LOVES bugs more than anything else in the world!
In a big, bustling town lived a girl who loved bugs,

from earthworms to ladybirds, woodlice and slugs.

While spiders or ants might make some scream in fright

to her, creepy crawlies were such a delight!

If there's anything to know about Betsy Buglove, it's
that, when she's around, no bug ever has to worry
about getting in trouble. Betsy's not afraid of sticky
goo, tangled webs, or even muddy
boots, no!

On her sixth birthday she receives a…


Circle

By Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (illustrator),

Book cover of Circle

Alice Hemming Author Of The Leaf Thief

From the list on great fun and happen to be educational.

Who am I?

I write books for children of all ages but I began with picture books, and they will always have a special place in my heart. I like all different types of picture books. Sometimes we read for pure entertainment, and sometimes to find out about the world, but the books on this list hit the sweet spot between the two. They are all books that will inspire further conversation and might even lead to related projects at school or home.

Alice's book list on great fun and happen to be educational

Why did Alice love this book?

This is a difficult book to describe! It’s about shapes (the main characters are a square, circle, and triangle), friendship, fear of the dark, and imagination. As a picture book writer (but not illustrator), I love to see a book where a writer makes space for an illustrator to tell part of the story. This book does that really well, particularly in the part where it’s just Jon Klassen’s signature eyes in the dark! There are three books in this series but this one’s my favourite.

By Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

From the dynamic, dream team of Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett comes the final instalment in the hilarious shape trilogy.

"Simple shapes and succinct story express big ideas. Makes us consider fear of strangers, the power of the imagination, being brave and standing by friends" Sunday Times

Triangle and Square are visiting Circle, who lives at the waterfall. When they play hide-and-seek, Circle tells the friends the one rule: not to go behind the falling water. But after she closes her eyes to count to ten, of course that's exactly where Triangle goes. Will Circle find Triangle? And what OTHER…


Zed's Bread

By Mick Manning, Brita Granstrӧm,

Book cover of Zed's Bread

Alice Hemming Author Of The Leaf Thief

From the list on great fun and happen to be educational.

Who am I?

I write books for children of all ages but I began with picture books, and they will always have a special place in my heart. I like all different types of picture books. Sometimes we read for pure entertainment, and sometimes to find out about the world, but the books on this list hit the sweet spot between the two. They are all books that will inspire further conversation and might even lead to related projects at school or home.

Alice's book list on great fun and happen to be educational

Why did Alice love this book?

This book was a real favourite when my children were small, and like all favourite books, I probably read it about a million times. It’s a simple story about two brothers baking bread. The children loved the rhythm of the text, the repeated refrain, and the gentle ‘twist’ at the end. Like some of my other book picks, this one has facts at the back: this time about different types of bread from around the world. There’s also a recipe. Did we ever bake Zed’s bread? Of course we did! It was delicious.

By Mick Manning, Brita Granstrӧm,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Zed's Bread as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Six brand new titles in the exciting new pre-school reading programme. Reading Together is a hugely successful learn-to-read series of high-quality picture books for young children and parents to enjoy together. There are four levels, each consisting of six books and offering a variety of reading experiences: stories, poems, rhymes and songs, traditional tales and information books, created by top authors and illustrators. Each book contains its own set of illustrated support notes - at the front and back - outlining qualities in the text, giving reading pointers and suggesting a range of follow-up activities. More detailed guidance is available…


Tree of Rivers

By John Hemming,

Book cover of Tree of Rivers: The Story of the Amazon

Chris Naunton Author Of Egyptologists' Notebooks: The Golden Age of Nile Exploration in Words, Pictures, Plans, and Letters

From the list on history, archaeology, people, and places.

Who am I?

I’ve always been fascinated by history and the sense of place. That has led to a career in Egyptology, but I’ve come to realise that that fascination has been a part of my other interests whether it be Arsenal Football Club, rock music, or cycle touring. I’ve had the opportunity to travel a lot in recent years. My horizons have broadened, and I’ve come to appreciate the natural environment and man’s place in it more and more. None of the books on my list were chosen because of this – I read them because I thought I would enjoy them, but there’s a common theme linking them all – places, people, interactions.

Chris' book list on history, archaeology, people, and places

Why did Chris love this book?

I first came across this book in a communal library at a guest house I was staying at on Easter Island. The island is one of the most profoundly affecting places I have ever visited: even today the sense of remoteness is palpable: it’s four hours’ flight from the nearest airport, the island and its population are small, essential supplies such as mineral water and toilet paper come only once a month. And yet centuries ago a small group of would-be settlers from elsewhere in the Pacific landed and established a remarkable community, famous for its mo’ai (statues). They survived, and thrived, for a time, but it was always a precarious existence, and the natural environment has been altered forever as a result. The question of the extent to which the community is sustainable seems, to me, still to be there. It led me to think deeply about human beings…

By John Hemming,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

This enthralling book brilliantly describes the passionate struggles that have taken place in order to utilize, protect and understand the wonder that is the Amazon. Hemming's riveting account recalls the adventures and misadventures down the centuries of the explorers, missionaries, indigenous Indians, naturalists, rubber barons, scientists, anthropologists, archaeologists, political extremists, prospectors and many more, who have been in thrall to the Amazon, the largest river in the world, with the greatest expanse of tropical rain forest and most luxuriant biological diversity on earth.


Rain Forest Relay

By Kristin Earhart,

Book cover of Rain Forest Relay

Kim Long Author Of Lexi Magill and the Teleportation Tournament

From the list on competition/game aspects at the heart of the story.

Who am I?

Kim Long loves to write stories with a sense of adventure, a dash of magic, and a hint of science. Her debut, Lexi Magill and the Teleportation Tournament, was a 2021-2022 Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection. She loves board games, scavenger hunts, and puzzles, so books with aspects of those elements have always appealed to her. Every book recommended below has at least one of those elements, and the great news is that it's also the first in its series, so if you fall in love with the first book, there’s a good chance you’ll love the others, too!

Kim's book list on competition/game aspects at the heart of the story

Why did Kim love this book?

This is a great chapter book series for younger readers with competition at its heart. This first book takes place in the Amazon rainforest, and teams have to navigate survival challenges and brain puzzles to win. The main character also has to deal with changing friendships as he worries his friends (who are on a different team) may be cheating. Overall a fun, fast-paced adventure!

By Kristin Earhart,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

When Russell entered the race, he knew it was going to be a wild ride. Especially the first race course! He'd been studying up on the Amazon's animals and culture forever. But nothing could prepare him or his teammates for what they'd find in the rain forest: raging rapids, poisonous venom, and sneaky competitors who'd do anything to win.

Can the red team work together to make it to the finish line in one piece?

Each chapter in this action-packed adventure series is bursting with totally true facts about wild and wonderful creatures, dangerous habitats, maps, and more!


Untouched

By Jayme Bean,

Book cover of Untouched

Rory Michaelson Author Of Lesser Known Monsters

From the list on LGBTQ+ stories to take your heart on a journey.

Who am I?

Being LGBTQIA+ can bring with it a sense of otherness that many of us struggle with from early on in life, particularly when it intersects with other aspects of our identities. Even now, there remains a sense that queer characters and stories are sometimes tolerated rather than celebrated. We all deserve the chance to write, see, and be main characters in our own adventures, and for this to be embraced by others. I love stories about inner-strength, resilience, and joy, with self-actualisation and found-family (you may already know this if you’ve read mine!). I hope that my books, and those on this list take your heart on an incredible journey.

Rory's book list on LGBTQ+ stories to take your heart on a journey

Why did Rory love this book?

Ever felt like the plants and trees around you are more alive than you’d originally thought? This story follows a couple of grad students trapped in the Amazon rainforest, who are starting to realise just that. This book features an unconventional modern hero in the form of anxiety-riddled disaster bi, David, and headstrong pragmatic voice in the chaos Marisol. Creepy, smart, fascinating, and brilliantly crafted adventure thriller about overcoming the odds. Imagine if Michael Crichton wrote Jumanji, then make it queer. 

By Jayme Bean,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Dr. Julia Morrow and her graduate students, David and Marisol, embark on a research trip to explore a remote section of the Amazon rainforest. When their trails seem to change direction at will and they find themselves lost and without communication, the trio worry they may be in for more than just the latest scientific discovery.

After strange circumstances divide the group, they're left deciding which is more important - finding out why the rainforest seems like it’s alive or getting back home in one piece. The deeper they travel into the jungle in search of answers, the more they…


Amazonia

By James Rollins,

Book cover of Amazonia

E.A. Field Author Of IRL

From the list on fantasy and sci-fi to take you on an adventure.

Who am I?

I grew up on fantasy stories, with Tolkien being the first author I can really remember loving. I have read widely in the genre and love to explore the subgenres of fantasy as well. I have a great group of writing partners and readers who discuss the fantasy and sci-fi genres with me at length. I think all great fantasy stories have some element of what it is to love or be loved and find a place in the world. I am an avid traveler as well and often dream up stories in far away places. 

E.A.'s book list on fantasy and sci-fi to take you on an adventure

Why did E.A. love this book?

I love Amazonia because it brings together the jungle setting that I feel adds a lot of danger and stress to the characters as well as a scientific puzzle.

I love survival stories when the protagonists are “tough” and these US Rangers meet their match. It also features a furry sidekick and who doesn’t love that? 

By James Rollins,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

From the author of ALTAR OF EDEN and MAP OF BONES comes another fantastic mystery adventure, this time set deep in the Amazon jungle.

Out of the inhospitable Amazon rainforest a man stumbles into a missionary village. Soon the CIA operative and former Special Forces soldier, his eyes wide with terror, is dead. The photograph of Agent Clark's corpse in the Brazilian morgue shows two intact upper limbs, yet Agent Clark had only one arm, the other lost to a sniper's bullet.

Nathan Rand's father led a scientific mission into the rainforest and never returned - the same expedition that…


Book cover of With Broadax and Firebrand: The Destruction of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

John Robert McNeill Author Of Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World

From the list on environmental history.

Who am I?

I’ve been reading and writing environmental history since I was trapped indoors on a rainy afternoon nearly 40 years ago and by chance pulled Alfred Crosby’s The Columbian Exchange off a bookshelf. I read it in one gulp (it’s a short book and the rain lingered) and I’ve never been the same since. I regard the environmental as the most fundamental sort of history, because it places humankind and our history in its full context. I love to learn about how humans and their environments affect one another and to read histories that treat both together—because in reality they have always been, and always will be, intertwined.  

John's book list on environmental history

Why did John love this book?

Sometimes environmental history is written with passion and outrage, and this is one such case. Brazil’s Atlantic forest is 90% gone now, and Dean explains how, why, and when that happened. He regards it as a tragedy, and his sorrow and anger enliven his writing. You probably know the ongoing story of the shrinking Amazon rainforest. Forest history is a major category within environmental history, and this is one of the best. The impact of Brazil’s leaf-cutter ants, which Dean explains, defies belief.

By Warren Dean,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Warren Dean chronicles the chaotic path to what could be one of the greatest natural disasters of modern times: the disappearance of the Atlantic Forest. A quarter the size of the Amazon Forest, and the most densely populated region in Brazil, the Atlantic Forest is now the most endangered in the world. It contains a great diversity of life forms, some of them found nowhere else, as well as the country's largest cities, plantations, mines, and industries. Continual clearing is ravaging most of the forested remnants. Dean opens his story with the hunter-gatherers of twelve thousand years ago and takes…


Vegan Travel Handbook 1

By Lonely Planet Food,

Book cover of Vegan Travel Handbook 1

Wendy Werneth Author Of Veggie Planet: Uncover the Vegan Treasures Hiding in Your Favorite World Cuisines

From the list on vegan travel.

Who am I?

I’ve been living a semi-nomadic lifestyle and traveling the globe for all my adult life, and travel has truly shaped who I am. In 2014, when I learned about the many advantages of a vegan lifestyle for my health, the planet, and the animals, I felt compelled to make the change. There was one thing holding me back, though, which was the fear that being vegan would ruin travel. Fortunately, I gave it a trial run anyway during a three-week trip to Greece and discovered that being vegan actually made traveling even more fun! Ever since, I’ve been sharing my global vegan discoveries on my website, the Nomadic Vegan.

Wendy's book list on vegan travel

Why did Wendy love this book?

Since there are not that many vegan travel books on the market (yet), this title sneaks onto this list, but with a caveat. This book is a collaboration by multiple authors, and some parts are definitely better than others.

The general travel information was clearly written by a vegan and is right on point. However, some of the destination-specific sections seem to be lifted from Lonely Planet’s other titles and weren’t written from a vegan perspective.

While the information about vegan food options in various countries is accurate, a vegan lifestyle is not just about food. Rather, it’s about avoiding causing harm to animals as far as possible through the choices we make in all aspects of our daily life.

Some of the activities mentioned in the Vegan Travel Handbook do not fit within this worldview, which may be off-putting for vegan readers. Nevertheless, for new vegans or vegan-curious travelers…

By Lonely Planet Food,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Whether you've been vegan for years or are travelling as one for the first time, The Vegan Travel Handbook will help you discover, plan and book a huge range of vegan-friendly adventures around the globe.

Get essential advice and expert tips on everything from where to go when and the best vegan restaurants, accommodation and cities, to how to stay healthy on the road and order food with confidence. We also reveal unmissable vegan tours, festivals and food trucks.

From cooking classes in India to wildlife watching tours in New Zealand, Lonely Planet shows you how to explore the world…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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