Author & Illustrator Profile
Susan Meddaugh
20 Books
Susan Meddaugh is an author and illustrator who creates humorous and engaging picture books for children. She is best known as the creator of the popular Martha Speaks series, starring a lovable dog who gains the ability to talk after eating alphabet soup. In addition to writing and illustrating her own stories, she has brought many other authors' tales to life with her lively visual style. Her expressive artwork and clever narratives have made her a staple in children's literature.
In Lulu’s family, real magic is supposed to pass from one generation to the next. Lulu is sure that rule leaves her out. She was adopted, and everyone seems to believe the magician’s gift belongs to someone else.
Still, Uncle Jerry the Great gives her a summer chance as his assistant. Lulu only needs to warm up the crowd with simple tricks, but nothing goes the way she hopes. Then she discovers an old hat in a costume trunk, and the magic around her becomes far less simple.
Lulu’s Hat is a funny, imaginative chapter book about belonging, confidence, and finding your own kind of magic. With family expectations, stage mishaps, and a trip into strange Magic Space, it offers an accessible fantasy adventure for young middle grade readers.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
84 Pages
Martha is used to being the special dog in the family. Then everyone brings home Skits, a bouncy new puppy who chews, crashes, and turns Martha’s peaceful life upside down.
Skits does not understand rules, manners, or the importance of alphabet soup. Even worse, he does not start talking the way Martha does. Martha may be annoyed, but she also begins to realize that Skits has his own way of being special.
Martha and Skits is a funny, affectionate Martha Speaks picture book about welcoming a new pet, handling jealousy, and learning that a younger family member does not have to be exactly like you to matter.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Martha loves her walks: the smells, the scratches, the neighborhood news, and the chance to visit her dog friends. Then a new sign appears down the street: Beware of Dog.
The dog behind the sign is Bob, a loud, frightening bully who makes everyone nervous. Martha has plenty to say, but words can get a dog into trouble if she chooses the wrong ones. With help from a talkative parrot, she begins to discover that words can also change how someone feels.
Martha Walks the Dog is a funny Martha Speaks picture book about kindness, confidence, and the surprising power of praise.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Justine is smaller than everyone at school, so small that people call her Just Teenie. Clothes feel too big, rides feel out of reach, and being little can make the whole world seem designed for someone else.
Then Justine meets the mysterious Madame Flora and receives a plant that grows higher and higher. As the vine lifts her above the ordinary world, Justine gets the chance to see her size, and herself, from a new point of view.
Just Teenie is a witty, reassuring picture book for children who are impatient to grow. With gentle magic and humor, it explores self-esteem, comparison, and the surprising advantages of being exactly who you are.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Martha knows dogs are already wonderful. Otis Weaselgraft disagrees. His Perfect Pup Institute promises to turn barking, drooling, squirrel-chasing dogs into perfectly obedient pets in just three easy steps.
At first, the program sounds impressive. Soon, dogs all over town are going in and coming out strangely changed. Martha smells something suspicious, and a talking dog with a strong opinion is not easy to fool.
Perfectly Martha is a clever, comic Martha Speaks adventure about being yourself, asking questions, and resisting the idea that good behavior should mean losing your personality. Young readers who enjoy funny dog stories with a bit of mystery will find Martha in fine form.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Martha has never met a telephone she does not want to use. So when this chatty dog calls a radio contest and wins a weekend trip for her whole family, vacation sounds perfect until the hotel has one big rule: no dogs allowed.
Martha is not the kind of dog who stays quietly hidden in a room. She wants fresh air, fun, and a fair chance to enjoy the trip with the people she loves. With her usual bold opinions and comic timing, she speaks up for dogs everywhere.
This funny Martha Speaks picture book is a lively story about pets, family, and the trouble that starts when a talking dog refuses to be left out.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Harry does not plan to become the caretaker of a tropical bird. But when he finds Sally hurt and far from home, he helps her heal, feeds her, and grows attached to his bright, unusual visitor.
Then Sally’s flock arrives outside Harry’s window, and they will not leave without her. As cold weather comes closer, Harry has to face a hard question: is keeping Sally nearby really the kindest choice?
Warm, funny, and gently thoughtful, Tree of Birds is a picture book about caring for animals, loving something enough to let it choose its own path, and noticing how one small act can fill an ordinary tree with life.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Helen and Martha are out on Halloween night when they discover a supermarket that is definitely not for ordinary shoppers. The shelves are stocked with strange ingredients, the customers are witches, and the rules are clear: witches and cats only.
There is just one problem. Martha is a dog, even if her costume says otherwise. When Helen and Martha realize they are not welcome, the shopping trip turns into a spooky, funny scramble to get away.
The Witches’ Supermarket is a lively Halloween picture book with just-right scares, clever details, and the familiar charm of Martha before her talking-dog adventures made her famous.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Wolf is sure his porch has the best view in the world. Then Bird asks a tricky question: how can Wolf know, if he has never seen anywhere else?
That question sends Wolf traveling far from home. He sees new places, compares views, and returns with a fresh opinion, only to discover that the house he sold now belongs to a rabbit family. Wolf wants his old porch back, but wanting something badly can lead to some very bad choices.
The Best Place is a wry, thoughtful picture book about home, perspective, and discovering that the place you need may not be exactly the place you first imagined.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Harry’s quiet boat ride goes wrong fast. He drops his oars, the tide carries him away, and a storm leaves him stranded on a lonely island with only sand, rocks, and one wind-bent tree.
Hungry and alone, Harry finds an egg and hopes it might become dinner. Instead, it hatches into a strange, colorful, winged creature that grows quickly and turns his island problem into an even bigger mystery.
Harry on the Rocks is an adventurous picture book about surprise friendship, survival, and the wonder of meeting a creature you cannot quite name. It blends island danger with Susan Meddaugh’s playful imagination and gentle humor.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Cinderella’s coachman has a secret: not long ago, he was a rat. When the fairy godmother’s magic sweeps him into the palace story, he discovers that being human is exciting, confusing, and full of unexpected trouble.
The castle has food, danger, and people who do not know what he really is. When his rat sister is at risk, he must think quickly without giving away the truth about his magical change.
Cinderella’s Rat gives the familiar fairy tale a clever new angle, focusing on one small character caught inside the big night. It is funny, fast-moving, and perfect for readers who like fractured fairy tales and animal adventures.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Margaret has had enough of being bossed around. Her brother and sister make her do the work, take the blame, and live as if her wishes do not matter. When she runs into the forest, she thinks she is escaping one kind of trouble.
Then she meets an old woman who says a dog has stolen her walking stick. The reward sounds simple, but the woman is not what she seems, and the missing stick is no ordinary cane. It has magic, history, and a dangerous habit of making miserable wishes come true.
The Witch’s Walking Stick is a darkly funny, fairy-tale-like picture book about courage, unfairness, and cleverness in the face of trickery.
6-8 Years
46 Pages
One wrong school bus is bad enough. Choosing the path through the forest is worse. Before long, a young pig has been snatched by a hungry wolf who is already singing about soup.
This pig may be small, but she is not helpless. She can read, she can think quickly, and she knows how to stall a wolf who does not understand the words in front of him. When cleverness is not quite enough, she still has one terrible trick left: the dreaded Hog-Eye stare.
Hog-Eye is a funny, high-energy picture book with a folktale feel, perfect for readers who enjoy smart heroes, foolish villains, and animal stories where brains matter more than size.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Susie has planned a perfect Father’s Day for Dad. She takes him out, chooses the restaurant, picks the activities, and makes sure the day is full of treats.
The funny part is that Susie’s perfect plans look a lot like her own favorite things. Dad understands more than he says, and the outing becomes a warm, gently comic picture of a father and daughter enjoying time together.
A Perfect Father’s Day is a sweet family picture book with simple humor, affectionate illustrations, and a child’s-eye view of giving someone a special day. It works well for Father’s Day, but its warmth makes it appealing any time of year.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Martha has walked under a ladder, broken a mirror, and started to wonder whether bad luck is following her on four paws. Helen tries to explain that accidents can simply be accidents, but Martha is not convinced.
When clumsy mishaps seem to happen around her, Martha worries that her jinx might be spreading to everyone nearby. Is she really unlucky for seven whole years, or is there another way to look at what happened?
This playful Martha Speaks early reader gives young readers a funny story about superstitions, worry, and learning to think through a problem. Martha’s big feelings and bigger imagination make the mystery of bad luck especially silly and satisfying.
6-8 Years
29 Pages
Susie is supposed to take a nap. Susie has other plans.
Dad tries everything he can think of to make her sleepy. They walk, dance, drum, read, and play, but Susie keeps insisting she is wide awake. Dad, however, is getting more tired by the minute.
No Nap is a bright, silly picture book about a familiar family moment: a child with endless energy and a parent doing his best. Eve Bunting’s playful text and Susan Meddaugh’s lively illustrations make the story especially fun for children who enjoy everyday humor, bedtime resistance, and the small comedy of family routines.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Martha eats her alphabet soup every day because the letters are what let her talk. But one day, when she opens her mouth, clear words do not come out. Instead, everything sounds like confusing blah blah blah.
Something has gone wrong, and Martha is not ready to give up being a talking dog. Her nose still works, and her curiosity is as strong as ever, so she follows the clues to the source of the trouble: a soup company that may not be keeping its promise.
Martha Blah Blah is a funny Martha Speaks story about words, communication, and speaking up when something is unfair.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Bimwili’s beautiful singing voice draws danger closer than she knows. When a frightening Zimwi takes her away and hides her inside a drum, her song becomes part of his strange performance.
This Swahili folktale blends suspense, music, and courage in a way that feels just right for readers ages 6 to 8. The story has the deep, memorable pattern of traditional storytelling, with a brave child at its center and a magical threat that keeps the pages tense without becoming too much for young readers.
Bimwili and the Zimwi is a strong choice for children who enjoy folktales, mysterious creatures, and stories where a young person’s voice has power.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
Two pairs of sneakers, one big and one small, step into a dark house where spooky surprises wait behind every door. A little girl and her father move through rooms filled with ghosts, witches, a vampire, a werewolf, and other Halloween frights.
The scares are playful rather than too scary, with rhyming language and clever illustrations that let young readers enjoy the shivers while feeling safe. In some editions, flaps and touch-and-feel details make the haunted-house tour even more interactive.
In the Haunted House is a lively Halloween picture book for children who like monsters, mystery, and just enough suspense for a fun seasonal read.
6-8 Years
14 Pages
The old rhyme only gives you a few clues: one little piggy goes to market, one stays home, one has roast beef, one has none, and one runs wee wee wee all the way home. But why?
Five Little Piggies turns each line of the familiar toe-counting rhyme into a funny story about a busy pig family. The book fills in the behind-the-scenes details, from shopping trips to dinner mishaps, with plenty of playful surprises.
David Martin’s comic storytelling and Susan Meddaugh’s lively illustrations make this a cheerful picture book for children who enjoy nursery-rhyme twists, family humor, and silly animal characters with big personalities.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
