The best children’s books by Oliver Jeffers

“Once there was a boy who found a penguin at his door.” From this opening line to the very end, this gentle story of friendship will capture young readers’ imaginations. The child assumes that the penguin is lost, which is logical since the lumpy black-and-white bird does look awfully forlorn. Determined to help the creature find its way home, he discovers that penguins come from the South Pole, and the two board a rowboat. During their long sea voyage, the youngster passes the time by telling his companion many stories. However, when they finally reach their destination, he realizes that the penguin was not lost, but just lonely and looking for a friend. The soft watercolor paintings feature simple shapes and a palette that ranges from pale to bold.

Wilfred wants a pet, so when a moose just happens to wander by, the boy claims him as his own and dedicates a lot of time to teaching Marcel the rules of being a good one. They fill their days exploring the countryside and taking long walks. One day, however, Wilfred discovers that his moose might have a whole other life that he knows nothing about. He must figure out how to process this shocking discovery and decide if he can accept the fact that he must alter the boundaries of their friendship. A beautifully-illustrated children’s picture book, with a witty and thought-provoking story, exploring the concept of ownership.

Henry loves books. In fact, he literally devours them. And the more he eats, the smarter he gets. When he starts eating too many too fast, he can no longer digest them, and their contents get all mixed up. The simple cartoon illustrations twinkle with humor and feeling. Done in paint and pencil on smart backdrops—pages from old books—the pictures set the stage for the quirky story. When forced to give up eating his favorite volumes, Henry eventually learns to enjoy reading them. However, an actual bite taken out of the back cover suggests he still succumbs to the occasional indulgence.

Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he only finds letters, all saying the same thing: We quit! Beige is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown, Blue needs a break from coloring in all that water, while Pink just wants to be used. Green has no complaints, but Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking to each other. The battle lines have been drawn. What is Duncan to do?

Debut author Drew Daywalt and international bestseller Oliver Jeffers team up to create a colorful solution to a crayon-based crisis in this playful, imaginative story that will have children laughing and playing with their crayons in a whole new way. Hilarious and will have children and adults alike eagerly awaiting the first day of preschool.

In Up & Down, the penguin (who we first met in Lost & Found) dreams of flying – he has wings, after all – but nothing seems to be working. That is until he spots an advertisement looking for a living cannonball. The penguin’s excitement overtakes him and he sets off to fulfill his dream of flying without telling the boy – only to realize later how much he misses his friend. Fortunately, the boy and the penguin are soon reunited, because it’s all well and good to fly through the air alone, but the best part is having a friend to catch you on the way back down. Oliver Jeffers’ wonderfully expressive illustrations complement this story of independence and friendship.

Oliver Jeffers latest book and one of the most inventive and irresistible alphabet books we’ve come across (Alpha Oops – The day Z went first would be the other contender). From an Astronaut who’s afraid of heights, to a Bridge that ends up burned between friends, to a Cup stuck in a cupboard and longing for freedom, Once Upon an Alphabet is a creative tour de force from A all the way through to Z. Slyly funny in a way kids (and adults) can’t resist, and gorgeously illustrated, this series of interconnected stories and characters explores the alphabet in a way that is guaranteed to delight. In Once Upon an Alphabet, Oliver Jeffers has created a stunning collection of words and artwork that is a story book, alphabet book, and gorgeously designed art book all in one.

When Floyd’s kite gets stuck in a tree, he’s determined to get it out. But how? Well, by knocking it down with his shoe, of course. But strangely enough, it too gets stuck. And the only logical course of action… is to throw his other shoe. Only now it’s stuck! Surely there must be something he can use to get his kite unstuck. An orangutan? A boat? His front door? Yes, yes, and yes. And that’s only the beginning. Childlike in concept and vibrantly illustrated as only Oliver Jeffers could, here is a picture book worth rescuing from any tree. Incredibly funny – even after multiple readings – this is one of the more humorous kids books that teach resilience.

The animals’ homes are disappearing. Tree by tree, the forest is being cut down. Clues! There must be clues. For instance – there is a mysterious bear carrying an ax! But what would a bear want with so many trees? Perhaps the discarded paper airplanes littering the forest floor are a piece of the puzzle?

Oliver Jeffers’ quirky, childlike humor and lovable illustrations are in full effect in this funny whodunit featuring a winning cast of animals and a message about the importance of conservation and recycling.

In this whimsical picture book, a young stargazer decides he wants to catch a star. He ventures out at sunrise since he believes the stars will be “tired from being up in the sky all night.” He waits all day, only to see one at sunset. The many schemes he concocts prove ineffective, and the sad child heads home along the beach. When he sees a sea star washed up on the sand, he is happy at last to have a star of his own. Oliver Jeffers offers a simple, childlike tale of reaching for the stars, and emerging with a new friend.

Learning to count has never been so fun… and funny. For instance, “Is none a number?” you might ask. I’m glad you did. The answer is Yes! For example, how many lumps of cheese do you see next to you? The answer, depending on where you are, is likely “none.” Counting with the reader all the way up to ten, the Hueys explain numbers as only they can. Such as: The number 4 is the number of tantrums thrown by Dave every day. 7 is the number of oranges balanced on things. And 9 is the number of seagulls who attacked Frank’s French fries. Together they make quite a spectacle. But when you take away all of these fun illustrations in the book? You’re left with… none!

Oliver Jeffers explores themes of love and loss in the life-affirming and uplifting tale, The Heart and the Bottle. Once there was a girl who was full of wonderment at how the world worked. She shared all her dreams and excitement with her father (or grandfather… it’s not made entirely clear), who always had the answer to every question. That is until one day when his chair is empty, not to be filled again. So what happens when that special someone who encourages such wonder and magic is no longer around? We can hide, we can place our heart in a bottle and grow up… or we can find another special someone who understands the magic. And we can encourage them to see things in the stars, find joy among colors and laughter as they play.

Oliver Jeffers delivers a remarkable book, a tale of poignancy and resonance that will leave a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye.