The skunk is the rare animal that wins every fight by not having one. Stamp, hiss, handstand, and then—if you still haven't taken the hint—a spray accurate to about ten feet and memorable for about ten days. The rest of the forest has agreed to leave it alone, which means a skunk can amble across a moonlit yard at its own unhurried pace while everything larger gets out of the way. Children's authors love this animal for exactly that reason: a character everyone avoids is a character who has to be met on purpose, and the books here are full of people and animals deciding to do it anyway.
Bookroo's collection of skunk books runs from a rhyming read-aloud you can thump like a drum to a 1949 Newbery Honor about a hermit whose house fills up with wildlife. Our editors picked fourteen that cover the range: the fastidious badger who gets a roommate, the boy raising an orphaned kit in a spare bathroom, the girl who wants a skunk and only a skunk for a pet, and the bear whose hugging problem finally meets its match. Start with the shortlist, then browse the picture-book shelf for read-alouds or the chapter-book shelf for readers ready to go out after dark on their own.
Badger has a rock collection, a quiet brownstone, and important work to do. Skunk has a suitcase and chickens.
A man in a tuxedo opens his front door. There is a skunk there. The skunk follows him.
Bat's mother is a vet. She brings home an orphaned skunk kit, and Bat has one month to prove he should keep it.
Easter Bunny lets Skunk help decorate the eggs. Skunk gets excited. Skunk gets excited a lot.
Petunia has thought it through. She will walk it, feed it, and read to it. It has to be a skunk.
Badger's Spider Eye Agate has been stolen. Skunk has a book review to protect. They go rock hunting.
Bear hugs everyone. Bear hugs constantly. Skunk has had enough and comes up with a plan.
Callie and her brother secretly adopt two orphaned skunk kits. Their mother does not know yet. She will.
Sydney the skunk wants to explore the Whole Wide World. Taylor the hedgehog would prefer to stay in the burrow.
Homer Price has a pet skunk named Aroma, and Aroma is the reason four bandits get caught.
Dog Man gets sprayed by a skunk, turns permanently scarlet, and is run out of the city he protects.
A skunk is tied to a balloon. The balloon goes up. There are no words in this book at all.
Dumpling the dog has no sense of smell, which is why she is the only creature willing to be friends with a skunk.
A jaguar and a skunk, matched up on paper. Claws and jaw strength against a chemical weapon with excellent aim.
Stripes, sprays, pet campaigns, and unlikely friendships for read-alouds ages 3–8.
Elephant and Skunk drum up a rhythmic adventure.
Explore whimsical forest adventures with quirky animal characters through four seasons of fun.
Discover playful rhymes that make learning to read fun and easy.
Cleo's prank backfires when her friends ignore her real cries for help.
Two skunks clash over music. Can they reunite their friendship?
Discover the secret lives of nocturnal animals through rhymes and photos.
A lonely skunk searches for love in a world where everyone else has a partner. Will he succeed?
Discover rhyming fun with word families like 'unk' and 'og'.
A skunk pretends to be a lost dog to find a family. Will his disguise work?
A skunk moves in, teaching a family about urban wildlife.
A raccoon and skunk's moonlit forage turns into a thrilling escape.
A pup's nose leads him to a lost skunk. Can he reunite the family?
Roommate comedies, backyard vets, comics, classics, and animal-fact showdowns for ages 6–12.
A new dog disrupts the ranch, challenging Hank's place in the pack. Can he prove his worth?
A young boy named Bat cares for a baby skunk named Thor and navigates the challenges of family and friendship
A young boy struggles to cope with the impending departure of his beloved class pet and the challenges of caring for a wild animal at home.
Peter Rabbit's prank leads to unexpected chaos with angry skunks and buzzing trouble.
A hedgehog tries to fly with the help of his friends and a toy left behind by a boy
Poppy returns to save her family, facing unexpected adventures with her son and quirky companions.
A hermit's peaceful retreat is disrupted by unexpected wildlife guests.
Discover animals' gross and scary survival tactics.
Skunks and raccoons battle for survival using unique defenses. Who will win the ultimate showdown?
Join a summer camp adventure with phonics fun and unexpected mishaps.
Which animal reigns supreme? Discover epic battles and surprising outcomes.
Two crooks face a stinky skunk in a comical caper.
