Illustrator & Author Profile
Diane deGroat
15 Books
Diane deGroat is an award-winning illustrator and author who has contributed to over a hundred children's books. She is well known for writing and illustrating her own Gilbert and Friends series, which follows the relatable adventures of a young opossum. Additionally, she has illustrated popular titles for other authors, including Lois Lowry's Anastasia Krupnik series and Ree Drummond's Charlie the Ranch Dog.
Books in "Gilbert and Friends"
The classroom is buzzing: school is almost over, summer is waiting, and Mrs. Byrd is handing out end-of-the-year awards. Gilbert is excited for the party, but as his classmates are named best speller, best reader, and best at other things, he starts to wonder where he fits in.
This warm Gilbert and Friends story captures the funny, nervous feeling of wanting to be noticed. Young readers will recognize Gilbert’s mix of excitement, worry, and hope as the school year comes to a close. With gentle humor and classroom feelings that ring true, it is a reassuring picture book about being seen for your own special strengths.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
First grade sounds exciting until Gilbert starts thinking about everything that could go wrong. A new teacher, new classmates, harder work, and a whole new classroom suddenly feel like a lot to handle.
On his first day, Gilbert discovers that school is not exactly what he imagined. Some moments are awkward, some classmates seem ahead of him, and one boy is not very kind. But Mrs. Byrd is welcoming, and Gilbert begins to see that everyone brings something different to the class.
This gentle back-to-school story is especially comforting for readers ages 6 to 8 who know the butterflies of a new beginning. Funny, honest, and reassuring, it shows that first grade can hold surprises, challenges, and new confidence too.
6-8 Years
42 Pages
Gilbert has big plans for Mother’s Day. He wants to make the day special and show his mother that she is the very best. The trouble is, breakfast, cards, and surprises do not go quite the way he hopes, and his little sister Lola keeps ending up right where Gilbert does not want her: beside their mother.
Readers who have ever wanted a parent’s full attention will understand Gilbert’s frustration. Diane deGroat turns sibling jealousy into a funny, tender family story with just the right amount of chaos.
Warm and easy to relate to, this Gilbert and Friends picture book is a good choice for Mother’s Day, family read-alouds, and conversations about sharing love at home.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Gilbert’s class is putting on plays about famous people, and Gilbert is not thrilled. Performing in front of everyone makes his stomach flutter, especially when he has to play George Washington in the cherry tree story. He wants every line, costume piece, and prop to be just right.
Then an important prop disappears before the show, and Gilbert’s nerves turn into blame. This funny school story uses a classroom performance to explore honesty, mistakes, and the pressure of wanting to do well.
With expressive animal characters and a familiar school setting, Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire gives readers ages 6 to 8 a gentle way to think about truth, responsibility, and what can happen when embarrassment gets in the way of doing the right thing.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Camp Hi-Dee-Ho is supposed to mean games, friends, and an exciting night away from home. Gilbert is ready for fun until Lewis starts talking about the camp ghost. Suddenly the dark, the cabins, and every strange sound feel a lot spookier.
When Gilbert has to go outside during the night, his imagination runs wild. This Gilbert and Friends story mixes gentle suspense with humor, making it a friendly choice for readers who like a little shiver without anything too scary.
Perfect for ages 6 to 8, Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite understands how big a first overnight trip can feel. It is a reassuring picture book about fear, bravery, and finding courage when the lights go out.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Gilbert is ready for a perfect beach day, but things start going wrong fast. Lola is nervous about the water, Gilbert forgets his bathing suit, and the new suit he finds says Surfer Dude in a way that makes him feel extra cool.
Looking like a surfer is one thing. Acting like one is another. As Gilbert tries to enjoy the beach, young readers get a funny, easy-to-follow story about confidence, imagination, and the small surprises that can change a family outing.
Written for beginning readers, Gilbert, the Surfer Dude keeps the language accessible while still feeling lively and polished. It is a bright beach adventure for ages 6 to 8 who enjoy animal characters, gentle humor, and first steps toward independent reading.
6-8 Years
34 Pages
Christmas is coming, and Gilbert has plenty to do: cookies, skating, snow, tree decorating, and all the excitement of the season. Homework is on the list too, but somehow it keeps slipping farther and farther away.
When Monday morning gets closer, Gilbert has to face the problem he has been avoiding. This funny holiday school story captures the busy, sparkling feeling of December while also showing a very familiar challenge: putting off something important.
Young readers ages 6 to 8 will enjoy Gilbert’s cheerful distractions and his growing worry as the weekend disappears. Warm, festive, and lightly comic, Jingle Bells, Homework Smells is a Christmas picture book with just enough school-life trouble to feel real.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
A class trip to Pilgrim Town should be a fun Thanksgiving outing, but Gilbert gets paired with Philip, a tattletale who notices everything. Gilbert wishes his buddy would leave him alone, and before long, he makes a choice that creates more trouble than he expects.
This Gilbert and Friends story turns a field trip into a funny lesson about patience, gratitude, and seeing another person more clearly. The historical Thanksgiving setting gives the story a seasonal feel, while Gilbert’s frustration keeps it firmly in the world of real classroom friendships.
For readers ages 6 to 8, We Gather Together...Now Please Get Lost! offers humor, animal characters, and relatable school-trip tension without becoming too heavy. It is a warm holiday picture book about finding something to appreciate, even in an annoying situation.
6-8 Years
44 Pages
Gilbert and Lola are excited for cousin Wally’s Easter visit, especially with an egg hunt coming up. But Wally has turned everything into a race. He wants to be first, fastest, and the one with the most eggs, even when his pushy behavior spoils the fun.
Gilbert has to figure out how to handle a cousin whose winning matters more than kindness. This cheerful holiday story uses Easter excitement, family visits, and playful rivalry to explore fairness and sharing in a way young readers can understand.
Funny and easy to relate to, Last One in Is a Rotten Egg! is a lively picture book for ages 6 to 8. It is a good pick for readers who enjoy animal characters, family stories, and holiday adventures with a gentle lesson underneath.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Gilbert has fifteen valentines to write for his classmates, but two names on the list make him stop. How can he write something kind for classmates who hurt his feelings? Instead, Gilbert writes two mean poems and signs someone else’s name.
The prank feels clever at first, but it quickly causes hurt feelings and classroom chaos. This popular Gilbert and Friends story is funny, sharp, and emotionally honest, especially for readers who know how hard it can be to stay kind when they feel wronged.
Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink is a strong Valentine’s Day read-aloud for ages 6 to 8. With humor and heart, it opens the door to conversations about friendship, forgiveness, honesty, and making things right.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Gilbert arrives at school ready for April Fools’ Day fun, but the jokes keep landing on him. Friends trick him, Mrs. Byrd gets involved, and Lewis seems determined to be the worst prankster of all.
As Gilbert tries to turn the day around, readers are invited into a playful school story filled with surprises. The illustrations add extra hidden tricks, making the book fun to look through closely as well as read aloud.
April Fool! Watch Out at School! is a light, funny picture book for ages 6 to 8 who enjoy classroom humor and holiday mischief. It captures the giddy excitement of pranks while keeping the story warm and child-friendly, with Gilbert’s feelings at the center of the fun.
6-8 Years
35 Pages
Gilbert has the perfect Halloween plan: he will be a Martian Space Pilot in the school costume parade. But costume plans can go wrong, and soon Gilbert is facing a mix-up that leaves him feeling anything but ready to march with his class.
A ballerina tutu is not what he had in mind. As Gilbert deals with embarrassment, classmates, and the pressure to look the way he expected, this funny Halloween story explores the ups and downs of standing out.
Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet is a lively picture book for ages 6 to 8 who enjoy school stories, costumes, and gentle holiday chaos. It is playful and silly, but it also understands how big small disappointments can feel to a child.
6-8 Years
34 Pages
Lewis is always teasing Gilbert, so a birthday party invitation from him feels suspicious. Gilbert goes anyway, carrying a wrapped gift, a smile, and a plan to get even if Lewis acts mean again.
Birthday parties are supposed to be fun, but Gilbert’s feelings are tangled up with hurt, anger, and the question of what kind of present Lewis really deserves. Diane deGroat brings her usual humor and honesty to a story about bullies, choices, and generosity.
Happy Birthday to You, You Belong in a Zoo is a relatable picture book for ages 6 to 8 who understand playground grudges and mixed-up feelings. It is funny, warm, and useful for conversations about doing the right thing when someone has not been kind.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Mrs. Byrd’s class is working on Earth Day projects, and everyone seems full of ideas about recycling, saving water, and protecting the planet. Everyone except Gilbert. He wants to do something original, but the perfect idea will not come.
Then a class picnic gives Gilbert a problem to notice and a reason to think differently. This Gilbert and Friends story connects school creativity with caring for the environment in a way that feels concrete and child-friendly.
Ants in Your Pants, Worms in Your Plants! is a lively Earth Day picture book for ages 6 to 8. It works well for readers who like classroom stories, animal characters, and projects that begin with a simple question: what can one kid do to help?
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Gilbert’s tooth wiggles through the school day until recess brings one big BAM and the tooth finally comes out. Gilbert can hardly wait for the tooth fairy, but Lewis is jealous and comes up with a sneaky plan of his own.
This beginning reader turns a familiar childhood milestone into a funny school story with just enough mischief to keep pages moving. Gilbert’s excitement, Lewis’s trick, and the tooth fairy question make the plot easy to follow and fun to read.
Gilbert and the Lost Tooth is a friendly early reader for ages 6 to 8, especially children who are losing teeth or waiting for their turn. With animal characters, classroom scenes, and gentle humor, it supports growing readers without losing story charm.
6-8 Years
35 Pages
