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What Does an Anteater Eat?
Anteater is hungry, but he has completely forgotten what anteaters eat. Baffled and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. But Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Maybe the ants will know—and maybe the answer isn't quite as obvious as you may think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2019
132 people want to read
About the author
Ross Collins
181 books44 followersRoss was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1972.
He would eat anything and resembled a currant bun.
As he grew up he was fond of drawing, the Bionic Man and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
He graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 1994 with a First in Illustration. In the same year he won the MacMillan Children's Book Prize an achievement that opened many doors in the Big Smoke.
Ross then spent two years in London cultivating an exotic image of the scribbling Scotsman abroad.
Longing for the cold and damp of the North, Ross returned to Glasgow, where he spends his time writing and illustrating children's books, doing animation character development, walking the dug by the banks of Loch Lomond and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
from http://www.rosscollins.net/whothisguy...
He would eat anything and resembled a currant bun.
As he grew up he was fond of drawing, the Bionic Man and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
He graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 1994 with a First in Illustration. In the same year he won the MacMillan Children's Book Prize an achievement that opened many doors in the Big Smoke.
Ross then spent two years in London cultivating an exotic image of the scribbling Scotsman abroad.
Longing for the cold and damp of the North, Ross returned to Glasgow, where he spends his time writing and illustrating children's books, doing animation character development, walking the dug by the banks of Loch Lomond and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
from http://www.rosscollins.net/whothisguy...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 22, 2019
The book’s title suggests the simplest of questions and answers and yet, as with most of Collins’ work, there is humorous play here between expectation and subversion. As our protagonist seeks advice from other animals about what he should be eating, each one suggesting something comical and playful, the tension builds until the final few panels when he finally encounters an anthill. Although the whole premise of the book resides on the hilarious close, this is a joke that does not dry up in a single read: both of my boys often want to revisit and explore the humour throughout. Lovely use of endpapers too.
September 23, 2020
This is a charmingly illustrated book that my two-year-old enjoys well enough. I think I might enjoy it more than he does. The twist ending had me laughing, and I love it every time.
August 2, 2018
Picture books are a performative thing. Every book is, in a sense, but picture books are perhaps more performative than others. They are made to be shared and talked about and enjoyed by multitudes of readers. They are made to be read aloud, to inspire funny voices, and to have their corners chewed on by babies who are figuring out this wide, wide world that they live in. I always think that it's a good thing when you can feel this edge of performance to a picture book, where you can sense the parts you'd emphasise or the parts where you'd tease out the tension to that almost unbearable point, and I always think that it's a good thing when you read a picture book and can hear the reaction that it would get.
What Does An Anteater Eat? is a book that's full of that third space, that performative edge, that raw, hysterical laughter that really only little children can do and when they do it, the world laughs with them. And I felt that when I read this book, and that's something quite remarkable. This is a relatively slender story; an anteater wakes up from a nap, is hungry, and tries to remember what he eats. He asks several other animals who provide both useful and useless answers, before happening upon an ants nest and - well, let's just say that anteaters don't actually eat what you think. There's a nice little note in this about not judging on appearances, and Collins' art is full of a vibrant, thick sense of colour. He's an artist doing good things, and his characters sing with this sense of lovely honesty. This is lived art, primal and potent. I also do love a cover that sets itself apart from many of those on the shelves at the moment.
I'd have welcome a little more work being done with the lettering, as I always feel that simply shifting from text into italics is a relatively easy default to choose in a picture book and one which shies away from the added quality good lettering can provide, but that's a small note for a book as potently performative as this.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
What Does An Anteater Eat? is a book that's full of that third space, that performative edge, that raw, hysterical laughter that really only little children can do and when they do it, the world laughs with them. And I felt that when I read this book, and that's something quite remarkable. This is a relatively slender story; an anteater wakes up from a nap, is hungry, and tries to remember what he eats. He asks several other animals who provide both useful and useless answers, before happening upon an ants nest and - well, let's just say that anteaters don't actually eat what you think. There's a nice little note in this about not judging on appearances, and Collins' art is full of a vibrant, thick sense of colour. He's an artist doing good things, and his characters sing with this sense of lovely honesty. This is lived art, primal and potent. I also do love a cover that sets itself apart from many of those on the shelves at the moment.
I'd have welcome a little more work being done with the lettering, as I always feel that simply shifting from text into italics is a relatively easy default to choose in a picture book and one which shies away from the added quality good lettering can provide, but that's a small note for a book as potently performative as this.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
November 12, 2019
The joke that provides the entire basis for this book is really only funny to preschoolers, and the punchline stumped at least one of my kids, but if I were still working in the library, I would have tried it for a class visit. If nothing else, it's a good example of how text and illustrations work together in picture books to achieve a whole greater than than the sum of the parts.
February 18, 2019
Een prentenboek met een opvallende kleur dat vraagt om opgepakt te worden. Een vragende titel waarop zonder het boek te lezen direct kan worden geantwoord. Mis, het is anders.
Miereneter wordt wakker en heeft honger. Hij is éven vergeten wat hij graag lust en gaat het vragen aan de dieren die hij tegenkomt. Het ene dier is lui, de ander druk, de volgende heeft wel een advies, maar alleen van toepassing op zichzelf. En zo komen we de halve dierentuin tegen in het wild, dus ook een dier dat eigenlijk die miereneter zelf wel zou lusten. En dan: een mierenhoop. Probleem opgelost. Of niet? Een prentenboekeinde zoals een kind heel graag wil!
De afbeeldingen zijn groot, duidelijk en kleurrijk. Per twee pagina’s wordt een ontmoeting met een ander dier weergegeven. Het verhaal heeft een groot lettertype dat prettig is bij het voorlezen zodat er ruimte is voor aanwijzen en is handig bij gebruik voor een grotere groep. De cursief gedrukte tekst is van het dier dat antwoordt. De tekst is zo geschreven dat er interactie ontstaat en de voorlezer kan gebruik maken van verschillend stemgebruik.
Het vrolijke boek kan op meerdere manieren worden ingezet: een lijn trekken naar de mensenwereld, dierenherkenning voorafgaand aan een dierentuinbezoek of hoe los jij je vraag op, ga je zelf op onderzoek uit? Door de minimale details en duidelijke vormen is dit boek inzetbaar voor kinderen vanaf ong. 2 jaar. Een geslaagd prentenboek om steeds weer voor te lezen, want jouw jonge kind wil echt steeds dat verrassende einde horen!
Miereneter wordt wakker en heeft honger. Hij is éven vergeten wat hij graag lust en gaat het vragen aan de dieren die hij tegenkomt. Het ene dier is lui, de ander druk, de volgende heeft wel een advies, maar alleen van toepassing op zichzelf. En zo komen we de halve dierentuin tegen in het wild, dus ook een dier dat eigenlijk die miereneter zelf wel zou lusten. En dan: een mierenhoop. Probleem opgelost. Of niet? Een prentenboekeinde zoals een kind heel graag wil!
De afbeeldingen zijn groot, duidelijk en kleurrijk. Per twee pagina’s wordt een ontmoeting met een ander dier weergegeven. Het verhaal heeft een groot lettertype dat prettig is bij het voorlezen zodat er ruimte is voor aanwijzen en is handig bij gebruik voor een grotere groep. De cursief gedrukte tekst is van het dier dat antwoordt. De tekst is zo geschreven dat er interactie ontstaat en de voorlezer kan gebruik maken van verschillend stemgebruik.
Het vrolijke boek kan op meerdere manieren worden ingezet: een lijn trekken naar de mensenwereld, dierenherkenning voorafgaand aan een dierentuinbezoek of hoe los jij je vraag op, ga je zelf op onderzoek uit? Door de minimale details en duidelijke vormen is dit boek inzetbaar voor kinderen vanaf ong. 2 jaar. Een geslaagd prentenboek om steeds weer voor te lezen, want jouw jonge kind wil echt steeds dat verrassende einde horen!
September 29, 2019
Anteater wakes up hungry, but he can’t figure out what anteaters eat. He tries asking the other animals that he encounters. Sloth is too busy to answer his question. Snake offers advice on chewing food. Toucan is certain that anteaters eat watermelon, but the melon doesn’t fit in Anteater’s mouth. Other animals are too busy eating their own meals or considering Anteater for their next meal. So Anteater ends up asking the ants. Anteater has figured it out! Or has he?
This is one of those picture books that simply must be shared aloud to get its full impact. From the very clueless anteater to the unhelpful other animals to the twist at the end, the book is full of silliness and giggles. Young listeners will love being in on the entire joke from the beginning and watching the humor play out. The illustrations are large and bold, just right for sharing aloud with a group. Done in watercolor and charcoal, the images are full of deep colors and add to the humor of the text.
A great book for closing out a storytime with laughter. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
This is one of those picture books that simply must be shared aloud to get its full impact. From the very clueless anteater to the unhelpful other animals to the twist at the end, the book is full of silliness and giggles. Young listeners will love being in on the entire joke from the beginning and watching the humor play out. The illustrations are large and bold, just right for sharing aloud with a group. Done in watercolor and charcoal, the images are full of deep colors and add to the humor of the text.
A great book for closing out a storytime with laughter. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
August 4, 2019
Targeted for the preschool or beginning reader, this story features one hungry anteater who wakes up hungry and just can't recall what he is supposed to eat.
Anteater begins asking the critters he meets along the way what he should eat. One critter is rude to him, a tiger in a tree says that he thinks anteater looks pretty tasty and another suggests watermelon might be a good choice. When the anteater runs in to a anthill full of -- yes, ants, and asks the same question, what happens next is not what you'd suspect.
Funny story with large print and just enough words on each page to tell a cute story and not frustrate a beginner reader. The illustrations were fun as well.
4.5/5 stars
Anteater begins asking the critters he meets along the way what he should eat. One critter is rude to him, a tiger in a tree says that he thinks anteater looks pretty tasty and another suggests watermelon might be a good choice. When the anteater runs in to a anthill full of -- yes, ants, and asks the same question, what happens next is not what you'd suspect.
Funny story with large print and just enough words on each page to tell a cute story and not frustrate a beginner reader. The illustrations were fun as well.
4.5/5 stars
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September 7, 2020Poor anteater is very hungry, but he can’t remember what he’s supposed to eat! Anteater’s mouth isn’t big enough for melons, he can’t fly like the bats, and he doesn’t want to be crocodile’s dinner. This clever story uses vibrant pictures and humor to teach young readers about jungle animals. The brightly colored backgrounds warmly surround the animal illustrations while visual differences in font and text placement on the page provide clues for pre-readers to identify who is talking and what’s happening in the story. An enjoyable book best suited for preschool-3rd grade which would be a great addition to storytime, or a classroom unit on animals.
November 23, 2019
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This large book is very clever. It has bright, big illustrations for the young reader to engage with. There's humor and silliness and a perfect ending to make you and young readers smile.
This author/illustrator puts fun artwork with a clever story together to entertain a new young reader.
The words are large and sentences short. Full page illustrations using bright and clever characters. This book would greatly encourage new readers to continue with reading other books. Fun and funny.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
This large book is very clever. It has bright, big illustrations for the young reader to engage with. There's humor and silliness and a perfect ending to make you and young readers smile.
This author/illustrator puts fun artwork with a clever story together to entertain a new young reader.
The words are large and sentences short. Full page illustrations using bright and clever characters. This book would greatly encourage new readers to continue with reading other books. Fun and funny.
December 31, 2019
The answers may seem obvious here to all the animals whom are polled, but to one hungry, confused Anteater it isn't so clear. What does an Anteater eat?! This anteater is tired and hungry--though always very polite, which I loved--as he sets off in search of his breakfast. Children will love the animals and all their different personalities; the big, bright pictures; and the silly ending.
I'm looking forward to trying this in storytime, and I think that this would pair well with Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas!
I'm looking forward to trying this in storytime, and I think that this would pair well with Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas!
October 22, 2020
I can see this book being a hit in a reception or year 1 classroom!
As we journey with an anteater, we're on a mission to find the answer to a very important question, 'what does an anteater eat?'
The fantastic use of bright and vibrant colours, large images that dominate the page and an opportunity to become the character of the slippery snake with no teeth, or the crocodile who likes eating rotten fish, or the tiny little ants who are afraid of the anteater (for some reason!) make this book extremely engaging for readers (and listeners!).
As we journey with an anteater, we're on a mission to find the answer to a very important question, 'what does an anteater eat?'
The fantastic use of bright and vibrant colours, large images that dominate the page and an opportunity to become the character of the slippery snake with no teeth, or the crocodile who likes eating rotten fish, or the tiny little ants who are afraid of the anteater (for some reason!) make this book extremely engaging for readers (and listeners!).
November 7, 2020
I'm a little disappointed that the anteater never realized that they eat ants! It was funny that the anteater ate bananas- but I do wish there would have been a more satisfying resolution. Perhaps the story could have ended with the anteater realizing he can help other animals by keeping ants away from their food (fruit) or by keeping their habitats safe (by eating termites and keeping them out of the wood in trees/houses).
Again, I did enjoy the funny twist and I loved the various characters but I was slightly disappointed in the ending.
Again, I did enjoy the funny twist and I loved the various characters but I was slightly disappointed in the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2021
Note: I love the size and type of the font used in this book. I can easily see it and best of all the children in storytime can, too.
Anteater is hungry, but he has completely forgotten what anteaters eat. Baffled, and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Whatever will Anteater do? It isn't until the ants all run for their lives that Anteater remembers what he should be eating . . . and it's not what you think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again
Anteater is hungry, but he has completely forgotten what anteaters eat. Baffled, and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Whatever will Anteater do? It isn't until the ants all run for their lives that Anteater remembers what he should be eating . . . and it's not what you think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again
July 23, 2019
Just here in the U.S. this month, from England, and another for younger readers to love and laugh over. Anteater is confused, begins to ask what anteater's eat. Sloth is too busy, Toucan has no idea, and Crocodile will share, but Anteater doesn't think fish are quite the thing. It's funny, page by page, as everyone knows the right answer. One can just feel the lumbering anteater walking along, trying to discover the answer. Readers are in for a silly surprise. It's wonderful!
October 21, 2020
I found the story line quite simple in this book. I like that the text was bold when the anteater speaks and in italics when the other animals respond. It would be good to use to allow children to follow the patterns through the book when beginning to read and noticing what happens when someone else speaks.
I didn’t find the book particularly humorous but I can imagine some children would really enjoy the different food items offered throughout from the animals.
I didn’t find the book particularly humorous but I can imagine some children would really enjoy the different food items offered throughout from the animals.
November 25, 2019
My two-year-old (almost 3) chose this at random from our library's new books shelf, and it was a winner. An anteater (who I imagine speaks with a British accent) goes to all his neighbors to get advice on what to read. Short, cute, and a funny ending (but the joke depends on you knowing about what anteaters eat)!
January 24, 2020
The book is very funny to read with the children.
There was genuine care with the development of the story line, so that the Anteater only interacts with animals from his habitat.
It's a great way to present children with the concept that a simple question may have an unexpected answer.
And, definitive proof of success: kids want me to read it again and again 😁
There was genuine care with the development of the story line, so that the Anteater only interacts with animals from his habitat.
It's a great way to present children with the concept that a simple question may have an unexpected answer.
And, definitive proof of success: kids want me to read it again and again 😁
November 28, 2025
We are so proud of you for reading What Does an Anteater Eat? all by yourself! You learned that it's okay to ask for help when we don't know something - just like Anteater asked his friends. And you know what? Sometimes the answer surprises us!
When you're stuck on something, remember to ask Mama, Baba, or your teacher. You're such a clever girl, habibi. Keep reading!
When you're stuck on something, remember to ask Mama, Baba, or your teacher. You're such a clever girl, habibi. Keep reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2019
Een miereneter wordt wakker met amnesie (geen idee hoe) en weet niet meer wat hij nou moet eten. Gelukkig heeft hij een berg dieren die hem vast kunnen helpen, toch? TOCH? Ik vond het erg leuk geschreven al vond ik het wel apart dat de miereneter na een kort tukje niet meer wist wat hij nou moest eten, um, dat vergeet je toch niet zomaar? Het einde was een totale verrassing en ik vond het superleuk gedaan. Ook de cover, lekker geel, is erg mooi en de illustraties waren goed.
August 16, 2019
Anteater wakes up and feels hungry. But what does an anteater eat? He asks several different animals, none of whom know what an anteater eats. Finally he stumbles upon an anthill surrounded by ants and bananas. Guess what he eats... bananas!
September 7, 2019
Very easy to incorporate into a storytime (made a "food" theme?). Anteater goes around to all the other animals asking if they know what an anteater eats. At the end anteater encounters a bunch of ants, and they run away. (he concludes that he eats bananas, haha)
October 23, 2019
Gave it a 5 star, purely because of the ending!
For literacy, you can do sequencing, description writing e.g. why wouldn’t watermelon be something anteaters eat? Or create your own story and having this book as a frame.
Guided reading, you can do choral/echo reading and focus on expression.
For literacy, you can do sequencing, description writing e.g. why wouldn’t watermelon be something anteaters eat? Or create your own story and having this book as a frame.
Guided reading, you can do choral/echo reading and focus on expression.
November 24, 2019
Silly, fun, sparse text, familiar formula of asking different creatures the same question. Funny ending that would make it a great one for storytime before doing a "bananas" rhyme. Bright illustrations make it a great second book for a preschool storytime.
May 5, 2020
A funny book about an anteater who is hungry, but doesn’t know what anteaters eat. So, he asks several different animals for help. It has a humorous surprise ending, too. Another great one from Ross Collins!
October 22, 2020
This book would be perfect for KS1 children. It follows the story of an anteater working out what to eat. Animals along the way ‘help’ the anteater to work out what he wants to eat. This story could be great for questioning children in a class about what they think an anteater should eat.
September 8, 2021
I liked the premise, but I don't think all the jokes work that well. As always I read picture books with storytime readings in mind, so I think some of the humor doesn't translate into that circumstance.
October 4, 2023
I enjoyed the illustrations, especially the one of the big snake after making the comment “I really recommend that you chew your food”. I found the story plot to be humorous as the title would suggest an easy answer, however some of the responses were silly which I think children would enjoy.
June 25, 2019
Funny
June 28, 2019
Quite the clueless critter.
July 10, 2019
Funny!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews