Little Critter Storybook Collection

Little Critter

by Mercer Mayer

Mercer Mayer’s classic and beloved character returns in this paper-over-board storybook collection featuring seven of the best-loved stories starring Little Critter®! Join Little Critter as he enters the school science fair, builds his own growing machine, trains for a big race, enjoys a snowy day, becomes the captain of a tugboat, drives a dump truck, and spends a weekend with Grandma and Grandpa. When Little Critter is your friend, even the most ordinary day can turn into an adventure! This storybook collection features these seven favorite Little Critter

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2005

About the author

Mercer Mayer is an American children's author and illustrator. He has published over 300 books, using a wide range of illustrative styles. Mayer is best known for his Little Critter and Little Monster series of books.

Reviews

[Jenn Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children love the illustrations of Little Critter books. Hunting for the spider upon turning each page keeps them engaged. And these stories are just fun.

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

S checked this book out from the library, which surprised me because at 7.5 I figured he had pretty much outgrown the Little Critter books. But I did see him reading this at times, and he sometimes suggested it for bedtime reading during the weeks we had it at the house. We read Bye-Bye Mom and Dad and Just Big Enough together.
Little Critter has grown on me since I first started reading the books when S was a baby. I still feel like there is a limited age range for these, though. L at 4 is just the right age because she understands the text and also understands how the illustrations put a humorous spin on what the text says (usually the pictures tell the truth while the text tells Little Critter's version/description of events). But as I said above, while S still enjoys these stories he's definitely outgrowing them. F is too little to understand the stories but likes pointing to the pictures.

[Elisa Hoopes · Rating 2 out of 5]

little critter is funny!!!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are surprisingly fun.

[ESL 5 Chang Ping · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rain-it to long

sofia- it not so fun

[Wench · Rating 3 out of 5]

We got this for Baby of Wench for Christmas because zie looooooves the other "critter book", as it is called, and tbh kind of regretting that because oh god we have read so much "new critter book" I can't even.

Also I have *so many questions* about Critterville. Why does the bowling alley have a "no bare feet" sign, but nobody in the grocery store or theatre or on the sidewalk is wearing shoes? Why does it look like computers and video games were dropped in to a 50s small-town fantasyland? Why do they all live in trees? How exactly does time work, because seriously they did chores, shopped, ate lunch, did more chores, went to the theatre, went bowling, went out to dinner, all in the same day? Also do they only go to school every three days or some shit? Why do some animals have names (e.g., Gabby), and others are just called what they are (e.g., Tiger, Little Sister)? Why does Little Critter get a shirt, but Little Sister doesn't? WHAT MAGIC DO THEY HAVE THAT ALL THE DRESSES, EVEN THE NIGHTGOWNS, HAVE POCKETS?

So many questions.

At least the "BUT YOU HAVE TO BE HEALTHY" story isn't obnoxious, and doesn't get in to direct fat-shaming.

[Tamra · Rating 3 out of 5]

We owned a bunch of these when I was little, and I realized that I didn't own any for my own kids! So last year I asked my parents for a good collection or two of Little Critter books.

This one contains:
Bye-Bye, Mom and Dad
Good for Me and You
Just a Tugboat
Just a School Project
Just a Dump Truck
Just a Snowman
Just Big Enough

They're delightful and my boys love them. My 6-year-old will sit down and read them all over and over. I think it's great that he can read them by himself, and he thinks it's great because they're funny and cute and have little nuggets to find in the pictures.

My one sadness: His newer books aren't done with the same heart as his older books. The pictures aren't as detailed and lovely, a bunch of them are missing the hidden animals, and it just didn't seem like Mayer cared as much. Just a Dump Truck is especially painful, and of course it's the one my boys want to read the most.

Overall, great books for kids, but you might like other collections better. I suggest Just a Little Critter Collection.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with another reviewer who said that reading these stories helps her see the frustrating things her children do in persepective by reminding her how a child views everything. AMEN!

Another wonderful collection of Little Critter stories. My favorites are "Bye Bye, Mom and Dad," "Just a Snowman," and "Just a School Project." The "Just a Tugboat" and "Just a Dump Truck" stories are good too, but I think the "imagination" format gets a little old. My favorite Little Critter stories are the ones that are about his life and how he tries to do things and what he learns.

This was only $6.84 at Sam's Club today, and worth every penny. Even though our son is still a little young for all but the shorter Little Critter Stories, my husband and I had a blast reading the stories out loud tonight.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that Little Critter must be somewhere between four and six years old, because my four-and-a-half year old "little critter" acts an awful lot like this one.

The genius of Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books is that he takes ordinary, everyday situations and he shows them from the point of view of a young child. That sounds easy to do, but it's not. That's why kids like the books. That, for and the peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.

As a mom and a dubious adult, I laugh out loud at these stories, not necessarily because of what Little Critter does, but because of the expressions on the grown-up faces. More than once they have mirrored my own. Although, I don't have a problem with peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, as long as the pickles are sweet and not dill.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 4 out of 5]

We got this book because my husband said he remembered reading it as a child....I remember them existing, but I don't remember the stories. In any case, it's a cute book - I love collections like this! Simple stories with big, bright pictures. Glad we found it!

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this Little Critter Storybook Collection, full of all the classic favorite stories with Little Critter and his family. Kids will love the everyday struggles and mishaps experienced by Little Critter, and identify with his frustrations. Even the most normal of days can be full of life lessons!

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved Mercer Mayer books. They always help me to put the frustrating things with raising kids in perspective through humor and also help me see through the eyes of a child.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read everyone of the 'Little Critter' books to my baby brother when he was younger. They were great books and I can't wait to read them to my own children someday!

[Jenmikesmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Little Critter books to my kids and kids I babysit.