- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 6–8
- Comedy
Murray the Explorer
Book 5 in Murray and BunView the full series
Murray the snooze-loving cat and Bun the everything-loving rabbit tumble through their magic cat flap and out the other side as intrepid explorers, straight into their most daring adventure yet. A gloriously funny, heavily illustrated romp for newly independent readers.
- Best for6–8
- FormatIllustrated
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Adventurous
- Warm
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Murray is a cat who asks little of life beyond a warm blanket, a good snooze and a bit of peace and quiet. Bun is a rabbit who loves absolutely everything and is forever tumbling into trouble. Together, thanks to a cat flap that a wizard named Fumblethumb accidentally enchanted, they never quite know where they'll end up, because most of the time it doesn't lead to the garden at all, it leads to ADVENTURE. In this fifth Murray and Bun outing, the two friends pop through the flap and find themselves transformed into a pair of intrepid explorers, hurled headlong into their boldest escapade so far. Expect a huge cast of wonderfully wacky characters, plenty of daft peril, and the warm, bickering friendship that anchors every book. Brilliantly illustrated on every page by author-artist Adam Stower and told with fast, funny, easy-to-follow storytelling, Murray the Explorer is perfectly pitched for children finding their feet as independent readers, and a joy to share aloud. Ideal for fans of Bunny vs Monkey and Dog Man who love a laugh-packed animal adventure.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A heavily illustrated chapter book for 6-8s finding their feet as independent readers, and a fun read-aloud from around 5. Part of the episodic Murray and Bun series but easy to enjoy on its own, with gentle, comic peril and no scary content.
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- Best fit · 6–8
- Read aloud · 5–7
- Independent · 6–9
Prose load
Light
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Reluctant readers
- Funny chapter books
- Animal lovers
- Newly independent readers
Avoid if
- Wants realistic stories
- Wants calm bedtime
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
You never know where Murray's magic cat flap will spit them out, and this time it's as full-on explorers. Grumpy Murray just wants a nap while Bun loves every single thing, and their squabbling double act is so funny. Loads of pictures and non-stop silliness.
- Adventure and freedom
- Friendship and belonging
- Secret world
Why parents love it
Adam Stower fills every page with pictures and jokes, so the reading load stays light while the story rattles cheerfully along, ideal for building confidence. The Murray-and-Bun odd-couple dynamic is genuinely funny to read aloud, and it's completely gentle.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Murray and Bun.
5 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Adam Stower.
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