Most Popular Books by Catherine Rayner

Abigail the giraffe loves counting. One day, she tries to count the spots on her friend Ladybug, but the little bug scurries away. Abigail tries to count Zebra's stripes and Cheetah's spots, but her friends just won't stand still! After several more unsuccessful attempts, Abigail begins to wonder if there's anything at all that she can count. Then, she has an idea....

Otto The Top Dog is a delightfully funny tale about kindness and sharing from CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Catherine Rayner, the creator of Arlo the Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep. This is Otto. Otto loves a lot of things, but nothing more than his beloved basket - and he's more than happy to share! A sweet, humorous and beautifully illustrated tale of a sausage dog who just can't say no. After Otto invites one of his friends to share his comfy basket, word quickly spreads around the neighbourhood. Soon he's sharing his cosy bed with all the dogs in the area, even taking in the local strays! Before he knows it, everyone is having the best sleep in his beloved basket: everyone, but Otto! Will Otto ever get his basket back to himself? And will he still like it if he does . . . Otto is a delightfully funny tale that will entertain young readers, while showing them that while it's fun to share, sometimes too much of a good thing isn't so great either!

Perfect for bedtime, Arlo The Lion Who Couldn't Sleep is a beautifully illustrated story with a gentle mindfulness message from award-wining author-illustrator Catherine Rayner. Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, it's especially helpful for little ones who have trouble going to sleep. Arlo the lion is exhausted. He just can't drop off, no matter what he tries. It's either too hot, or too cold; too loud or too quiet. But then he meets Owl. She can sleep through the day, which isn't easy when most other animals are awake! Will Arlo ever get any rest? Perhaps his new friend has some special tricks she can teach him to help him sleep . . .

Poor Solomon is looking for some fun but no one wants to play. The dragonflies tell him to buzz off, the storks get in a flap, and the hippo? Well, the less said about the hippo, the better! But then somebody else starts causing trouble . . . and for once it is NOT Solomon. Could it be the perfect pal for a lonely crocodile? Solomon Crocodile is a snappy, happy, fun story with stunning artwork from the Kate Greenaway award-winning Catherine Rayner.

Augustus the tiger was sad. He had lost his smile. So he did a HUGE tigery stretch, and set off to find it. He passes shiny insects, birds, mountains, fish and gets caught up in a rainstorm...

Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. "A fascinating account of the siblings' formative years to their deaths, exploring the forces that shaped them." — Telegraph & Argus From early childhood, literature and the world of books held the attention and sparked the fertile imaginations of the emotionally intense and fascinating Brontë siblings. Beset by tragedy, three outlets existed for their grief and their creative talents; they escaped into books, into the wild moorlands surrounding their home and into their own rich inner lives and an intricate play-world born of their collective imaginations. In this new study, Catherine Rayner offers a full and fascinating exploration of the formative years of these bright children, taking us on a journey from their earliest years to their tragically early deaths. The Brontë girls grew into women who were unafraid to write themselves into territories previously only visited by male authors. In addition, they tackled all the taboo subjects of their time; divorce, child abuse, bigamy, domestic violence, class, female depression and mental illness. Nothing was beyond their scope and it is especially for this ability and determination to speak for women, the marginalized and the disadvantaged that they are remembered and celebrated today, two hundred years after their births in the quiet Yorkshire village of Haworth. This timely release offers a fresh perspective on a fascinating family and a unique trio of talented and trailblazing sisters whose books will doubtless continue to haunt and inspire for generations to come. "Rayner certainly opens some interesting windows onto the world with her melding of the social conditions and the emotional and psychological states of her 'subjects.'" —Alliance of Literary Societies

Louie the dog has just had a bath - and he is NOT happy about it. He smells all wrong. Determined to get his Special Smell back, he goes on a hunt for it and meets lots of smelly things along the way - a fox, some interesting dustbins and a marvellously muddy puddle to roll in. Will he ever get his smell back? And, more importantly, will he be able to keep it this time . . . ? Catherine Rayner is the Kate Greenaway Medal-winning creator of Solomon Crocodile and Ernest. Smelly Louie is full of her trademark humour and richly textured artwork. Shortlisted for the Greenaway medal, this funny canine tale will be a sure-fire hit with children and adults alike.

Follow Richard the growing goldfish from an indoor tank to an outdoor pond in a story filled with gorgeous multilayered illustrations and sprinkled with fascinating facts. When I was four, I got my first pet: a fish no bigger than my hand, with red and orange scales. My very own goldfish! In his big tank in the kitchen, Richard the goldfish quickly bonds with—and even learns to recognize—his human companion, who tells him all about his day after school. A visiting friend, Sandy, shares some cool fish facts: Did you know that goldfish nap with their eyes open—because they don’t have eyelids? Or that they can let you know they’re hungry by swimming up and blowing bubbles? Sandy has a backyard pond filled with goldfish of all shapes and jewel-like colors, some much bigger (and older) than his friend’s new pet. What might Richard’s own future hold? Drawn in by the expressive illustrations and child-friendly tone, readers will emerge with a new appreciation for the beauty and personality of these classic pets. Kids inspired to care for a goldfish of their own will find a list of things they will need in the back matter.

"The animals glow in the illustrations, drawing readers into their magical world while reminding them that facing fears with good friends makes everything better." —School Library Journal (starred review) A new bedtime adventure for Molly, Olive, and Dexter—stars of the delightful series for toddlers from Kate Greenaway Medal–winning artist Catherine Rayner Molly the hare, Olive the owl, and Dexter the fox love to watch the sun set in the garden. But as night falls, they notice strange shapes in the shadows and hear strange rustlings in their beloved oak tree. What could it be? The more they look and listen, the more they wonder and worry. But is there really anything to worry about? Here is the fourth story about three animal friends that explores big emotional themes with gentle humor and gorgeous artwork perfectly pitched for toddlers!

Solomon Crocodile and his friend Mortimer are bored. They want to find some fun, but what can they do? Tree-climbing is tricky, chasing lizards doesn't end well and flying turns out to be a lot harder than it looks. But then they spot the biggest hippo in the river. Just imagine the splash he'd make if two naughty crocodiles were to surprise him! But Solomon and Mortimer are about to get a whole lot more than they bargained for . . . Sure to delight fans of the original Solomon Crocodile, which has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide, Solomon and Mortimer is a warm, funny and charming tale from the Kate Greenaway Medal winning Catherine Rayner, which young children will ask for again and again.

A beautiful story of a child's journey to independence. Grandpa shows Harris how to hop high into the sky, to climb to the tops of the mountains, and to run very fast. Harris not only learns about the world around him but also the importance of finding his own feet...

Mini is small, and Hardly is smaller – and neither of them are happy about it in this gorgeously illustrated, heart-warming picture book about unicorns from Kate Greenaway Medal-winning Catherine Rayner. Mini and Hardly are fed up of being small. Being grown-up would be so much better! They could eat what they want, stay up all night, and go on adventures. So . . . why wait? But it’s not long before the two little unicorns find themselves on an adventure a little bigger than they'd bargained for. Perhaps being small isn't so bad – after all, it makes you perfect for the BIGGEST cuddles.

Molly the hare, Olive the owl and Dexter the fox love to watch the sun set in the garden. But as night falls, they notice strange shapes in the shadows and hear strange rustlings in their beloved oak tree. And the more they look and listen, the more they wonder and worry.

Dexter the fox is frustrated when his owl and hare friends keep winning their chasing game—until he remembers that he has a special talent, too. Dexter the fox loves to play chase with Molly the hare and Olive the owl. But while Molly keeps bounding away on her great big feet and Olive swoops ahead with just a flap of her wings, Dexter simply can’t keep up, try as he might. What are foxes good at? In the third book of this gently humorous, gorgeously illustrated series exploring young children’s big emotions, award-winning author-illustrator Catherine Rayner brings clever Dexter to the fore as she shows that we all have something important to bring to the game.

"Olive the owl loves guessing games, and her best friends Molly the hare and Dexter the fox decide to play one together. But when it's Olive's go, try as they might, Molly and Dexter can't seem to work out the answer... Whatever is Olive thinking about?! One of three books, each starring a different member of this adorable trio, this story explores big emotional themes with gentle humour - delivering the charm of the 100 Acre Wood in a delightful package for toddlers"--

A journey through the English town where the Brontë sisters lived and wrote—for visitors or armchair travelers. Includes photos and two dozen maps. This lighthearted but deeply researched book offers interest and guidance to walkers, social historians, and lovers of the Brontë family, their lives and works. Set in and around the town of Haworth, it allows you to explore this unique area of Yorkshire and walk in the footsteps of those who knew and loved this town and its moorlands two hundred years ago. With guided tours around special buildings as well as outdoor walks and the history of people and places who lived and worked in Haworth over centuries, it offers an insight into life and death in the melee of the Industrial Revolution. Its authors have combined their lifelong interests in Victorian literature and social history with writing, walking, photography, and cartography, and have included quotes from Brontë poetry and novels.

Augustus the tiger was sad. He had lost his smile. So he did a huge tigery stretch, and set off to find it. In this book, the author and illustrator Catherine Rayner celebrates the beauty of the world and the simple happiness it brings us when we open our eyes to it.