A photo of a cut out character from the Funnybones books on a piece of black cardboard

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Crafts & activities

Make your own Funnybones Halloween game

A photo of the Funnybones costume on a bright yellow background

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Make your own Funnybones costume

A selection of classic children's picture books on a bright yellow background

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Children's reading lists

The best classic children’s picture books

An illustration of Christmas characters around a table

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Features

The surprising stories behind your favourite children’s Christmas classics

Where to start with Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s books

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Where to start with...

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‘It was a duo that was made in heaven’: Why we love Janet and Allan Ahlberg

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Craft some Funnybones party decorations

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Bake some Funnybones inspired biscuits

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Craft some Funnybones party bunting

The timeless school poetry collection

Please Mrs Butler

"Please Mrs Butler, this boy Derek Drew 
Keeps copying my work, Miss. What shall I do?" 
 
Discover this hilarious collection of poetry by award-winning Allan Ahlberg, perfect for primary school children. 
 
Packed with playful poems about reading tests, never-ending school projects and playground quarrels, this collection has delighted generations of children and adults alike. Voted the most important children's poetry book of the 20th century in a Books for Keeps poll, Please Mrs Butler belongs in every child's bedroom. 
 
'Hilarious and poignant school verses about primary school life. A real winner' - The Guardian 
 
'Clever, funny and nostalgic, the collection is a delight' - Sunday Times 
 
Discover more school stories from Alan Ahlberg: 
Starting School 
Heard It In The Playground

Hilarious and poignant verses about primary school life. A real winner

Clever, funny and nostalgic, the collection is a delight

The most important 20th-century children's poetry book

Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award-winning picture books as Each Peach Pear Plum and The Jolly Christmas Postman - both winners of the Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction for older readers. The Telegraph described him as 'By far our best writer for the young.'

Heard it in the Playground

Meet Billy McBone and the Mad Professor's Daughter, be amazed by the Longest Kiss Contest, shed a tear for the Boy Without a Name and - if you're a stressed teacher - sing the Mrs Butler Blues. Allan Ahlberg's collection of poems and songs paint a funny and accurate portrait of primary school life, with highly appealing and atmospheric illustrations by Fritz Wegner.

'The teacher tapped his forehead. 
At last! the children cried! 
The answer, Sir's, in your head... 
What a perfect place to hide' 
 
Jump into Allan Ahlberg's playful world of poetry, perfect for primary school children. 
 
Shed a tear for The Boy Without A Name, discover the secrets to teachers (they NEVER leave the school!?) and try to solve the riddles of The Answer. Packed with rhythmic poetry and playful songs, this timeless collection has delighted children for generations. 
 
'Every desk should hide a copy; every staff room own one' - The Observer 
 
Discover more school stories from Alan Ahlberg: 
Starting School 
Please Mrs Bultler

Every desk should hide a copy; every staff room own one

Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award-winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY CHRISTMAS POSTMAN - both winners of the Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction for older readers.

Funnybones: The Ghost Train

Down a dark dark street 
There is a dark dark station 
And in the dark dark station 
There is a ghost train! 
 
In this FUNNYBONES story, the Big Skeleton, the Little Skeleton and Dog Skeleton take a trip to the Ghost-Town-By-Sea!

A new cover and upsized edition of this fantastic FUNNYBONES story!

Big Skeleton, Little Skeleton and Dog Skeleton are taking a spooky ride on the ghost train... 
 
Where they encounter monster collectors, ghostly train drivers and something even more terrifying! 
 
Despite being set by the dark dark sea, this brightly coloured book is perfect for early readers. 
 
Have you read the other classic Funnybones stories? 
 
Bumps in the Night 
 The Pet Shop 
 The Black Cat 
 Skeleton Crew 
 Mystery Tour 
 Dinosaur Dreams 
 Give a Dog a Bone 
 
 'There can be few families in the British Isles who do not possess at least one well-thumbed Ahlberg'- Independent on Sunday

Allan Ahlberg (Author) 
 Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY POSTMAN - both winners of the Kate Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction and lives in Sussex. 
 
Andre Amstutz (Author) 
 Andre Amstutz studied art and design at Brighton School of Art and worked in animation as well as advertising. He illustrated several children's books including the Fast Fox, Slow Dog series, some of the Happy Families titles and Monkey Do (Walker).

Funnybones: Give the Dog a Bone

On a dark dark hill 
in a dark dark garden 
there is a little bony dog... 
 
What's a dog to do without his bone? 
 
In this FUNNYBONES story, Dog Skeleton is falling apart, bone by bone! Who will pick up the pieces and put him back together again?

Dog Skeleton is off for a walk through the dark dark streets... 
 
But when bits of him are dropping off, bone by bone, what is he to do?! 
 
Despite being set in a dark dark house, this brightly coloured book is perfect for early readers! 
 
 Have you read the other classic Funnybones stories? 
 
 Bumps in the Night 
 The Pet Shop 
 The Black Cat 
 Skeleton Crew 
 Mystery Tour 
 Dinosaur Dreams 
 Give a Dog a Bone 
 
 'There can be few families in the British Isles who do not possess at least one well-thumbed Ahlberg'- Independent

Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY POSTMAN - both winners of the Kate Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction and lives in Bath. Andre Amstutz studied art and design at Brighton School of Art and has worked in animation as well as advertising. He has illustrated several children's books including the Fast Fox, Slow Dog series, some of the Happy Families titles and Monkey Do (Walker).

The interactive pocket-sized adventure

The Jolly Pocket Postman

Once more the Jolly Postman rides - and flies - and shrinks! 
 
This brilliant book by Janet and Allan Ahlberg is the third adventure for the Jolly Postman, originally published in 1995 and now back in print! The Jolly Postman's morning is set off course when he suffers a bump to the head before he shrinks to the size of a postage stamp . . . and it just gets curiouser and curiouser! 
 
Featuring a whole host of familiar characters, pull-out letters and a magnifying glass.

Join the Jolly Postman on a mysterious morning round as he SHRINKS to the size of a postage stamp. 
 
Can he still deliver his letters? 
 
Packed with all of your favourite fairytale characters, The Jolly Pocket Postman books have delighted young readers for generations. With pull-out letters and a magnifying glass for little ones to peek through, each page is packed with fun, rhyming text and joyful illustrations. 
 
From the award-winning authors of Funnybones and Peepo, comes another adventure from the UK's favourite postman. 
 
Can't get enough of The Jolly Postman? Discover: 
The Jolly Christmas Postman 
The Jolly Postman and Other People's Letters

A Sad Story with a Happy Ending

Bye Bye Baby

The story of a baby who is sad and sets off one day in search of a mummy. He meets a cat, a teddy, a clockwork hen and an uncle who all refuse to be his mummy but offer to help him in his search. They find a lady who has no baby and she agrees to bethe baby's mummy. They all have tea together and uncle reads a story about a baby who had no daddy and this leads to another search until finally a daddy is found too!

Bye Bye Baby is wonderful - I haven't enjoyed a picture book so much for years.

Janet and Allan Ahlberg are to children's books what Ginger and Fred were to dancing: Bye Bye, Baby is surely destined [...] to become a classic.

Allan Ahlberg (Author) 
 Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY POSTMAN - both winners of the Kate Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction and lives in Sussex. 
 
Janet Ahlberg (Illustrator) 
 Janet Ahlberg, along with Allan Ahlberg, created some of the world's most popular picture books, including EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY CHRISTMAS POSTMAN, both winners of Greenaway Medals, and THE BABY'S CATALOGUE, inspired by their daughter Jessica. Janet died in 1994.

Janet Ahlberg

Allan Ahlberg

Discover the magical Christmas story! 
 
The Jolly Christmas Postman has been delighting children for generations, making it the perfect book to share on Christmas Eve! 
 
The Jolly Postman has a busy day ahead. It's Christmas Eve in Fairy-Tale Land and there's plenty of post for him to deliver! 
 
There's a card for Baby Bear, a game appropriately called 'Beware' for Red Riding Hood from Mr Wolf, a get-well jigsaw for Humpty Dumpty and many more! But, can he deliver it all by Christmas? 
 
Little hands will love opening the envelopes to read the post in this magical story, full of festive, fairy tale surprises! 
 
Looking for more Ahlberg stories? 
Burglar Bill 
Starting School 
Peepo 
Funnybones

Allan Ahlberg

The Jolly Christmas Postman

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