Dr Dog

Story

Dr Dog lives with the Gumboyle family. They aren’t very good at taking care of their health. When the children and Grandad fall ill, Dr Dog is called upon to help. With the aid of humorous diagrams and no nonsense advice like “Never scratch your bum and suck your thumb” he diagnoses their ailments from baby’s tummy ache to Grandad’s wind.

Why we chose it

Babette Cole is known and loved for her funny and irreverent picture books, which subvert stereotypes and don’t shy away from controversial subjects. Dr Dog is one of her most popular creations

Where it came from

Babette Cole (1950-2017) wrote and illustrated over 150 thought provoking, funny and often irreverent picture books. She addressed topics often avoided with younger audiences, such as health, family relationships, reproduction and death, with wit and honesty.

Where it went next

Babette Cole’s best-seller Doctor Dog has been adapted into a successful children's cartoon series. Dr Dog sold more than 400,000 copies and has been translated into 25 different languages.

Associated stories

The sequel A Dose of Dr Dog sees the long suffering Dr Dog flee into the jungle to escape the Gumboyles who have gatecrashed his holiday.

In 1986 Cole won the Kate Greenaway medal for Princess Smartypants, and in 1987 she won again, this time with Prince Cinders. Her modern take on traditional fairy tales challenges stereotypes, bringing them right up to date.

Mummy Laid An Egg, won the Illustrated Book of the Year at the 1994 British Book Awards. It has been translated in to 72 different languages and has sold over a million copies.

Other favourites include The Hairy Book, The Slimy Book, The Silly Book, The Trouble with Mum and its sequels, The Trouble with Dad, The Trouble with Grandma, and The Trouble with Grandad.