Sale price
$858
Board Book · Ages 0–2 · 1989
Mouse Paint
Three mice discover paint and create new colors, but must beware of the lurking cat.
$8.99Save 5%
Board book
Small but Mighty Animal Books · 1,444 titles considered
The Best Mouse, Hamster & Guinea Pig Books for Kids
By the Bookroo EditorsUpdated July 27, 2026
A mouse can live behind the wall, a hamster can run a household from inside a cage, and a guinea pig can spend an entire novel plotting against the dog. Children’s books love small rodents because scale does half the storytelling: a strawberry becomes treasure, a toy motorcycle becomes transportation, and an ordinary classroom becomes a whole country to explore.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 1,444 books about mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, and their small-rodent relations, our editors chose lively first books, durable read-alouds, and adventures for newly independent and middle-grade readers. Start with our shortlist of 15 favorites, then browse by age and reading stage—or narrow the collection to one particular whiskered hero.
The Shortlist
Our 15 Favorite Mouse, Hamster & Guinea Pig Books
Sale price
$958
Board Book · Ages 2–6 · 1984
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear
By Audrey Wood, Don Wood (Illustrator)
Can Little Mouse outsmart the bear to save his strawberry?
32 pages· 147 words· Est. 2 min read-aloud
Best for
A playful, participatory read-aloud$9.99Save 4%
Board book
Sale price
$958
Board Book · Ages 2–6 · 2013
This Little Hamster
By Kass Reich
Discover colors with a playful hamster in this charming board book for little ones.
$9.95Save 4%
Board book
Sale price
$1049
Board Book · Ages 2–5 · 1998
10 Minutes till Bedtime
A hamster leads a chaotic bedtime countdown with unexpected guests.
42 pages
Best for
Making a bedtime countdown feel like a party$10.99Save 5%
Board book
Sale price
$858
Picture Book · Ages 3–7 · 1999
The Gruffalo
A quick-thinking mouse invents a monster to escape the forest’s hungry animals—then meets it.
32 pages· 697 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud
Best for
A suspenseful, funny read-aloud$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1985
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
A mouse's request for a cookie sets off a chain of events.
40 pages· 295 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud
Best for
Cause-and-effect storytelling$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1996
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
By Kevin Henkes · Lilly series
A confiscated purse sparks a journey from fury to forgiveness.
32 pages· 1,483 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud
Best for
Big school-day feelings$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1999
Hooway for Wodney Wat
By Helen Lester, Lynn Munsinger (Illustrator)
A shy rat’s speech difference becomes exactly what his classmates need when a bully takes over.
32 pages· 814 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud
Best for
Children who worry their differences make them weak$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 3–7 · 2015
Crunch!
A guinea pig's quest for a missing mouse leads to unexpected discoveries.
36 pages· 251 words· Est. 2 min read-aloud
Best for
A gentle conversation about sharing$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 1965
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
A mouse befriends a young boy staying in a hotel and learns to ride his toy motorcycle, leading to a series of adventures and misadventures.
176 pages· 23,602 words· Est. 3.5 hour read
Best for
A first classic chapter-book adventure$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2003
The Tale of Despereaux
By Kate DiCamillo, Timothy Basil Ering (Illustrator)
A mouse, a rat, and a girl embark on a journey of light and destiny.
272 pages· 32,226 words· Est. 3.5 hour read
Best for
A literary family read-aloud$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1971
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
A mouse seeks help from intelligent rats to save her sick son.
233 pages· 53,663 words· Est. 7.5 hour read
Best for
Thoughtful middle-grade readers$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 7–10 · 2004
The World According to Humphrey
A hamster navigates a series of adventures and misadventures as he is passed from one family to another over the course of a school year.
124 pages· 26,622 words· Est. 3.5 hour read
Best for
New chapter-book readers who love classroom pets4.2 Goodreads · 8,413 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Sale price
$1498
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2008
Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express
Three friends try to find homes for 101 guinea pigs rescued from a lab.
128 pages· 6,279 words· Est. 1 hour read
Best for
Fast, funny reading with guinea pigs everywhere4.1 Goodreads · 2,310 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Sale price
$1797
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2017
Wedgie & Gizmo
A cheerful dog welcomes his new family while their guinea pig prepares to conquer it.
176 pages· 16,733 words· Est. 2.5 hour read
Best for
Families who like their pet stories loudly narrated4.2 Goodreads · 1,877 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Browse by age
Mouse & Hamster Board Books for Babies and Toddlers
Colors, counting, bedtime stampedes, and tiny paws on sturdy pages for ages 0–3.
Sale price
$999
In a People House
Ages 3–6 · 1972
A mouse and bird explore a house, causing chaos and discovery.
Sale price
$699
Goodnight, Mice!
Ages 3–6 · 2011
Four mischievous mice resist bedtime, creating a playful nighttime adventure.
Sale price
$699
Lionel and Molly: Colors
Ages 3–5 · 2015
Two friends explore the vibrant colors of the seasons.
Sale price
$699
Hopper and Wilson
Ages 3–5 · 2011
Two friends sail to the world's end, discovering home is where the heart is.
Sale price
$999
Autumn Story
Ages 0–5 · 1980
A lost mouse must find her way home before the storm hits.
Sale price
$999
Spring Story
Ages 0–5 · 1980
A secret picnic holds a surprise that will make Wilfred's birthday unforgettable.
Sale price
$999
Will You Be My Sunshine
Ages 0–3 · 2015
Discover the warmth of unconditional love through a charming mouse family's journey.
Sale price
$999
The Best Mouse Cookie
Ages 0–4 · 1999
A mouse bakes cookies in his tiny house.
Sale price
$999
Napping House
Ages 0–3
Sale price
$995
Up Hamster Down Hamster
Ages 0–3 · 2015
Discover opposites with playful hamsters and unexpected surprises.
Sale price
$599
Teeny Tiny Ghost
Ages 0–3 · 2019
A tiny ghost seeks her voice and a friend in a spooky barn.
Sale price
$899
Lullaby Moon
Ages 0–3 · 2008
A parent and child mouse journey home under the lullaby moon.
Browse by age
Mouse, Hamster & Guinea Pig Picture Books
Clever escapes, big feelings, unlikely friendships, and read-aloud mischief for ages 3–8.
Sale price
$599
The Best Seat in Second Grade
Ages 5–7 · 2005
A boy secretly takes his classroom hamster on a field trip to the science museum, leading to unexpected adventures and discoveries.
Sale price
$599
Mac and Cheese
Ages 4–6 · 2010
A playful cat loses his hat. Will his lazy friend help retrieve it?
Sale price
$1799
Mouse Tales
Ages 4–8 · 1972
Seven mouse boys get a bedtime story each from their Papa.
Sale price
$799
A New Friend
Ages 6–9 · 2015
A young mouse befriends a snake who has just moved to her town and is struggling to fit in at school
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$599
Do You Like My Bike?
Ages 4–6 · 2019
A young boy tries to find his lost bike helmet and then goes for a bike ride with his friend.
Sale price
$599
Penny and Her Doll
Ages 4–8 · 2012
A young girl receives a doll from her grandmother and must decide on a name for it
Sale price
$499
See Pip Point
Ages 4–6 · 2003
A story about a character named Pip and their adventures with friends Otto and Zee the Bee.
Sale price
$499
Mrs. Brice's Mice
Ages 4–7 · 1988
One mouse's unique path saves the day from a prowling cat.
Sale price
$1899
My Best Friend
Ages 3–6 · 2020
Mouse is trapped. Will his best friend, who might want to eat him, save him?
Sale price
$1899
Library Mouse
Ages 4–8 · 2007
A mouse writes books and shares them with the library community.
Sale price
$1699
A Piece of Cake
Ages 4–8 · 2014
Mouse's cake delivery turns into a series of unexpected trades. What will he do next?
Sale price
$899
Anatole
Ages 4–7 · 1956
A mouse secretly transforms a cheese factory's fortunes with his tasting notes. Can they find their mysterious benefactor?
Browse by age
Small-Rodent Chapter Books & Middle Grade
Classroom capers, motorcycles, castles, rescues, and miniature quests for readers ages 6–12.
Sale price
$1999
Stuart Little
Ages 7–11 · 1945
A tiny mouse embarks on a daring quest to find his missing friend.
Sale price
$899
The Cricket in Times Square
Ages 9–12 · 1960
A cricket's hidden talent may change the heart of New York City.
Sale price
$999
Ragweed
Ages 7–11 · 1999
A young mouse named Ragweed leaves his home in the country to explore the city and gets caught up in a world of danger and adventure.
Sale price
$699
A Tail of Camelot
Ages 8–12 · 2016
A young mouse must uncover a hidden threat to save Camelot from destruction.
Sale price
$999
Thea Stilton and the Dragon's Code
Ages 7–10 · 2009
A mysterious invitation leads to a thrilling adventure at Mouseford Academy.
Sale price
$1799
The Storm
Ages 6–10 · 2002
Two solitary souls find unexpected family by the sea's embrace.
Sale price
$799
Basil of Baker Street
Ages 6–9 · 1958
A detective must solve the mystery of the missing twins and save the town from the Terrible Three, a gang of notorious criminals.
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$899
Harriet the Invincible
Ages 7–11 · 2015
A princess must find a prince to break a sleeping curse cast on her family.
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$999
The Secret of Whale Island
Ages 7–11 · 2013
A killer whale disrupts college life, threatening peace during whale migration.
Sale price
$499
The Littles
Ages 7–10 · 1967
Tiny family faces chaos when messy guests invade their hidden home.
Sale price
$899
Life According to Og the Frog
Ages 7–12 · 2018
Will Og the Frog stay in Room 26 or return to the pond?
Sale price
$999
Poppy
Ages 7–12 · 1995
A daring mouse challenges a tyrannical owl to save her family.