Alex T Smith Books in Order
Explore Alex T. Smith books in order, with short summaries, series guides, background notes, and clear ideas for where to start reading.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
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Alex T Smith books in publication order
47 books
Georgia's Gorgeous Garden
by Alex T Smith
2007
Georgia’s garden becomes the setting for a gentle, colorful picture-book adventure. Young readers can follow her through an outdoor world of growing things, bright details, and small discoveries that make the garden feel special.
Harry's Beautiful Balloons
by Alex T Smith
2007
Harry’s beautiful balloons take center stage in a short, colorful story for young children. The book turns a familiar childhood delight into an inviting visual adventure, encouraging readers to notice, imagine, and join in.
Round and Round
by Alex T Smith
2007
A bright, simple picture book celebrates the repeating rhythms of everyday life and play. With Alex T. Smith’s lively illustrations, it offers young children a gentle story built for sharing, noticing, and reading again.
Tom's Hide-And-Seek
by Alex T Smith
2007
Tom turns a game of hide-and-seek into a playful little adventure. With places to search and surprises to find, this short picture book invites young readers to share the fun of looking closely and guessing.
Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero
by Alex T Smith
2008
Quiet Eliot Jones reads books and feeds his goldfish by day, but at midnight he becomes a superhero. From stolen jewels to an approaching meteor, Eliot tackles emergencies that no one suspects he can handle.
Bella and Monty
by Alex T Smith
2009
Brave Bella wants to help her best friend Monty, a cat frightened by nearly everything, especially the dark. During a sleepover, Bella’s imaginative explanations make the night less scary, until her own fear appears.
Home
by Alex T Smith
2009
Four friends share a house they call home, until each dreams of living somewhere more exciting. When they split up, they must decide whether adventure matters more than friendship, compromise, and being together.
The Baddie
by Alex T Smith
2010
Tom and Matt learn that their parents have been kidnapped by the Baddie in Deep Space. Armed with blasters and a cardboard-box spaceship, the brothers launch an imaginative rescue mission to bring them home.
The Horrible Princess
by Alex T Smith
2010
When Isabella steals Matt’s beloved Baby Dragon, Tom and Matt set out to get it back. With their little brother, a fire-breathing friend, knights, frogs, and a dungeon, the rescue becomes a wild fairy-tale adventure.
Claude In The City
by Alex T Smith
2011
When Mr. and Mrs. Shinyshoes go to work, Claude and Sir Bobblysock visit the city for the first time. Shopping, a museum, a robbery, and a hospital rescue make it a very full day.
Claude on Holiday
by Alex T Smith
2011
Claude and Sir Bobblysock take their first holiday at the beach, where they expect sandcastles and ice cream. Instead, they meet pirates, find treasure, and discover that Claude cannot avoid an adventure for long.
Fantastic Frankie And The Brain Drain Machine
by Alex T Smith
2011
Frankie Blewitt is sent to Crammar Grammar after another bad school report, only to discover a frightening secret. Dr. Gore plans to turn pupils into robot-like super-brains, and Frankie must stop his brain-drain machine.
Foxy and Egg
by Alex T Smith
2011
Foxy DuBois invites Egg for dinner, but her elaborate hospitality hides a hungry plan for breakfast. Egg seems innocent, yet Foxy soon discovers that her clever menu may not end the way she expects.
Catch Us If You Can-Can!
by Alex T Smith
2012
A lively picture-book caper follows a determined group through a playful chase full of music, movement, and comic mishaps. With bold illustrations and a can-can spirit, the story turns a simple escape into a grand performance.
Claude at the Circus
by Alex T Smith
2012
After rescuing a runaway baby carriage, Claude and Sir Bobblysock are invited to the circus. A few accidents with the equipment leave them with only one choice, they must help put on the show.
Ella
by Alex T Smith
2012
Ella is a kind ladybird forced to wait on her horrid wasp stepsisters. When a spider artist holds a Grand Bug Ball in Paris, Ella gets a chance to dance, be noticed, and change her story.
Happy Birthday, Bunny!
by Alex T Smith
2012
It is Bunny’s birthday, and there is much to do before the celebration begins. Bunny gets up, takes a bath, and bakes a cake in this short, rhyming story made for very young readers.
Claude in the Spotlight
by Alex T Smith
2013
A stroll through town leads Claude and Sir Bobblysock into a theatre, where they discover dancing, costumes, and a chance to perform. Before long, Claude is under the spotlight and trying to save the show.
Claude on the Slopes
by Alex T Smith
2013
Claude and Sir Bobblysock visit the Snowy Mountains to ski, throw snowballs, and enter a snow-sculpture contest. When an avalanche threatens the fun, Claude must find a way to come to the rescue.
Primrose
by Alex T Smith
2013
Princess Primrose is tired of being told not to climb trees, splash in fountains, or get muddy. When her Grandmama visits, Primrose learns that being royal should not mean giving up every bit of fun.
The Great Brain Robbery
by Alex T Smith
2013
Frankie and his friends face Dr. Gore again when the villain plans to invade children’s dreams with an army of robot toys. Stopping him means another risky, ridiculous mission before his scheme reaches everyone.
Claude at the Beach
by Alex T Smith
2014
Claude and Sir Bobblysock go on holiday at the beach, where they eat ice cream, build sandcastles, and sunbathe. Then sharks, pirates, and buried treasure make the trip much more exciting than planned.
Hector and the Big Bad Knight
by Alex T Smith
2014
When the Big Bad Knight steals Granny’s magic wand, tiny Hector decides to get it back. A dragon stands in his way, but Hector has courage, quick thinking, and a bag of chips to help.
The Cunning Plan
by Alex T Smith
2014
Foxy DuBois needs money fast, mainly because Alphonso the Alligator is always hungry. Her clever get-rich scheme is meant to solve everything, but keeping a hungry alligator happy is harder than Foxy expects.
The Road to Fame and Fortune
by Alex T Smith
2014
Foxy heads to glamorous Jollywood in search of fame, fortune, and a better life. Alphonso follows, and Foxy tries making him a stunt double while secretly plotting to get rid of him once and for all.
Claude on the Big Screen
by Alex T Smith
2015
Claude and Sir Bobblysock find themselves drawn into the strange world of moviemaking. When the production needs help, their day behind the scenes becomes a comic turn in front of the cameras.
Claude: Lights! Camera! Action!
by Alex T Smith
2015
Claude discovers a film set on the other side of a fence, and a mishap leaves the stars unable to perform. With Sir Bobblysock beside him, Claude steps in to become a very unlikely movie hero.
The Great Jail Break
by Alex T Smith
2015
Foxy DuBois and Alphonso Alligator land in jail after a money-stealing mess. Escaping would be hard enough, but Foxy must also cope with Alphonso, whose appetite and clumsiness make every possible plan worse.
Claude All At Sea
by Alex T Smith
2016
Claude and Sir Bobblysock head out on a nautical adventure where the sea brings more excitement than either expected. With their usual enthusiasm and little preparation, the pair face a day of watery mishaps and heroic possibilities.
Claude Going for Gold!
by Alex T Smith
2016
Claude and Sir Bobblysock enter a sports competition with high hopes and mixed athletic ability. When robbers steal the Gold Cup, Claude must find a way to turn a day of games into a real rescue.
Claude in the Country
by Alex T Smith
2016
A peaceful country walk sends Claude and Sir Bobblysock into a busy day on a farm. From feeding chickens to dealing with pigs and a fearsome bull, Claude finds that rural life is anything but quiet.
Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion
by Alex T Smith
2016
Little Red crosses the savanna to bring medicine and treats to Auntie Rosie, but a hungry lion has other plans. This lively Little Red Riding Hood retelling gives its quick-thinking heroine plenty of chances to outsmart him.
Santa Claude
by Alex T Smith
2016
Claude and Sir Bobblysock mistake Santa Claus for a burglar on Christmas Eve and handcuff him by accident. With the key missing, the two friends must deliver presents themselves before midnight arrives.
Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure
by Alex T Smith
2017
When the Museum of Extraordinary Objects needs its hidden treasure found, Mr Penguin finally gets his first adventure. With Colin the kung-fu spider, he follows clues into secret passages, a lost jungle, and plenty of trouble.
Claude Adventures
by Alex T Smith
2018
This collection brings together Claude and Sir Bobblysock’s funny outings, where a dog in a beret keeps stumbling into heroics. It is a lively introduction to the pair’s city trips, holidays, and everyday disasters.
How Winston Delivered Christmas
by Alex T Smith
2018
On Christmas Eve, Winston the mouse finds a letter that never reached Father Christmas. He sets off on a brave journey to deliver it, with twenty-four-and-a-half chapters and festive activities to enjoy through Advent.
Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets
by Alex T Smith
2018
After a plane crash on a snowy mountain, Mr Penguin and Colin shelter near a ruined fortress. Missing pets, strange noises, and a sinister hypnotist pull the gang into a case that is far more dangerous than it first appears.
All About Keith
by Alex T Smith
2019
Claude and Sir Bobblysock meet Keith, a lost duckling who needs help finding his mummy. Their search through Pawhaven becomes a warm, funny story about lending a paw when someone small needs a friend.
Claude Best in Show: World Book Day 2019
by Alex T Smith
2019
Claude and Sir Bobblysock return for a short World Book Day adventure packed with the pair’s usual cheerful confusion. A simple outing turns into another chance for Claude to help, improvise, and become the center of attention.
Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise
by Alex T Smith
2019
Mr Penguin boards a luxury cruise for a rest, while Colin performs with a choir. Threatening notes, a stowaway, and a dangerous hunt for the Fountain of Youth soon turn the holiday into a high-seas mystery.
Camp Claude
by Alex T Smith
2020
Claude and Sir Bobblysock decide to camp in the back garden, expecting a simple night outdoors. Their little expedition soon becomes a brave encounter with wild beasties, proving that adventure can be only a few steps from home.
Claude Comic Capers
by Alex T Smith
2020
Claude and Sir Bobblysock star in four comic-strip adventures from Pawhaven. From a stolen jam tart to superhero work, police duties, and emergency nursing, Claude finds plenty of ways to make an ordinary day wonderfully chaotic.
Claude Dream Bun
by Alex T Smith
2020
Mr Lovelybuns needs help baking the biggest bun in history, and Claude and Sir Bobblysock are ready to lend a paw. The kitchen becomes a busy, floury place where one ambitious bake could get out of hand.
Claude at the Palace
by Alex T Smith
2021
A rainy walk lands Claude and Sir Bobblysock at the palace, where they unexpectedly become royal babysitters. Soon they are trying to keep the children tidy, rescue the Queen, and save a birthday celebration from complete disaster.
How Winston Came Home for Christmas
by Alex T Smith
2021
With five days until Christmas, Winston follows hazy memories of a mouse he knows is important. Promising Oliver he will return in time, he begins a round-the-world journey with festive activities in every chapter.
Mr Penguin and the Tomb of Doom
by Alex T Smith
2021
Mr Penguin, Colin, and their friends travel to the desert town of Laghaz when Edith Hedge disappears. Clues lead them toward hidden crypts, cursed treasure, and a dangerous tomb, where rescuing their friend means facing their biggest case yet.
Murder! By Narwhal!: Book 1
by Alex T Smith
2024
At snowy Grimacres, Sir Ignatious Gristle is murdered during his ninetieth birthday gathering. Trapped with a houseful of suspects, his granddaughter Edna and her tortoise Charles Darwin must follow the clues and find the killer.
Where to start with Alex T Smith
For first-time early readers: Claude in the City → Claude on Holiday → Claude at the Circus
For comic mysteries and adventure: Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure → Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets → Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise
For a festive family read: How Winston Delivered Christmas → How Winston Came Home for Christmas
For playful picture-book retellings: Ella → Hector and the Big Bad Knight → Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion
Alex T Smith sub-series and character series
Claude books in order
Explore this series
Claude In The City
by Alex T Smith
2011Claude, Book 2
Claude on Holiday
by Alex T Smith
2011Claude, Book 1
Claude at the Circus
by Alex T Smith
2012Claude, Book 3
Claude in the Spotlight
by Alex T Smith
2013Claude, Book 4
Claude on the Slopes
by Alex T Smith
2013Claude, Book 5
Claude at the Beach
by Alex T Smith
2014Claude, Book 6
Claude on the Big Screen
by Alex T Smith
2015Claude, Book 8
Claude: Lights! Camera! Action!
by Alex T Smith
2015Claude, Book 7
Claude All At Sea
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 10
Claude Going for Gold!
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 9
Claude in the Country
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 11
Santa Claude
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 12
Claude Adventures
by Alex T Smith
2018Claude, Book 13
All About Keith
by Alex T Smith
2019Claude, Book 15
Claude Best in Show: World Book Day 2019
by Alex T Smith
2019Claude, Book 14
Camp Claude
by Alex T Smith
2020Claude, Book 17
Claude Comic Capers
by Alex T Smith
2020Claude, Book 16
Claude Dream Bun
by Alex T Smith
2020Claude, Book 18
Claude at the Palace
by Alex T Smith
2021Claude, Book 19
Claude books in chronological order

Claude on Holiday
by Alex T Smith
2011Claude, Book 1
Claude In The City
by Alex T Smith
2011Claude, Book 2
Claude at the Circus
by Alex T Smith
2012Claude, Book 3
Claude in the Spotlight
by Alex T Smith
2013Claude, Book 4
Claude on the Slopes
by Alex T Smith
2013Claude, Book 5
Claude at the Beach
by Alex T Smith
2014Claude, Book 6
Claude: Lights! Camera! Action!
by Alex T Smith
2015Claude, Book 7
Claude on the Big Screen
by Alex T Smith
2015Claude, Book 8
Claude Going for Gold!
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 9
Claude All At Sea
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 10
Claude in the Country
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 11
Santa Claude
by Alex T Smith
2016Claude, Book 12
Claude Adventures
by Alex T Smith
2018Claude, Book 13
Claude Best in Show: World Book Day 2019
by Alex T Smith
2019Claude, Book 14
All About Keith
by Alex T Smith
2019Claude, Book 15
Claude Comic Capers
by Alex T Smith
2020Claude, Book 16
Camp Claude
by Alex T Smith
2020Claude, Book 17
Claude Dream Bun
by Alex T Smith
2020Claude, Book 18
Claude at the Palace
by Alex T Smith
2021Claude, Book 19
Foxy Tales books in order
Explore this seriesGrimacres Whodunnit books in order
Explore this seriesMr Penguin books in order
Explore this series
Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure
by Alex T Smith
2017Mr Penguin, Book 1
Mr. Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets
by Alex T Smith
2018Mr Penguin, Book 2
Mr Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise
by Alex T Smith
2019Mr Penguin, Book 3
Mr Penguin and the Tomb of Doom
by Alex T Smith
2021Mr Penguin, Book 4
Mr Penguin books in chronological order
Round and Round books in order
Explore this seriesTom & Matt books in order
Explore this seriesWinston books in order
Explore this seriesAlex T Smith collections, short stories, and related book types
Picture Books

Round and Round
by Alex T Smith
2007
Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero
by Alex T Smith
2008
Home
by Alex T Smith
2009
Bella and Monty
by Alex T Smith
2009
Foxy and Egg
by Alex T Smith
2011
Fantastic Frankie And The Brain Drain Machine
by Alex T Smith
2011
Ella
by Alex T Smith
2012
Catch Us If You Can-Can!
by Alex T Smith
2012
Happy Birthday, Bunny!
by Alex T Smith
2012
Primrose
by Alex T Smith
2013
The Great Brain Robbery
by Alex T Smith
2013
Hector and the Big Bad Knight
by Alex T Smith
2014
Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion
by Alex T Smith
2016
Author bio
Alex T. Smith was born in Coventry, England, in 1985. He has said that he drew and wrote stories from the time he could hold a pencil, which makes his later career feel less like a surprise and more like a plan that took a few scenic detours.
Before becoming a full-time illustrator, Smith considered jobs as a space traveler, cake maker, and professional rabbit. He also worked as a production assistant for an outdoor theatre events company. But the job he had wanted since childhood was making pictures for children’s books, so he trained in illustration at Coventry University.
He graduated with a first-class degree in 2006. During his final year, he won second prize in the Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Book Illustration, and his first commission followed soon after.
Smith writes and illustrates picture books, early chapter books, and longer comic mysteries. His work often starts with a simple, funny idea, then lets it grow into a full-scale mess involving daring pets, odd villains, misplaced treasure, theatrical costumes, or a very inconvenient snack. The illustrations are part of the joke. They add clues, side comments, and small visual details for readers to spot on a second or third pass.
His best-known character is Claude, a small beret-wearing dog who heads out on grand adventures whenever Mr. and Mrs. Shinyshoes leave for work. In Claude in the City, Claude and his sock sidekick Sir Bobblysock turn an ordinary day out into a museum visit, a robbery chase, and a hospital rescue. The series became a popular bridge from picture books to chapter books, and later inspired an animated television show.
Smith has also created bigger mysteries for readers ready for longer chapters. Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure introduces an eager penguin adventurer, his kung-fu spider assistant Colin, and a search beneath the Museum of Extraordinary Objects. Murder! By Narwhal! moves into a snowy country-house whodunnit, where Edna Gristle and her tortoise Charles Darwin investigate a murder among a suspicious family.
He has a warm spot for fairy-tale shapes, too. Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion gives Little Red Riding Hood a savanna setting and a clever heroine who is more than ready for a hungry lion. Ella turns Cinderella into a Paris-set bug story, with a ladybird, wasp stepsisters, and a Grand Bug Ball. In How Winston Delivered Christmas, a tiny mouse takes on the very large job of delivering a lost letter to Father Christmas.
The books can be silly, but they usually make room for kindness and courage. Claude helps people without making a fuss. Winston keeps going when the journey gets daunting. Mr Penguin worries plenty, then acts anyway.
Smith remains based in the UK and has described working under the watchful supervision of a small pack of dogs. He also enjoys sketching, reading, people-watching, eavesdropping, cake, and a proper cup of tea. Those habits fit the books well, because his stories are full of tiny observations that make even the strangest characters feel lively and familiar.
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