- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Comedy
Billy and the Beast
Book 1 of 3 in Billy and the BeastView the full series
The rollicking first outing for Billy, a quick-thinking heroine with a magnificent frizzy beehive full of useful things, and her loyal cat Fatcat, as they outwit a hungry Beast planning a terrible soup.
- Best for3–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Adventurous
- Warm
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Billy and her best friend Fatcat are having a lovely walk in the woods when they notice something odd: the bunnies and the mice have all vanished. Before long Billy and Fatcat are snatched too, and it turns out a hungry Beast has been gathering ingredients for a truly Terrible Soup, with Fatcat next on the menu. Luckily Billy is no ordinary girl. Her fabulous frizzy hair is stuffed with everything from emergency doughnuts to crayons and useful gadgets, and she has the quick wits to talk the Beast out of his dreadful plan. Nadia Shireen's picture book is bright, funny and full of comic detail, with a brilliantly resourceful heroine, named one of The Observer's best children's books of 2018. It reads aloud beautifully, celebrates cleverness and bravery over brawn, and features a warm, diverse cast led by a girl who always has a plan. A joyful, giggly adventure for 3-6-year-olds and the start of a much-loved series.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A best fit for 3-6-year-olds as a read-aloud, with early readers of 5-7 able to tackle it themselves. Mildly perilous but always funny, it's ideal for children who like a brave, clever heroine and a giggle.
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–6
- Read aloud · 3–6
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Funny
- Read aloud
- Brave heroine
- Monsters
- Diverse cast
Avoid if
- Wants quiet bedtime only
- Scared of monsters
Particularly good for children who are…
- Nightmares or fears
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Billy's beehive of doughnuts and gadgets is endlessly delightful, and children cheer as she out-thinks a Beast far bigger than her. The Terrible Soup is just the right amount of scary-funny, and the woodland romp bursts with bright detail.
- Trickery and cleverness
- The underdog winning
- Breaking the rules safely
Why parents love it
Nadia Shireen gives us a genuinely funny read-aloud with a clever, brave, diverse heroine at its heart. The comic timing and detailed art reward repeat reads, and it's brawn-beaten-by-brains storytelling done with real charm.
- Shared humour
- Beautiful illustrations
- Cultural representation
- Quick to read
In the series
Billy and the Beast.
3 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Nadia Shireen.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
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