Children’s books with cosy, gentle drawings of animals

[tokajlover]

I am looking after something quite specific, but hoping mumsnetters can help!

I have an 18-month-old little girl who loves picture books with animals, but prefers gentler stories with old-fashioned, cosy illustrations of animals living their lives (think Beatrix Potter and the Brambly Hedge, or even stuff like Can’t You Sleep Little Bear/Old Bear etc.)

I am basically looking for books like the above; even if they have gone out of print will look for second-hand editions, stuff like The Foxwood Tales which was recommended to me recently would be perfect. It’s fine if they are longer books as they will grow with her and she likes having chapter books read to her while eating or at bedtime. Most of the stuff I am looking for will be out of print so that’s why I am relying on your childhood memories of books you liked that I might find second-hand!

Thank you!

Little Grey Rabbit

Sometimes I feel I'd like to live inside a Brambly Hedge illustration. The cosiness and cuteness is 10/10.

I loved this book called Animal Bedtime Stories. I remember getting it for Christmas when I was about 6 and I still have it 40 years later.

Seconding Little Grey Rabbit [author is Alison Uttley, illustrator Margaret Tempest]
Also Mick Inkpen: Kipper the Dog and the stories about Percy the park-keeper are lovely.

I love the rabbit and hedgehog books by Paul Stewart.

And I've just remembered The Oakapple Wood Treasury. V similar to Brambly Hedge

'Come by chance' is a lovely book that always sticks in my mind that would be perfect for you.

https://www.psbooks.co.uk/velveteen-rabbit-2

My childhood faves were Tales of Mrs Hedgehog and Friends.
Published under the "St Michael" name for Marks and Spencer in the early 1980s.

I loved the Blackberry Farm books by Jane Pilgrim as a child, and my children subsequently loved my mum reading them to them. Christmas at Blackberry Farm was an annual Christmas Eve tradition ☺️

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rowan-Yew-children-Award-shortlisted-Harrison/dp/1913322130/ref=ascdff_1913322130?nodl=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=500779243863&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10719215397432478166&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045565&hvtargid=pla-1261023628555&psc=1&mcid=8888a7d07f8c3bdd8e727832398119d1&th=1&psc=1&dplnkId=7266faed-cadd-45c1-900d-e747642a2b75

These may be a bit more modern than you're after though sorry.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/If-You-Down-Woods-Today/dp/1913520056/ref=ascdff_1913520056/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=430916421838&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10592397416779233716&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045565&hvtargid=pla-930545272224&psc=1&mcid=c78f2ff63aae37cf879a8b4f9f38c299&th=1&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=97419295582&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=430916421838&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10592397416779233716&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045565&hvtargid=pla-930545272224

I don't know if Pip and Posy books would work?

Or the Tales from Acorn Wood?

More modern illustration style but still quite lovely I think

Maybe The Borrowers when she's older...

I had Fern Hollow as a child, but I can't exactly recall the stories, but it was animals in a woodland setting.

James Herriot's Stories for Children

These are all lovely and exactly what I am looking for, thanks so much!!

Rabbit and Hedgehog have quite a vintage feel.

More modern but the following are all lovely gentle animal tales with gorgeous illustrations:-

Bamble the Badger books by Peter Bently
Percy the Park Keeper by Nick Butterworth
Little Hedgehog series by M Christina Butler

This is what you need - Peter Rabbit and friends in new stories themed around the seasons, just utterly lovely. We adore our copy, plus the tales are much gentler if yours is like mine and has no threshold for peril whatsoever :D

www.waterstones.com/book/peter-rabbit-tales-from-the-countryside/beatrix-potter/9780241529898

There were 23 Beatrix potter books and children love repetition.

This is really lovely and she’s the perfect age for it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twinkly-Bedtime-Book/dp/1474967566/ref=asc_df_1474967566/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=375480626841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16026590807798445155&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006528&hvtargid=pla-825869017160&psc=1&mcid=603e322dbd233b3496cf4bf50d898165&th=1&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=76471990546&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=375480626841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16026590807798445155&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006528&hvtargid=pla-825869017160

Pip and Posy are modern books but are beautifully written and illustrated by Axel Scheffler (illustrator of the Gruffalo) and are aimed at toddlers & preschoolers with really lovely and relevant stories about friendship e.g. negotiating sharing, taking turns, feeling left out etc. Would highly recommend- of all the books I read to my kids when they were small, these are the ones I will keep for my future grandchildren.

Another lovely story that both my children really enjoyed & which also has lovely illustrations of animals is ‘Don’t wake the bear, hare’. My youngest is now 9 and still loves to hear this even now.

The Medici books illustrated by Molly Brett are lovely, example of pictures below

My children loved Rene Cloke’s illustrations too

It will be too old for her for now I think, but I have a centenary edition of the wind in the willows, illustrated by Robert Ingpen and it's really beautiful.

Ohhhhh I know another one - Pookie! Very old now but you do find them on eBay and some were reprinted in living memory.

Richard Scarry