Babette Cole's storybook worlds

Dr Dog,
Health &
Animal Chaos!

Where doctors have paws, cows save the planet, rats prove everyone wrong, and the humans really ought to know better. Welcome to Babette Cole's gloriously muddled animal kingdom.

Meet the books Scroll down and watch the world come alive.
Babette Cole with her basset hound
Babette and a rather distinguished canine companion.
FOLLOW THE PAWSNext stop: the surgery!
01 / The Gumboyle family surgery

The doctor is in!

Meet the world's most overworked family pet. Dr Dog can diagnose practically anything, but even he struggles to cure the Gumboyles of their spectacularly unhygienic habits.

Original cover of Dr Dog by Babette Cole
Prescription no. 001

Dr Dog

Itchy nits, tickly tonsils, worms and worse! The Gumboyles' devoted dog returns from his medical conference to save the family from themselves.

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Original cover of A Dose of Dr Dog by Babette Cole
Prescription no. 002

A Dose of Dr Dog

A tropical holiday sounds just the ticket—until the Gumboyles arrive with sunburn, mosquito bites and a dangerous plant on the loose.

Official diagnosis The family needs a doctor. The doctor needs a holiday.

02 / Small rats, very big ambitions

Never underestimate a rat.

Errol's got sporting talent. Ethelyn's got brains. Both have a wonderfully Cole-like knack for upsetting the snobs and bullies who stand in their way.

Original cover of Three Cheers for Errol by Babette Cole
A sporting underdog

Three Cheers for Errol

Scruffy city rat Errol may not shine in the classroom, but at the Ratathalon he's ready to show everyone what he can do—even when others try to stop him.

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Original cover of Hurray for Ethelyn by Babette Cole
Brains beat bullies

Hurray for Ethelyn

A clever young rat with dreams of becoming a brain surgeon faces some very jealous schoolmates. Luckily, Ethelyn has more than enough brains to win the day.

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A racing scene illustrated by Babette Cole for Three Cheers for Errol
Straight from the pages of Three Cheers for Errol.
Illustration by Babette Cole from Hurray for Ethelyn
A glimpse into Ethelyn's wonderfully ratty world.
03 / Heroics & veterinary mishaps

Saving the day. Sort of.

A super-powered cow battling pollution? Perfectly reasonable. A vet who suddenly grows horns and a tail? Well, that's rather less reassuring...

Original cover of Supermoo by Babette Cole
The caped crusader

Supermoo

Out of the Cowcave and into action! With Calf Crypton by her side, Supermoo takes on filthy villains and environmental disasters—all before milking time.

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Cover of Beware of the Vet by Babette Cole
A most peculiar practice

Beware of the Vet

Mr Stitchit is tired of being volunteered for the school pet show. Then Mr MacPlaster swallows the wrong pill—and sprouts something rather unexpected!

Original illustration from Supermoo
Saving the world, one moo at a time.
Original illustration from Beware of the Vet
Some visits to the vet are stranger than others.
04 / Frights, feelings & furry friends

Big frights. Bigger hearts.

Not all the chaos comes from germs and accidents. Sometimes it's the things we fear—or the fear of being forgotten—that Babette turns into something touching and irresistibly funny.

Original cover of Animals Scare Me Stiff by Babette Cole
Fear has met its match

Animals Scare Me Stiff

Dogs! Bulls! Snakes! Spiders! Poor Tom imagines dangers everywhere. But the animals may have more reason to be frightened than he does.

Original cover of True Love by Babette Cole
A very loyal dog

True Love

With a new baby in the house, Truelove the dog feels utterly forgotten. His misadventures are a funny, tender reminder that love has room for everyone.

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Original illustration from Animals Scare Me Stiff
Babette's gloriously exaggerated animal fears.
Original illustration from True Love showing a dog with a sore paw
Sometimes the smallest paws have the biggest feelings.

All creatures great, small & utterly ridiculous.

With wild imaginations, wicked humour and a soft spot for the underdog, Babette Cole always let the animals have their say.