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Quick answer: If you loved Skippyjon Jones, try Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse, Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, Where the Wild Things Are, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Cat in the Hat and Fancy Nancy. Each one is a silly, energetic picture book with a playful hero, big imagination and read-aloud fun.
Judith Byron Schachner's picture book series follows Skippyjon Jones, a Siamese kitten who believes he is a Chihuahua. Sent to his room, he imagines adventures as El Skippito, a masked sword-fighter, with a gang of Chihuahuas called Los Chimichangos. The books mix rhymes, Spanish-flavored words and wild imagination. Children love its energy and sounds. These books share its humor, its imagination and its read-aloud joy.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse | Judith Byron Schachner | 3-7 | readers who want more Skippyjon |
| Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes | Eric Litwin | 3-6 | readers who like cool cats |
| Where the Wild Things Are | Maurice Sendak | 3-7 | readers who like imaginary adventures |
| Harold and the Purple Crayon | Crockett Johnson | 3-7 | readers who like imagination |
| The Cat in the Hat | Dr. Seuss | 3-7 | readers who like mischief |
| Fancy Nancy | Jane O'Connor | 4-8 | readers who like flair |
| Olivia | Ian Falconer | 3-7 | readers who like energetic heroes |
| Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! | Mo Willems | 3-6 | readers who like funny persuasion |
| Pig the Pug | Aaron Blabey | 3-7 | readers who like naughty pets |
| Bad Kitty | Nick Bruel | 4-8 | readers who like cats with attitude |
| The Day the Crayons Quit | Drew Daywalt | 4-8 | readers who like funny voices |
| Chicka Chicka Boom Boom | Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault | 2-6 | readers who like rhythm |
| Dragons Love Tacos | Adam Rubin | 3-7 | readers who like silly food |
| Max and Ruby | Rosemary Wells | 3-6 | readers who like siblings |
| Knuffle Bunny | Mo Willems | 3-6 | readers who like funny family mix-ups |
1. Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse by Judith Byron Schachner
Skippyjon's next adventure.
Best for: readers who want more Skippyjon.
2. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
A cat keeps singing as his shoes change color.
Best for: readers who like cool cats.
3. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
A boy sails to a land of wild things.
Best for: readers who like imaginary adventures.
4. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
A boy draws his own adventure.
Best for: readers who like imagination.
5. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
A cat turns a rainy day upside down.
Best for: readers who like mischief.
6. Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor
A girl loves everything fancy.
Best for: readers who like flair.
7. Olivia by Ian Falconer
A pig who wears everyone out.
Best for: readers who like energetic heroes.
8. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
A pigeon begs to drive a bus.
Best for: readers who like funny persuasion.
9. Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey
A greedy pug learns to share.
Best for: readers who like naughty pets.
10. Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
A kitty throws a tantrum over food.
Best for: readers who like cats with attitude.
11. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Crayons write letters of complaint.
Best for: readers who like funny voices.
12. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Letters climb a coconut tree.
Best for: readers who like rhythm.
13. Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Dragons love tacos but hate spicy salsa.
Best for: readers who like silly food.
14. Max and Ruby by Rosemary Wells
Bunny siblings have small adventures.
Best for: readers who like siblings.
15. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
A toddler loses her bunny at the laundromat.
Best for: readers who like funny family mix-ups.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Skippyjon Jones: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Skippyjon Jones. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Continue the Skippyjon Jones series for more adventures. For read-aloud fun with sounds and repetition, Pete the Cat and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom are perfect. If your child loves imaginary adventures, Where the Wild Things Are and Harold and the Purple Crayon are classics. For naughty pets, try Pig the Pug or Bad Kitty.
Related: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak: Summary and Key Takeaways · Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Skippyjon Jones about?
A Siamese kitten imagines he is a Chihuahua sword-fighter named El Skippito.
What age is Skippyjon Jones for?
It suits children about 3 to 7.
Who wrote Skippyjon Jones?
Judith Byron Schachner.
Is Skippyjon Jones good for reading aloud?
Yes. Its rhymes and sounds are fun to perform.
Has Skippyjon Jones been criticized?
Some critics say it uses Mexican stereotypes, so parents may want to discuss it.
How many books are there?
There are many picture books and early readers.
What should my child read next?
Pete the Cat or Pig the Pug.