Best children’s books about animals
Foxes, mice, spiders, bears and rabbits: a guide to the best animal stories for children, grouped by age.
Children love animal stories. Animals can be funny, brave, silly or wise, and they let children explore feelings and friendships from a safe distance. This guide picks the best animal books on our site, from toddler favourites to comics and novels, and tells you what age each suits.
For babies and toddlers (0 to 4)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
By Eric Carle, 1969. Ages 0 to 4
A caterpillar eats his way through the week and becomes a butterfly. It is a gentle book for counting and the days of the week. Read our guide.
Guess How Much I Love You
By Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram, 1994. Ages 0 to 4
Two hares compete to say how much they love each other. It is a sweet, calm bedtime read. Read our guide.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
By Judith Kerr, 1968. Ages 2 to 5
A very hungry tiger comes to tea and eats everything. It is funny and short. Read our guide.
For preschool and early school (3 to 7)
The Gruffalo
By Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, 1999. Ages 2 to 6
A mouse tricks hungry animals with a made-up monster. The rhyme makes it great for joining in. Read our guide.
Gruffalo Granny
By Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Ages 3 to 7
A new rhyming picture book from the creators of The Gruffalo, with a visit from a very special relative. Read our guide.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
By Beatrix Potter, 1902. Ages 2 to 6
A naughty rabbit goes into a garden he should not. It is a short classic with delicate pictures. Read our guide.
Winnie-the-Pooh
By A.A. Milne, illustrated by E.H. Shepard, 1926. Ages 4 to 8
Gentle stories of a bear and his friends in the woods. They suit reading aloud. Read our guide.
Rabbit and Bear: The Bog of Frogs
By Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field. Ages 5 and up
Rabbit wonders what stars are made of and feels very small, until some new friends in a bog show him the bigger picture. By an Irish author. Read our guide.
For confident readers (6 to 10)
Charlotte’s Web
By E.B. White, illustrated by Garth Williams, 1952. Ages 6 to 10
A pig is saved by a clever spider. It is a classic about friendship and loss. Read our guide.
The Wind in the Willows
By Kenneth Grahame, 1908. Ages 6 to 10
Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad share riverbank adventures. The language is old-fashioned, so it is best read aloud. Read our guide.
Bunny vs Monkey: Day of the Heroes
By Jamie Smart. Ages 6 to 10 (suggested)
The Woods need a hero in this comic adventure, good for readers who love graphic novels. Read our guide.
Dog Man: 10th Birthday Edition
By Dav Pilkey. Ages 6 to 9
A graphic novel about a hero who is part dog and part police officer. It suits reluctant readers. Read our guide.
Milly McCarthy and the Doggy Daycare Drama
By Leona Forde. Ages 7 to 10 (suggested)
Milly wants her own dog, and a dog-walking business grows into chaotic doggy daycare. Read our guide.
Disaster Dad: Animal Antics
By Donncha O’Callaghan. Ages 7 and up
Dad’s class trip to a wildlife park turns into chaos. Written by a former Ireland rugby international. Read our guide.
How to choose an animal book
- Match the age. Short rhyming books suit toddlers. Novels such as Charlotte’s Web are better when children can follow a longer story.
- Look for humour. Funny animals are often the ones children ask for again and again.
- Read the pictures. In picture books, the illustrations often tell their own story.
- Link to real animals. After reading, visit a farm, zoo or park and talk about the animals you saw. Our Irish children’s authors guide includes books set in Ireland.
Where next?
See more in the best children’s books of all time, the Top 20 children’s books or books for preschoolers. Try our colouring pages for animal fun that does not need a book.
What are the best animal books for toddlers?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You and The Tiger Who Came to Tea are three good choices.
What are the best animal books for 7 year olds?
Charlotte’s Web, The Wind in the Willows and comics such as Bunny vs Monkey and Dog Man are popular with this age.
Are animal stories good for reading aloud?
Yes. Rhyming books such as The Gruffalo and classics such as Winnie-the-Pooh are especially good for reading aloud.
Which animal books are Irish?
Rabbit and Bear, by Julian Gough, and Milly McCarthy, by Leona Forde, are from Irish authors.