Bumblebee Grumblebee

A delightful board book for toddlers and adults to have fun experimenting with words to create funny new ones. Selected as a White Raven 2022 and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2023.

Playful animals get up to everyday toddler mischief in this board book built on child-based wordplay, where each page twists animal names into funny new words that are fun to share.

With illustrations drawn from a toddlers world, babies and young children will recognize each activity—getting dressed, playing, painting (including themselves), having a bath, using the potty—and see how the animal makes the mischievous most of it.

The bumblebee breaks its toy—bumblebee grumblebee!
The cockatoo is getting dressed—cockatoo sockatoo!
The pelican tries out the potty—pelican smellican!
What will turtle do? Everybody gathers for the final squirtle.

Built for adults, babies and toddlers to share and read aloud, this fresh and sweet board book encourages experimentation with words and sounds, just by changing a letter or two.

Other books by David Elliot:
Oink
Henry’s Map

Praise for Bumblebee Grumblebee

“Delightful images and carefully selected text combine for a silly, innovative, entirely enjoyable read.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews, Best Board Book of 2022

“Sweet, beautifully detailed pastel illustrations.”—Bank Street Best Children’s Books 2022: Holiday Gift Edition

“Readers will laugh aloud at the changes these animals undergo by adding simple words . . . a winner.”—School Library Journal

“A fun, rhyming, whimsical board book which makes us laugh out loud—perfect book for under twos!” —Sunday Star Times

“Stands out in a field of rather pedestrian animal board books as it is not only funny but the last few pages are particularly wonderful . . . . Children will want this book read over and over again and will quickly join in and shout out the words.” —Read NZ

“This board book is creative and different enough from what’s out there to be worth adding to your collection.”—Youth Services Book Review

“Sticking the landing in a board book is an art. David Elliot? A master.”—Betsy Bird

Praise for Oink:

“Told only in animal dialect and sound effects but with brilliant visual details, this story will become a bathtime favorite.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Praise for Oink:
“Gorgeous Books to Expand the Youngest Minds: The delicacy and subtlety of the art only adds to the frisky humor.”—The New York Times