Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a perennial favourite with children and adults alike. Its imaginative illustration and clever cut-out detail charts the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through the week.

This board book edition of what is surely a classic picture book is glossy, sturdy and ideal for curious little hands to get to grips with. (Ages 9 months to 2 years)--Susan Harrison

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

Perhaps she'll die?, 09 Oct 2008
I loved this book when I was little. I'm sure we had the paper version. But my 10 month old daughter now loves the indestructable board version. A must have.

Lovely, well-illustrated book, 03 Oct 2008
My toddler realy enjoys singing along, but I'm not sure he gets the significance of 'perhaps she'll die' - it's great fun, but it is irritating that each page shows both the new animal being introduced and the next one along - so that when I'm singing about the dog, the lad is shouting 'cow, daddy, look, cow'. But excellent for all that.

A childhood classic, 15 Sep 2008
A childhood favorite that I now share with my son. The imaginative book design with holes encourages interaction and is always stimulating. Any child who has been read this book at my house soon gets their own copy! Enjoy.

Brings back childhood memories, 31 Jul 2008
I love this book! I remember it from when I was a kid, (more than 30 years ago!) I have been searching for it for ages for my 3 year old son who loves books, and he loves it too. Not sure if it has changed over the years, but it's very much the same as I remember it to be.

My toddler prefers other sing along books, 06 May 2008
My 17 month old little boy has this, along with other sing along books, he's never taken to this one.
He much prefers "the wheels on the bus", I'm not sure if it's because this book isn't very colourful.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it when it arrived.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

Perhaps she'll die?, 09 Oct 2008
I loved this book when I was little. I'm sure we had the paper version. But my 10 month old daughter now loves the indestructable board version. A must have.

Lovely, well-illustrated book, 03 Oct 2008
My toddler realy enjoys singing along, but I'm not sure he gets the significance of 'perhaps she'll die' - it's great fun, but it is irritating that each page shows both the new animal being introduced and the next one along - so that when I'm singing about the dog, the lad is shouting 'cow, daddy, look, cow'. But excellent for all that.

A childhood classic, 15 Sep 2008
A childhood favorite that I now share with my son. The imaginative book design with holes encourages interaction and is always stimulating. Any child who has been read this book at my house soon gets their own copy! Enjoy.

Brings back childhood memories, 31 Jul 2008
I love this book! I remember it from when I was a kid, (more than 30 years ago!) I have been searching for it for ages for my 3 year old son who loves books, and he loves it too. Not sure if it has changed over the years, but it's very much the same as I remember it to be.

My toddler prefers other sing along books, 06 May 2008
My 17 month old little boy has this, along with other sing along books, he's never taken to this one.
He much prefers "the wheels on the bus", I'm not sure if it's because this book isn't very colourful.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it when it arrived.




Both my girls love this product!, 26 Mar 2008
Although I bought this with my four yeat old in mind,My almost three year old has enjoyed the work books just as much ,and thanks to her older sister is already pointing out letter sounds in her everyday activity's. This prouduct, has I feel given my children a head start on the road to learning!

Excellent!, 22 Jan 2008
We have used these for our son, who has just turned 4, alongside the teachers handbook. These books allow him to practice writing the letters we have learnt. Most importantly he has a real motivation to do them and always wants to learn the next letter.
Hopefully he will be a bit ahead when he starts school in September!

A fast and fun way to learn., 09 Jan 2008
I brought these books for my 3 1/2 year old daughter 2 days ago. We have been looking through the first two books together. I think they are brilliant. She has a fairly short attention span (what 3 year old doesn't), but these books managed to hold her attention.

Within a couple of days she has managed to identify the letter sounds, and amazingly has just sounded out/blended the word cat. What a fantastic start to her education!!!

Jolly Phonics Workbooks: Books 1-7 (Jolly Phonics: Workbook), 12 Dec 2007
My 5 year old daughter in Reception uses the Jolly Phonics scheme at her school. At the moment she does not receive any homework. I ordered these books and she is enjoying them right this minute. It compliments well with what she's learning at school, giving her confidence and developing her reading and writing skills. I recommend this book to anyone who has a child in Reception. It really is that good!

Jolly Phonics, 24 Jan 2005
An excellent insite into what your child is learing at school. I leave the books around the playroom and my son of 4 years and in reception will pick them up, recognise the letters that he has learnt at school and attempt to colour, write and read the exercises.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

Perhaps she'll die?, 09 Oct 2008
I loved this book when I was little. I'm sure we had the paper version. But my 10 month old daughter now loves the indestructable board version. A must have.

Lovely, well-illustrated book, 03 Oct 2008
My toddler realy enjoys singing along, but I'm not sure he gets the significance of 'perhaps she'll die' - it's great fun, but it is irritating that each page shows both the new animal being introduced and the next one along - so that when I'm singing about the dog, the lad is shouting 'cow, daddy, look, cow'. But excellent for all that.

A childhood classic, 15 Sep 2008
A childhood favorite that I now share with my son. The imaginative book design with holes encourages interaction and is always stimulating. Any child who has been read this book at my house soon gets their own copy! Enjoy.

Brings back childhood memories, 31 Jul 2008
I love this book! I remember it from when I was a kid, (more than 30 years ago!) I have been searching for it for ages for my 3 year old son who loves books, and he loves it too. Not sure if it has changed over the years, but it's very much the same as I remember it to be.

My toddler prefers other sing along books, 06 May 2008
My 17 month old little boy has this, along with other sing along books, he's never taken to this one.
He much prefers "the wheels on the bus", I'm not sure if it's because this book isn't very colourful.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it when it arrived.




Both my girls love this product!, 26 Mar 2008
Although I bought this with my four yeat old in mind,My almost three year old has enjoyed the work books just as much ,and thanks to her older sister is already pointing out letter sounds in her everyday activity's. This prouduct, has I feel given my children a head start on the road to learning!

Excellent!, 22 Jan 2008
We have used these for our son, who has just turned 4, alongside the teachers handbook. These books allow him to practice writing the letters we have learnt. Most importantly he has a real motivation to do them and always wants to learn the next letter.
Hopefully he will be a bit ahead when he starts school in September!

A fast and fun way to learn., 09 Jan 2008
I brought these books for my 3 1/2 year old daughter 2 days ago. We have been looking through the first two books together. I think they are brilliant. She has a fairly short attention span (what 3 year old doesn't), but these books managed to hold her attention.

Within a couple of days she has managed to identify the letter sounds, and amazingly has just sounded out/blended the word cat. What a fantastic start to her education!!!

Jolly Phonics Workbooks: Books 1-7 (Jolly Phonics: Workbook), 12 Dec 2007
My 5 year old daughter in Reception uses the Jolly Phonics scheme at her school. At the moment she does not receive any homework. I ordered these books and she is enjoying them right this minute. It compliments well with what she's learning at school, giving her confidence and developing her reading and writing skills. I recommend this book to anyone who has a child in Reception. It really is that good!

Jolly Phonics, 24 Jan 2005
An excellent insite into what your child is learing at school. I leave the books around the playroom and my son of 4 years and in reception will pick them up, recognise the letters that he has learnt at school and attempt to colour, write and read the exercises.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Best Buy!, 22 Sep 2008
I bought this last xmas for my son, who was then 3 months old. He was interested in it as soon as he got it - initially just looking at the pictures when I turned the pages. He then learned to turn the pages himself and loved the Daddy and Baby pictures the best - they always made him smile, as did the mirror on the front and he also loved to crinkle the pages. He loved this book! Even now, at just over a year old, I keep it in his cot as he still plays with it sometimes when he wakes up from a nap. He now absolutely loves books and am sure this fab initial introduction helped.
I cant recommend this highly enough! Am buying it this year for my new niece.

Rubbish!!, 28 Aug 2008
I bought this book on the strength of the great reviews it has had but it is terrible. It only has three pages with the pictures of mum, dad and baby that you see on the front cover. That is it! The pictures have black/white/yellow decorations around them that my daughter looked at briefly but an absolute waste of money!

a total hit!, 16 Aug 2008
my 3 month old granddaughter was captivated by this book from the second she saw it. I was doubtful when I first saw the book 'in the flesh' that it would hold her attention for long. It is extremely short and very simplistic, but she was (and still is) mesmerized by it. She stares intently at the patterns and smiles back at the faces. The crunchy sounds she is rewarded with when trying to grab at the pictures or chew the pages are an added bonus. This looks like being a favourite for quite some time

"A gruffalo? What's a gruffalo?"
"A gruffalo! Why, didn't you know? He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws."

And so begins the story of a quick-witted mouse as he encounters a host of predators who seem to think he might make a tasty treat. As he ventures deeper into the deep dark wood, stumbling across a hungry fox, a not-so-wise owl, and a slimy snake, spinning ever-extraordinary yarns about the scary, scaly gruffalo, he quickly realises that the hungry beast he has been talking of isn't imaginary after all.

A witty, sly little story that wrings giggles from the belly of the reader, The Gruffalo is both stylish and hilarious, simple in its execution, as it plays skilfully on a child's fears and then shows that even the most threatening of monsters are not always as scary as they seem.

A combination of read-along-rhyme by Julia Donaldson and illustrations by Alex Sheffler which perfectly capture the atmosphere of the story, The Gruffalo is an excellent picture book for 3-5-year-olds to read along with their parents, and is certain to become something of a classic. --Susan Harrison

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

Perhaps she'll die?, 09 Oct 2008
I loved this book when I was little. I'm sure we had the paper version. But my 10 month old daughter now loves the indestructable board version. A must have.

Lovely, well-illustrated book, 03 Oct 2008
My toddler realy enjoys singing along, but I'm not sure he gets the significance of 'perhaps she'll die' - it's great fun, but it is irritating that each page shows both the new animal being introduced and the next one along - so that when I'm singing about the dog, the lad is shouting 'cow, daddy, look, cow'. But excellent for all that.

A childhood classic, 15 Sep 2008
A childhood favorite that I now share with my son. The imaginative book design with holes encourages interaction and is always stimulating. Any child who has been read this book at my house soon gets their own copy! Enjoy.

Brings back childhood memories, 31 Jul 2008
I love this book! I remember it from when I was a kid, (more than 30 years ago!) I have been searching for it for ages for my 3 year old son who loves books, and he loves it too. Not sure if it has changed over the years, but it's very much the same as I remember it to be.

My toddler prefers other sing along books, 06 May 2008
My 17 month old little boy has this, along with other sing along books, he's never taken to this one.
He much prefers "the wheels on the bus", I'm not sure if it's because this book isn't very colourful.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it when it arrived.




Both my girls love this product!, 26 Mar 2008
Although I bought this with my four yeat old in mind,My almost three year old has enjoyed the work books just as much ,and thanks to her older sister is already pointing out letter sounds in her everyday activity's. This prouduct, has I feel given my children a head start on the road to learning!

Excellent!, 22 Jan 2008
We have used these for our son, who has just turned 4, alongside the teachers handbook. These books allow him to practice writing the letters we have learnt. Most importantly he has a real motivation to do them and always wants to learn the next letter.
Hopefully he will be a bit ahead when he starts school in September!

A fast and fun way to learn., 09 Jan 2008
I brought these books for my 3 1/2 year old daughter 2 days ago. We have been looking through the first two books together. I think they are brilliant. She has a fairly short attention span (what 3 year old doesn't), but these books managed to hold her attention.

Within a couple of days she has managed to identify the letter sounds, and amazingly has just sounded out/blended the word cat. What a fantastic start to her education!!!

Jolly Phonics Workbooks: Books 1-7 (Jolly Phonics: Workbook), 12 Dec 2007
My 5 year old daughter in Reception uses the Jolly Phonics scheme at her school. At the moment she does not receive any homework. I ordered these books and she is enjoying them right this minute. It compliments well with what she's learning at school, giving her confidence and developing her reading and writing skills. I recommend this book to anyone who has a child in Reception. It really is that good!

Jolly Phonics, 24 Jan 2005
An excellent insite into what your child is learing at school. I leave the books around the playroom and my son of 4 years and in reception will pick them up, recognise the letters that he has learnt at school and attempt to colour, write and read the exercises.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Best Buy!, 22 Sep 2008
I bought this last xmas for my son, who was then 3 months old. He was interested in it as soon as he got it - initially just looking at the pictures when I turned the pages. He then learned to turn the pages himself and loved the Daddy and Baby pictures the best - they always made him smile, as did the mirror on the front and he also loved to crinkle the pages. He loved this book! Even now, at just over a year old, I keep it in his cot as he still plays with it sometimes when he wakes up from a nap. He now absolutely loves books and am sure this fab initial introduction helped.
I cant recommend this highly enough! Am buying it this year for my new niece.

Rubbish!!, 28 Aug 2008
I bought this book on the strength of the great reviews it has had but it is terrible. It only has three pages with the pictures of mum, dad and baby that you see on the front cover. That is it! The pictures have black/white/yellow decorations around them that my daughter looked at briefly but an absolute waste of money!

a total hit!, 16 Aug 2008
my 3 month old granddaughter was captivated by this book from the second she saw it. I was doubtful when I first saw the book 'in the flesh' that it would hold her attention for long. It is extremely short and very simplistic, but she was (and still is) mesmerized by it. She stares intently at the patterns and smiles back at the faces. The crunchy sounds she is rewarded with when trying to grab at the pictures or chew the pages are an added bonus. This looks like being a favourite for quite some time

Get it on your book shelf, 05 Oct 2008
I bought this book along with the gruffalo's child for my 3 year old daughter. What a fantastic buy, she loved it, the animation and story telling is brilliant, not only for her but for me as the reader. I will be buying the other books in this collection shortly.

Amazing Book!!!!, 02 Oct 2008
This has to be one of THE best kids books I have read in a long time. Bought it for my nephew who won't really understand it at a year old but the rhyming is so clever. Buy it, you won't be disappointed!! :)

Gruffalo Greatness, 16 Sep 2008
A mouse of the forest uses his wit and cunning to escape the jaws of many passing predators, by saying that he is a friend with a supposedly made-up beast called `The Gruffalo'. As the book progresses through bigger predators, it transpires that the mouse was partially telling the truth in that there is such a thing as The Gruffalo, but it too wishes to eat the mouse...

The book main moral backbone is regarding differences, bullying and confrontation. It also helps with phonics, placing sounds to animals and wildlife knowledge such as habitats.

When read to the pupils in [Primary School], it became clear to me just how popular this book this truly is. There are great possibilities in using this as a backup read, in order to test pupil's memory and participation levels. As suggested at the placement, The Gruffalo books could also be adapted into a musical by higher years, as the book has a compositional layout (clear verses and choruses), whilst the different animals could have different relevant instruments assigned to them (flute for mouse, heavy drums and rock guitar for Gruffalo etc). This then leads to the possibility for a school production, with a stage adaptation that incorporates the entire school.

Brilliant Book, A MUST BUY, 13 Sep 2008
"He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws... He has knobbily knees and turned-out toes, and a poisounous wart at the end of his nose. His eyes are orange, his tongue is black; He has purple prickles all over his back... He's the Gruffalo! Gruffalo! Gruffalo!"

How many times must I have read this book to the 1-2 year olds in the nursery I work at 100 , 200 times.

I've found the 1 year olds, right up to 4 years old love this story.

This book is really easy to read with a flowing rhythm to the words and great rhymes. Repetitive for the children, which they love, but retaining interest for the reader too.

Its so good I've just gone out and brought this book plus The Gruffalo Child for my just turning 3 year old nephew, I think he will love it too.

I can't sing this book's praises enough

THIS IS A MUST BUY for children aged 2 or upwards

The Gruffalo's Child
Night Monkey, Day Monkey (Book & CD)
Nanny McPhee [2005]
Spot's Treasure Hunt: Lift-the-flap Picture Book (Spot)Baby Busy Books: Colourful Chameleon (Baby Busy Books)
Over The Hedge [2006]
Madagascar [2005]

wonderful, 06 Aug 2008
It's great.

Buy it.

Your kids will love it.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

Perhaps she'll die?, 09 Oct 2008
I loved this book when I was little. I'm sure we had the paper version. But my 10 month old daughter now loves the indestructable board version. A must have.

Lovely, well-illustrated book, 03 Oct 2008
My toddler realy enjoys singing along, but I'm not sure he gets the significance of 'perhaps she'll die' - it's great fun, but it is irritating that each page shows both the new animal being introduced and the next one along - so that when I'm singing about the dog, the lad is shouting 'cow, daddy, look, cow'. But excellent for all that.

A childhood classic, 15 Sep 2008
A childhood favorite that I now share with my son. The imaginative book design with holes encourages interaction and is always stimulating. Any child who has been read this book at my house soon gets their own copy! Enjoy.

Brings back childhood memories, 31 Jul 2008
I love this book! I remember it from when I was a kid, (more than 30 years ago!) I have been searching for it for ages for my 3 year old son who loves books, and he loves it too. Not sure if it has changed over the years, but it's very much the same as I remember it to be.

My toddler prefers other sing along books, 06 May 2008
My 17 month old little boy has this, along with other sing along books, he's never taken to this one.
He much prefers "the wheels on the bus", I'm not sure if it's because this book isn't very colourful.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it when it arrived.




Both my girls love this product!, 26 Mar 2008
Although I bought this with my four yeat old in mind,My almost three year old has enjoyed the work books just as much ,and thanks to her older sister is already pointing out letter sounds in her everyday activity's. This prouduct, has I feel given my children a head start on the road to learning!

Excellent!, 22 Jan 2008
We have used these for our son, who has just turned 4, alongside the teachers handbook. These books allow him to practice writing the letters we have learnt. Most importantly he has a real motivation to do them and always wants to learn the next letter.
Hopefully he will be a bit ahead when he starts school in September!

A fast and fun way to learn., 09 Jan 2008
I brought these books for my 3 1/2 year old daughter 2 days ago. We have been looking through the first two books together. I think they are brilliant. She has a fairly short attention span (what 3 year old doesn't), but these books managed to hold her attention.

Within a couple of days she has managed to identify the letter sounds, and amazingly has just sounded out/blended the word cat. What a fantastic start to her education!!!

Jolly Phonics Workbooks: Books 1-7 (Jolly Phonics: Workbook), 12 Dec 2007
My 5 year old daughter in Reception uses the Jolly Phonics scheme at her school. At the moment she does not receive any homework. I ordered these books and she is enjoying them right this minute. It compliments well with what she's learning at school, giving her confidence and developing her reading and writing skills. I recommend this book to anyone who has a child in Reception. It really is that good!

Jolly Phonics, 24 Jan 2005
An excellent insite into what your child is learing at school. I leave the books around the playroom and my son of 4 years and in reception will pick them up, recognise the letters that he has learnt at school and attempt to colour, write and read the exercises.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Best Buy!, 22 Sep 2008
I bought this last xmas for my son, who was then 3 months old. He was interested in it as soon as he got it - initially just looking at the pictures when I turned the pages. He then learned to turn the pages himself and loved the Daddy and Baby pictures the best - they always made him smile, as did the mirror on the front and he also loved to crinkle the pages. He loved this book! Even now, at just over a year old, I keep it in his cot as he still plays with it sometimes when he wakes up from a nap. He now absolutely loves books and am sure this fab initial introduction helped.
I cant recommend this highly enough! Am buying it this year for my new niece.

Rubbish!!, 28 Aug 2008
I bought this book on the strength of the great reviews it has had but it is terrible. It only has three pages with the pictures of mum, dad and baby that you see on the front cover. That is it! The pictures have black/white/yellow decorations around them that my daughter looked at briefly but an absolute waste of money!

a total hit!, 16 Aug 2008
my 3 month old granddaughter was captivated by this book from the second she saw it. I was doubtful when I first saw the book 'in the flesh' that it would hold her attention for long. It is extremely short and very simplistic, but she was (and still is) mesmerized by it. She stares intently at the patterns and smiles back at the faces. The crunchy sounds she is rewarded with when trying to grab at the pictures or chew the pages are an added bonus. This looks like being a favourite for quite some time

Get it on your book shelf, 05 Oct 2008
I bought this book along with the gruffalo's child for my 3 year old daughter. What a fantastic buy, she loved it, the animation and story telling is brilliant, not only for her but for me as the reader. I will be buying the other books in this collection shortly.

Amazing Book!!!!, 02 Oct 2008
This has to be one of THE best kids books I have read in a long time. Bought it for my nephew who won't really understand it at a year old but the rhyming is so clever. Buy it, you won't be disappointed!! :)

Gruffalo Greatness, 16 Sep 2008
A mouse of the forest uses his wit and cunning to escape the jaws of many passing predators, by saying that he is a friend with a supposedly made-up beast called `The Gruffalo'. As the book progresses through bigger predators, it transpires that the mouse was partially telling the truth in that there is such a thing as The Gruffalo, but it too wishes to eat the mouse...

The book main moral backbone is regarding differences, bullying and confrontation. It also helps with phonics, placing sounds to animals and wildlife knowledge such as habitats.

When read to the pupils in [Primary School], it became clear to me just how popular this book this truly is. There are great possibilities in using this as a backup read, in order to test pupil's memory and participation levels. As suggested at the placement, The Gruffalo books could also be adapted into a musical by higher years, as the book has a compositional layout (clear verses and choruses), whilst the different animals could have different relevant instruments assigned to them (flute for mouse, heavy drums and rock guitar for Gruffalo etc). This then leads to the possibility for a school production, with a stage adaptation that incorporates the entire school.

Brilliant Book, A MUST BUY, 13 Sep 2008
"He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws... He has knobbily knees and turned-out toes, and a poisounous wart at the end of his nose. His eyes are orange, his tongue is black; He has purple prickles all over his back... He's the Gruffalo! Gruffalo! Gruffalo!"

How many times must I have read this book to the 1-2 year olds in the nursery I work at 100 , 200 times.

I've found the 1 year olds, right up to 4 years old love this story.

This book is really easy to read with a flowing rhythm to the words and great rhymes. Repetitive for the children, which they love, but retaining interest for the reader too.

Its so good I've just gone out and brought this book plus The Gruffalo Child for my just turning 3 year old nephew, I think he will love it too.

I can't sing this book's praises enough

THIS IS A MUST BUY for children aged 2 or upwards

The Gruffalo's Child
Night Monkey, Day Monkey (Book & CD)
Nanny McPhee [2005]
Spot's Treasure Hunt: Lift-the-flap Picture Book (Spot)Baby Busy Books: Colourful Chameleon (Baby Busy Books)
Over The Hedge [2006]
Madagascar [2005]

wonderful, 06 Aug 2008
It's great.

Buy it.

Your kids will love it.

Brilliant, 30 Jul 2008
My 2 year old daughter loves all of these books - very imaginative stories - great illustrations - pages contain lots of detail she really enjoys.

Top marks!, 07 Jul 2008
My daughter who is not yet two just loves this book, she finds it hard to put down and wants to read it over and over (luckily for us, Mummy and Daddy enjoy it too)
The only mistake I made though was buying the paperback version first (I didn't see the board one was available at the time) so if you are buying for smaller hands and fingers then I would suggest buying the board book first. I am going to and then put aside the paperback for when she is a bit older....as it is, this favorite isn't going to last very long in our home as my daughter would take it with her in the bath if she could!

Excellent storyline and illustrations. Top marks all round!!


Great Pre-school Reading, 06 Jul 2008
Absolutely fascinating book. My twin nieces have enjoyed this from the age of three, when it was first bought for them until now, at the ripe old age of 4 years.
They love the story, the illustrations and love telling Mum & Dad what is going to happen on the next page before it is turned over !!!
This book was well worth the cost and has been excellent in every way. Highly recommended for your toddler.

Buzz off thats MY witch !!!, 04 Jul 2008
Simply fantastic.

The rhyming scheme is fantastic and the characters likeable. Even tho the witch is 'ugly' and has a big wart on her nose, she is kind and helps people and ISN'T scary.

A very funny story, with great rhymes and moral messages but without being preachy- so they just absorb my osmosis that if you do good things for your friends and dont judge them on how they look, then they will do good things for you in return.

The highlight tho is my 3 year old and I booming out together "BUZZ OFF- THATS *MY* WITCH" at the dragon. Even funnier was when he reused it when his friend tried to take one of his cars !! Ha ha

Buy it, you wont regret it

"The witch had a cat and a very tall hat, and long ginger hair which she wore in a plait.", 23 Apr 2008
Its hard for me to review this book because I SO wanted to give it a 5 star rating. It has fun clear pictures and the rhyming story is easy to read and fun to tell. I really think it deserves top marks!

But my 3 year old son HATED it. He was scared of the dragon and scared of the witch! After our first reading he said to me "Mummy, I don't like that book"!

However, I do think there are a lot of children out there who WILL like it. In fact, I have purchased a copy for a friend's daughter who I know for a fact loves stories about witches.

Therefore I am giving this book 4 stars, because I like it, some children will like it, its just that my own son didn't.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in her little hands and she adores paging through it, watching all that the little caterpillar eats (even the sad caterpillar face with a stomachache makes me smile)
My daughter reads it over and over again. It's a classic and a firm favorite in our home.

Aliens Love Underpants, 07 Aug 2008
Colourful, funny, vibrant - fantastic book for the under 5's
It's follow-up Dinosaurs love underpants is also great, my son loves choosing which pair of pants he's going to wear from the inside cover, a lot of imagination, thought and effort has gone into these books.
One to add for sure!

PANTS are always great!!, 11 Jul 2008
This book is great, I read it to my year 6 class and they hooted with laughter, who said picture books aren't good fro older kids.
We even then did some work on this in our book week.
Good stuff, it would even make a good adult toilet book!!

Good fun, 25 Jun 2008
My three year old son thinks this book is hilarious. Lots of chuckles and silliness with pants and aliens, all good topics for little boys.

brilliant!, 23 Jun 2008
My little boy is only 7 months and he loves it already. He coos and gurgles at the brightly coloured pictures and loves me reading the rhyming story to him. I'm sure it'll be a firm favourite for years to come.

Hilarious, 03 Jun 2008
Purchased this for class of 3-5 yr olds to link in with topic on Outer Space. The children love the title and laughed from the start. It's great to be able to introduce sometimes taboo subjects like "pants" to little ones in such a light hearted way. We had great discussions about which of the pants pictured they thought our staff members might be wearing. Their answers were hilarious. Weeks after we read it the children are still quoting from it and recalling what the aliens were doing!

Perhaps she'll die?, 09 Oct 2008
I loved this book when I was little. I'm sure we had the paper version. But my 10 month old daughter now loves the indestructable board version. A must have.

Lovely, well-illustrated book, 03 Oct 2008
My toddler realy enjoys singing along, but I'm not sure he gets the significance of 'perhaps she'll die' - it's great fun, but it is irritating that each page shows both the new animal being introduced and the next one along - so that when I'm singing about the dog, the lad is shouting 'cow, daddy, look, cow'. But excellent for all that.

A childhood classic, 15 Sep 2008
A childhood favorite that I now share with my son. The imaginative book design with holes encourages interaction and is always stimulating. Any child who has been read this book at my house soon gets their own copy! Enjoy.

Brings back childhood memories, 31 Jul 2008
I love this book! I remember it from when I was a kid, (more than 30 years ago!) I have been searching for it for ages for my 3 year old son who loves books, and he loves it too. Not sure if it has changed over the years, but it's very much the same as I remember it to be.

My toddler prefers other sing along books, 06 May 2008
My 17 month old little boy has this, along with other sing along books, he's never taken to this one.
He much prefers "the wheels on the bus", I'm not sure if it's because this book isn't very colourful.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it when it arrived.




Both my girls love this product!, 26 Mar 2008
Although I bought this with my four yeat old in mind,My almost three year old has enjoyed the work books just as much ,and thanks to her older sister is already pointing out letter sounds in her everyday activity's. This prouduct, has I feel given my children a head start on the road to learning!

Excellent!, 22 Jan 2008
We have used these for our son, who has just turned 4, alongside the teachers handbook. These books allow him to practice writing the letters we have learnt. Most importantly he has a real motivation to do them and always wants to learn the next letter.
Hopefully he will be a bit ahead when he starts school in September!

A fast and fun way to learn., 09 Jan 2008
I brought these books for my 3 1/2 year old daughter 2 days ago. We have been looking through the first two books together. I think they are brilliant. She has a fairly short attention span (what 3 year old doesn't), but these books managed to hold her attention.

Within a couple of days she has managed to identify the letter sounds, and amazingly has just sounded out/blended the word cat. What a fantastic start to her education!!!

Jolly Phonics Workbooks: Books 1-7 (Jolly Phonics: Workbook), 12 Dec 2007
My 5 year old daughter in Reception uses the Jolly Phonics scheme at her school. At the moment she does not receive any homework. I ordered these books and she is enjoying them right this minute. It compliments well with what she's learning at school, giving her confidence and developing her reading and writing skills. I recommend this book to anyone who has a child in Reception. It really is that good!

Jolly Phonics, 24 Jan 2005
An excellent insite into what your child is learing at school. I leave the books around the playroom and my son of 4 years and in reception will pick them up, recognise the letters that he has learnt at school and attempt to colour, write and read the exercises.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Perfect for very young babies, 09 Oct 2008
This perfect for very young babies. To an adult eye (or any child over maybe 6 months) it's something and nothing. BUT, let your baby decide. You'll see it's so very well suited to him/her. Six pages of simple faces or patterns that mesmerise very young babies. We used ours with our daughter from aged 4 weeks. We would just have it open were she could see it and she'd become calm and transfixed. The contrasts delight little babies. A fabulous value for money first book for the very small.

Best Buy!, 22 Sep 2008
I bought this last xmas for my son, who was then 3 months old. He was interested in it as soon as he got it - initially just looking at the pictures when I turned the pages. He then learned to turn the pages himself and loved the Daddy and Baby pictures the best - they always made him smile, as did the mirror on the front and he also loved to crinkle the pages. He loved this book! Even now, at just over a year old, I keep it in his cot as he still plays with it sometimes when he wakes up from a nap. He now absolutely loves books and am sure this fab initial introduction helped.
I cant recommend this highly enough! Am buying it this year for my new niece.

Rubbish!!, 28 Aug 2008
I bought this book on the strength of the great reviews it has had but it is terrible. It only has three pages with the pictures of mum, dad and baby that you see on the front cover. That is it! The pictures have black/white/yellow decorations around them that my daughter looked at briefly but an absolute waste of money!

a total hit!, 16 Aug 2008
my 3 month old granddaughter was captivated by this book from the second she saw it. I was doubtful when I first saw the book 'in the flesh' that it would hold her attention for long. It is extremely short and very simplistic, but she was (and still is) mesmerized by it. She stares intently at the patterns and smiles back at the faces. The crunchy sounds she is rewarded with when trying to grab at the pictures or chew the pages are an added bonus. This looks like being a favourite for quite some time

Get it on your book shelf, 05 Oct 2008
I bought this book along with the gruffalo's child for my 3 year old daughter. What a fantastic buy, she loved it, the animation and story telling is brilliant, not only for her but for me as the reader. I will be buying the other books in this collection shortly.

Amazing Book!!!!, 02 Oct 2008
This has to be one of THE best kids books I have read in a long time. Bought it for my nephew who won't really understand it at a year old but the rhyming is so clever. Buy it, you won't be disappointed!! :)

Gruffalo Greatness, 16 Sep 2008
A mouse of the forest uses his wit and cunning to escape the jaws of many passing predators, by saying that he is a friend with a supposedly made-up beast called `The Gruffalo'. As the book progresses through bigger predators, it transpires that the mouse was partially telling the truth in that there is such a thing as The Gruffalo, but it too wishes to eat the mouse...

The book main moral backbone is regarding differences, bullying and confrontation. It also helps with phonics, placing sounds to animals and wildlife knowledge such as habitats.

When read to the pupils in [Primary School], it became clear to me just how popular this book this truly is. There are great possibilities in using this as a backup read, in order to test pupil's memory and participation levels. As suggested at the placement, The Gruffalo books could also be adapted into a musical by higher years, as the book has a compositional layout (clear verses and choruses), whilst the different animals could have different relevant instruments assigned to them (flute for mouse, heavy drums and rock guitar for Gruffalo etc). This then leads to the possibility for a school production, with a stage adaptation that incorporates the entire school.

Brilliant Book, A MUST BUY, 13 Sep 2008
"He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws... He has knobbily knees and turned-out toes, and a poisounous wart at the end of his nose. His eyes are orange, his tongue is black; He has purple prickles all over his back... He's the Gruffalo! Gruffalo! Gruffalo!"

How many times must I have read this book to the 1-2 year olds in the nursery I work at 100 , 200 times.

I've found the 1 year olds, right up to 4 years old love this story.

This book is really easy to read with a flowing rhythm to the words and great rhymes. Repetitive for the children, which they love, but retaining interest for the reader too.

Its so good I've just gone out and brought this book plus The Gruffalo Child for my just turning 3 year old nephew, I think he will love it too.

I can't sing this book's praises enough

THIS IS A MUST BUY for children aged 2 or upwards

The Gruffalo's Child
Night Monkey, Day Monkey (Book & CD)
Nanny McPhee [2005]
Spot's Treasure Hunt: Lift-the-flap Picture Book (Spot)Baby Busy Books: Colourful Chameleon (Baby Busy Books)
Over The Hedge [2006]
Madagascar [2005]

wonderful, 06 Aug 2008
It's great.

Buy it.

Your kids will love it.

Brilliant, 30 Jul 2008
My 2 year old daughter loves all of these books - very imaginative stories - great illustrations - pages contain lots of detail she really enjoys.

Top marks!, 07 Jul 2008
My daughter who is not yet two just loves this book, she finds it hard to put down and wants to read it over and over (luckily for us, Mummy and Daddy enjoy it too)
The only mistake I made though was buying the paperback version first (I didn't see the board one was available at the time) so if you are buying for smaller hands and fingers then I would suggest buying the board book first. I am going to and then put aside the paperback for when she is a bit older....as it is, this favorite isn't going to last very long in our home as my daughter would take it with her in the bath if she could!

Excellent storyline and illustrations. Top marks all round!!


Great Pre-school Reading, 06 Jul 2008
Absolutely fascinating book. My twin nieces have enjoyed this from the age of three, when it was first bought for them until now, at the ripe old age of 4 years.
They love the story, the illustrations and love telling Mum & Dad what is going to happen on the next page before it is turned over !!!
This book was well worth the cost and has been excellent in every way. Highly recommended for your toddler.

Buzz off thats MY witch !!!, 04 Jul 2008
Simply fantastic.

The rhyming scheme is fantastic and the characters likeable. Even tho the witch is 'ugly' and has a big wart on her nose, she is kind and helps people and ISN'T scary.

A very funny story, with great rhymes and moral messages but without being preachy- so they just absorb my osmosis that if you do good things for your friends and dont judge them on how they look, then they will do good things for you in return.

The highlight tho is my 3 year old and I booming out together "BUZZ OFF- THATS *MY* WITCH" at the dragon. Even funnier was when he reused it when his friend tried to take one of his cars !! Ha ha

Buy it, you wont regret it

"The witch had a cat and a very tall hat, and long ginger hair which she wore in a plait.", 23 Apr 2008
Its hard for me to review this book because I SO wanted to give it a 5 star rating. It has fun clear pictures and the rhyming story is easy to read and fun to tell. I really think it deserves top marks!

But my 3 year old son HATED it. He was scared of the dragon and scared of the witch! After our first reading he said to me "Mummy, I don't like that book"!

However, I do think there are a lot of children out there who WILL like it. In fact, I have purchased a copy for a friend's daughter who I know for a fact loves stories about witches.

Therefore I am giving this book 4 stars, because I like it, some children will like it, its just that my own son didn't.



A must for any childs collection., 20 Sep 2008
My 8 year old daughter has had this book for many years along with Room on the Broom, Monkey Puzzle, Gruffalo etc. and I have to say that all of the books are brilliant (even a cynical 41 year old like me enjoys reading them repeatedly....to her of course). They are all cleverly written (in a rhyming style) and beautifully illustrated (with some repeat themes / characters popping up in various books - look out for them). I would strongly recommend buying this or Room on the Broom as an introduction to the world of Donaldson / Scheffler.

another crowd pleaser, 27 Jul 2008
Another crowd pleaser from the author and illustrator of The Gruffalo and Room on a Broom. My kids love these books. They don't ever get tired of hearing them, which is why this gets four stars. It doesn't get five because I don't like it at all. If you're looking for funny rhyming books with great illustrations I highly recommend the work of Lynley Dodd whose prolific output includes Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy and Slinky Malinky.

What I find most annoying about reading this book out loud is the fact that the words are squeezed to fit the fact that this is a rhyming story. The sentences just don't work, and yet the rhyme is so appealing for children that it is both memorable and immensely popular. The illustrations are good and there is lots of detail to talk about which keeps them amused and very engaged with the story.

So, great for kids, not for me.

This is a tale of a tiny snail..., 21 Jul 2008
I don't normally write reviews (laziness really!) but for this book I make an exception. My 16 month old LOVES this book. I thought he'd be a bit young for the lengthy story, but not at all, he can't get enough of it!! 4 times in a 2hour period yesterday!! Maybe that's a bad thing!? Illustrations are beautiful & the story is simple yet wonderful... it's probably my favourite book too!

Lovely story with great pictures and rhymes, 21 Jun 2008
This was an instant hit with my toddler, who was entranced by the rhymes and learned the word snail within a single read. I found myself quite moved when reading it too, especially when the snail feels small in the big beautiful world.

wallydos, 12 Jun 2008
My 2 year old son adores The Snail and the Whale as well as the Room on the Broom. We read them nearly every night. They are also fun to read as an adult compared to many other children's books that drive you potty after the 10th time!

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

Keeps them occupied, 15 Aug 2008
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny.
Well recommended for very small kids.

Little ones just love it!, 07 Jul 2008
I remembered this book from when I was young so I decided to buy the board book version for my toddler daughter.
The smaller board book fits comfortably in h