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The Independent
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Michael Rosen says Allan Ahlberg was a ‘pioneer of great children's literature'
Michael Rosen has paid tribute to Allan Ahlberg and remembered him as a 'pioneer of great children's literature'. The author, known for books including Peepo! and Woof!, died at the age of 87 on July 29, publisher Penguin Random House confirmed. Children's author Rosen, 79, who wrote the book We're Going On A Bear Hunt, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter: 'Goodbye Allan. You were a pioneer of great children's literature, both in picture books and poetry. 'You were clever, funny and wise. My children loved your books. So did and so DO I.' Francesca Dow, head of children's literature at Penguin Random House, said: 'Allan was one of the most extraordinary authors I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with. 'His brilliant books – so many of them created with his late wife, Janet, the highly talented illustrator – have been described as 'mini masterpieces'. 'Allan's are some of the very best – true classics, which will be loved by children and families for years to come. Dear Allan, we will all miss you enormously.' Ahlberg was born in Croydon and raised by his adoptive parents in Oldbury in the Black Country. In 1975, he published his first children's book with his wife Janet, Here Are The Brick Street Boys. Together they went on to publish a number of books, including Each Peach Pear Plum (1978), Peepo! (1981), and The Baby's Catalogue (1982), their picture books Funnybones (1980) as well as the books in The Jolly Postman series. He wrote some books for older readers as well, including the poetry collections Please Mrs Butler (1983) and Heard It In The Playground (1989). Following his wife's death from breast cancer in 1994, he wrote a tribute to her in the form of Janet's Last Book (1997). Ahlberg and his wife Janet were among the most loaned authors in the decade leading up to 2010, according to figures from PLR (Public Lending Right). In 2014, Ahlberg revealed he turned down a literary lifetime achievement award because of the sponsor Amazon's tax arrangements. The author said it was 'unacceptable' to take the honorary award from reading charity BookTrust when the online firm's name was attached to it. Ahlberg is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Jessica and stepdaughters Saskia and Johanna.
Daily Mail
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Allan Ahlberg dead at 87: Award-winning children's author who wrote 150 books dies, Penguin Random House confirms
Renowned children's author Allan Ahlberg has died aged 87, Penguin Random House publishers has confirmed. In a career which spanned more than five decades, Mr Ahlberg published 150 books that included Funnybones, Under the table and award-winning Each Peach Pear Plum. His title The Jolly Postman sold more than six million copies worldwide. Fellow children's author Michael Rosen has described Mr Ahlberg as a 'pioneer of great children's literature'. In a heartwarming tribute posted to X, he added: You were clever, funny and wise. My children loved your books. So did and so do I.' Meanwhile, Francesca Dow, head of children's literature at Penguin Random House, described Mr Ahlberg as 'one of the most extraordinary authors I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with.' Adding that Mr Ahlberg's 'brilliant books' would be remembered as 'true classics', Ms Dow continued: 'So many of them created with his late wife, Janet, the highly talented illustrator – have been described as 'mini masterpieces'. 'Allan's are some of the very best – true classics, which will be loved by children and families for years to come. Dear Allan, we will all miss you enormously.' In a career which spanned more than five decades, Mr Ahlberg published 150 books that included Funnybones, Under the table and award-winning Each Peach Pear Plum Mr Ahlberg's first wife Janet Hall, an illustrator who died in 1994, worked alongside him to produce scores of beloved children's books. Ahlberg is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Jessica and stepdaughters Saskia and Johanna.
BBC News
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Allan Ahlberg, celebrated children's author, dies aged 87
Celebrated children's author Allan Ahlberg has died aged 87, his publisher Penguin Random House has confirmed. Over a career which spanned more than five decades, he wrote 150 books, including The Jolly Postman, Funny Bones, Peepo! and the award-winning Each Peach Pear of his most well-known works were the result of collaborations with wife Janet, an award-winning illustrator. They went on to sell millions of copies around the children's author Michael Rosen described Ahlberg as a "pioneer of great children's literature". In a tribute on X, he said: "You were a pioneer of great children's literature, both in picture books and poetry. "You were clever, funny and wise. My children loved your books. So did and so do I."Francesca Dow, head of children's literature at Penguin Random House, said: "Allan was one of the most extraordinary authors I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with. "His brilliant books – so many of them created with his late wife, Janet, the highly talented illustrator – have been described as 'mini masterpieces'."Allan's are some of the very best – true classics, which will be loved by children and families for years to come. Dear Allan, we will all miss you enormously."Ahlberg is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Jessica and stepdaughters Saskia and in Croydon in 1938, he was brought up by his adoptive parents in Oldbury, and worked as a postman, plumber and gravedigger before training to become a teacher at Sunderland Teacher Training College, where he met his first wife 1975, the Ahlbergs published their first book together, Here are the Brick Street was swiftly followed by The Old Joke Book, Burglar Bill and Each Peach Pear Plum, for which Janet was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustrators in Jolly Postman, which was published in 1991, won the Kurt Maschler Award and has sold over six million copies. The second in the series, The Jolly Christmas Postman (1991), won a second Kate Greenaway Medal.
