- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Comedy
Colin's Grandma
Part of Colin'sView the full series
Part of the Colin universeOpen the collection
A funny follow-up in which Colin and Duck's new domestic harmony is disrupted by Grandma and her pet crocodile. It keeps the series' comic chaos while adding a light family-visit theme.
- Best for3–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
- Onomatopoeic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Warm
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Colin and Duck are now friends, and life in the castle is finally working nicely. Then Colin's Grandma comes to stay. She arrives with luggage, expectations, strong opinions, and a pet crocodile, which is exactly the sort of thing that can unsettle even a vegetarian vampire's household. Colin wants everything to go well, Duck is still very much Duck, and Grandma has her own ideas about what a proper castle visit should look like. Holly Swain's second Colin and Duck story builds on the odd-couple comedy of Colin's Castle, adding family nerves, guest etiquette and another ridiculous animal presence. The humour stays broad and visual, with enough warmth underneath to make the chaos feel friendly rather than frantic.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–6
- Read aloud · 3–6
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Funny read aloud
- Family visit story
- Comic duo
- Halloween but not scary
- Crocodile chaos
Avoid if
- Has not read book one
- Wants sincere feelings book
- Prefers no vampire imagery
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Anxiety and worry
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A warm, funny picture-book series — a lovely read-aloud about friendship, family and accepting others.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the crocodile — Colin and Duck's domestic harmony finally working, then Grandma arriving with luggage and strong opinions and a pet crocodile to disrupt everything. The Colin sequel for any kid who's had a guest upend their household.
- Breaking the rules safely
- Friendship and belonging
- Family belonging
- Cosy safety
Why parents love it
The Holly Swain follow-up to Colin's Castle — odd-couple comedy expanded with a family-visit theme, broad and visual humour with warmth underneath. Useful for the relative-coming-to-stay phase. Reads well aloud.
- Shared humour
- Beautiful illustrations
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
In the series
Colin's.
3 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Holly Swain.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
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