- Picture Books
- Ages 2–5
- Animals
Molly, Olive and Dexter: You Can't Catch Me!
Book 3 of 4 in Molly, Olive & DexterView the full series
Part of the Catherine Rayner universeOpen the collection
A sweet Dexter-focused story about feeling left behind when friends can do something better than you. Very useful for toddlers and preschoolers navigating confidence, comparison and different strengths.
- Best for2–5
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Repetitive
- Comedic
Tone
- Gentle
- Warm
- Funny
- Heartwarming
- Cosy
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Dexter the fox loves playing chase with Molly the hare and Olive the owl, but there is one big problem: Molly can bound away on her long hare legs, and Olive can swoop ahead with a flap of her wings. However hard Dexter tries, he cannot catch them. His frustration is small and toddler-sized, but very recognisable: what happens when your friends seem faster, better or more capable than you? Catherine Rayner handles the feeling with warmth and gentle humour, giving Dexter space to struggle before finding his own way to join in. The book keeps the series' safe garden world, soft animal characters and comforting visual style, while adding a slightly more active, movement-based plot. It is a lovely read for children who are learning that friends do not all have the same abilities, and that play works best when everyone is included.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 2–5
- Read aloud · 2–6
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
5 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Toddler friendship
- Feeling left out
- Different strengths
- Animal friends
- Beautiful illustrations
Avoid if
- Wants high energy adventure
- Wants laugh out loud funny
- Needs older picture book
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Low self esteem
- Starting nursery or preschool
- Neurodiversity or learning differences
In the classroom
How it works in school.
Gentle, warm read-alouds about friendship and belonging for the very young — lovely for joining in and talking about kindness.
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 weight is Dexter being slower — Molly bounding off on long hare legs, Olive swooping ahead on wings, Dexter trying as hard as he can and not catching them, having to find his own way to join in. The Molly, Olive and Dexter for the toddler comparing themselves to friends who can do more.
- Friendship and belonging
- Animal companions
- Transformation
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
The third Molly, Olive and Dexter — Dexter-focused, different-abilities and comparison and inclusion handled gently, slightly more active plot than the first two. Lovely for nursery-aged readers learning that play works best when everyone is in.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Bedtime appropriate
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
In the series
Molly, Olive & Dexter.
4 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Catherine Rayner.
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.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
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- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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