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If You Give... Books in Order

Part ofLaura Joffe Numeroff Books in Order

See the If You Give... books in order by Laura Joffe Numeroff, with quick summaries, series background, seasonal tie-ins, and help choosing where to start.

Last updated: June 9, 2026

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If You Give... books in publication order

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20 books

1

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

1985

A boy gives a hungry mouse a cookie, and that one small kindness kicks off a wildly funny chain of requests. Milk, mirrors, scissors, and a nap all lead the story in a perfect circle.

2

If You Give a Moose a Muffin

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

1991

A muffin for a hungry moose turns into another cheerful chain of requests, errands, and comic detours. Big, friendly Moose brings especially large-scale chaos to an ordinary day.

3

Mouse Cookies

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

1995

This companion cookbook invites young readers to make simple cookies inspired by Mouse and his favorite treats. It adds hands-on kitchen fun to the familiar world of the storybooks.

4

If You Give a Pig a Pancake

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

1998

When a little girl gives Pig a pancake, breakfast quickly spins into bubbles, baths, and one more thing after another. The result is a lively circular story full of child-friendly logic.

5

If You Give a Pig a Party

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2000

Give Pig a few balloons and she will turn the whole day into a party. Decorations, dress-up, and a growing guest list make this a bubbly, high-energy read-aloud.

6

If You Give a Pig a Pumpkin

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2000

Pig heads into fall fun in this pumpkin-themed outing, where one festive idea naturally leads to the next. It keeps the familiar cheerful rhythm while leaning into autumn excitement.

7

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2000

A trip to the movies sends Mouse into a holiday adventure with popcorn, decorations, and Christmas cheer. It is a festive, funny entry that mixes winter magic with the series' familiar pattern.

8

If You Give an Author a Pencil

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2002

In this kid-friendly autobiography, Numeroff shows how a child who loved books grew into a working writer. It is part life story and part behind-the-scenes look at how books begin.

9

If You Take a Mouse to School

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2002

Mouse's school day begins with a lunch box and quickly turns into a full set of classroom requests. It is a funny, fast-moving take on first-day jitters, supplies, and school routine.

10

If You Give A Cat A Cupcake Recipes

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2006

A playful companion cookbook gathers kid-friendly sweets inspired by Cat and the If You Give world. It is built for readers who want to turn storytime into baking time.

11

Mouse Cookies & More: A Treasury

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2006

This large treasury collects four If You Give stories and adds recipes, songs, and activities. It is a good pick for readers who want a fuller visit with Mouse, Moose, and Pig.

12

Merry Christmas, Mouse!

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2007

Mouse decorates a Christmas tree in this cheerful holiday counting book. Bright ornaments, simple repetition, and seasonal warmth make it an easy choice for very young readers.

13

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2008

A cupcake for Cat leads to sprinkles, a mess, a swimsuit, and a full day of increasingly silly adventures. Cat's version of the series feels especially playful and energetic.

14

Time for School, Mouse!

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2008

Mouse is getting ready for school, but he cannot seem to find everything he needs, especially his homework. It is a simple, relatable back-to-school story with a light comic touch.

15

Happy Easter, Mouse!

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2010

Mouse heads out on an Easter egg hunt in this bright seasonal board book. Colors, counting, and a gentle holiday mystery keep the story simple and fun for toddlers.

16

If You Give a Dog a Donut

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2011

One donut sends Dog racing into a backyard adventure packed with apple juice, games, and one request after another. It has the same circular charm, with a slightly more rambunctious feel.

17

It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2012

Mouse is ready to decorate pumpkins, but one of them goes missing. This short autumn board book mixes seasonal fun with a tiny mystery that keeps little readers engaged.

18

If You Give a Mouse a Brownie

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2016

Mouse returns for another delicious round of cause and effect when a brownie leads to ice cream, drumming, and a full-blown band. It is a lively comeback for the series' original star.

19

If You Give a Man a Cookie: A Parody

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2017

This adult parody flips the famous setup into a comic chain of complaints, laziness, and domestic exasperation. It plays with the original structure while aiming squarely at grown-up humor.

20

Happy Birthday, Mouse!

by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2020

Mouse celebrates his birthday by trying to choose the perfect treat. This simple board book is built for very young readers and keeps the focus on familiar foods and party excitement.

If You Give... books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"

    If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    1985If You Give..., Book 1
  2. Book cover for "If You Give a Moose a Muffin"

    If You Give a Moose a Muffin

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    1991If You Give..., Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Mouse Cookies"

    Mouse Cookies

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    1995If You Give..., Book 3
  4. Book cover for "If You Give a Pig a Pancake"

    If You Give a Pig a Pancake

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    1998If You Give..., Book 4
  5. Book cover for "If You Take a Mouse to the Movies"

    If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2000If You Give..., Book 5
  6. Book cover for "If You Give a Pig a Party"

    If You Give a Pig a Party

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2000If You Give..., Book 6
  7. Book cover for "If You Give a Pig a Pumpkin"

    If You Give a Pig a Pumpkin

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2000If You Give..., Book 7
  8. Book cover for "If You Take a Mouse to School"

    If You Take a Mouse to School

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2002If You Give..., Book 8
  9. Book cover for "If You Give an Author a Pencil"

    If You Give an Author a Pencil

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2002If You Give..., Book 9
  10. Book cover for "Mouse Cookies & More: A Treasury"

    Mouse Cookies & More: A Treasury

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2006If You Give..., Book 10
  11. Book cover for "If You Give A Cat A Cupcake Recipes"

    If You Give A Cat A Cupcake Recipes

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2006If You Give..., Book 11
  12. Book cover for "Merry Christmas, Mouse!"

    Merry Christmas, Mouse!

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2007If You Give..., Book 12
  13. Book cover for "Time for School, Mouse!"

    Time for School, Mouse!

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2008If You Give..., Book 13
  14. Book cover for "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake"

    If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2008If You Give..., Book 14
  15. Book cover for "Happy Easter, Mouse!"

    Happy Easter, Mouse!

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2010If You Give..., Book 15
  16. Book cover for "If You Give a Dog a Donut"

    If You Give a Dog a Donut

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2011If You Give..., Book 16
  17. Book cover for "It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!"

    It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2012If You Give..., Book 17
  18. Book cover for "If You Give a Mouse a Brownie"

    If You Give a Mouse a Brownie

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2016If You Give..., Book 18
  19. Book cover for "If You Give a Man a Cookie: A Parody"

    If You Give a Man a Cookie: A Parody

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2017If You Give..., Book 19
  20. Book cover for "Happy Birthday, Mouse!"

    Happy Birthday, Mouse!

    by Laura Joffe Numeroff

    2020If You Give..., Book 20

Series background & context

The If You Give... books are built on one very simple idea: one small favor turns into another, and another, and another. Give a mouse a cookie, and he wants milk. Give him milk, and suddenly there is a mirror, a trim, a broom, a nap, and before long you are right back where you started. That circular pattern is the engine of the whole series.

It sounds tiny on paper. That is the point.

The first and best-known book is If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, but the series quickly opens up into a larger cast. Moose, Pig, Cat, and Dog each get their own spotlight in books like If You Give a Moose a Muffin, If You Give a Pig a Pancake, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake, and If You Give a Dog a Donut. The setup stays familiar, but the mood shifts a little with each character. Moose is big and enthusiastic. Pig brings party energy. Mouse often lands in school or holiday situations that feel especially close to everyday family life.

That everyday feeling is a big part of why these books work. The stakes are never huge, but they matter in the way small things matter to children. A snack becomes a project. A movie trip becomes Christmas decorating. A school day turns into a backpack-and-lunch-box scramble. The books understand how quickly one thing can spill into five more when you are little, or when you are taking care of someone little.

The series also branches into shorter board books and seasonal titles, especially around Mouse. Books like Merry Christmas, Mouse!, Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse!, Happy Easter, Mouse!, It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!, and Happy Birthday, Mouse! take the same familiar character and place him in holiday routines that younger readers know well. They are simpler than the full picture books, but they keep the same cozy, busy, good-humored world.

Chaos has never felt so friendly.

What carries the series from book to book is rhythm. Children can hear the pattern, predict the next request, and start joining in before the page is turned. Adults get the comedy of watching a perfectly ordinary day slide into gentle mayhem. The art, done by Felicia Bond, adds to that feeling with warm, expressive scenes that make the errands, messes, and side trips feel playful instead of stressful.

Over time, the books became far bigger than a single picture book hit. They expanded into companion books, treasury collections, and later an animated adaptation that brought Mouse and friends to a new audience. Still, the heart of the series remains the same: a child, an animal, one seemingly harmless offer, and a delightful chain reaction that is always just about to start again.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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