Penguin Random House has confirmed that one of the UK’s and indeed the world’s, most acclaimed and successful authors of children’s books, Allan Ahlberg, has sadly passed away, aged 87 years.
His more than 150 much loved children’s books, published over a period spanning more than five decades, are known for their gentle humour and are enjoyed by both children and grown-ups.
Born an illegitimate child, in Croydon, South London in 1938, he was brought up by adoptive parents in the market town of Oldbury, West Midlands, England. He worked as a postman, a plumber and a gravedigger, before training to become a teacher at Sunderland Teacher Training College. It was here that he met his first wife Janet, who later died from breast cancer.
In 1975, Mr Ahlberg and his first wife Janet published their first book together, “The Brick Street Boys”.
Later they collaborated to produce titles such as “Each Peach Pear Plum” and “The Jolly Postman” (Latter published in 1991 and winner of the Kurt Maschler Award, selling over six million copies), for which Janet was also awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustrators in 1978.
Other titles included “The Old Joke Book”, “Burglar Bill”, “Peepo”, “The Vanishment of Thomas Tull”, “The Runaway Dinner”, “The Pencil” and “Woof”, latter which was about a little boy who turns into a dog, and inspired a TV series which ran on former ITV channel, between the years 1989 and 1997.
Mr Ahlberg also wrote prize-winning poetry and fiction from his home in Bath. Their joint publications went on to sell millions of copies around the world.
Back to School.
by Allan Ahlberg
In the last week of the holidays,
I was feeling glum.
I could hardly wait for school to start;
Neither could mum.
Now we’ve been back a week,
I could do with a breather.
I can hardly wait for the holidays;
Teacher can’t either.
END.
Please Mrs Butler.
Poem by Allan Ahlberg
Please Mrs Butler, this boy Derek Drew
Keeps copying my work, Miss, what shall I do?
Go and sit in the hall, dear, go and sit in the sink.
Take your books on the roof, my lamb, do whatever you think.
Please Mrs Butler, this boy Derek Drew
Keeps taking my rubber, Miss, what shall I do?
Keep it in your hand, dear, hide it up your vest.
Swallow it if you like, my love, do what you think is best.
Please Mrs Butler, this boy Derek Drew
Keeps calling me rude names, Miss, what shall I do?
Lock yourself in the cupboard, dear, run away to sea.
Do whatever you can, my flower, but don’t ask me.
END
Mr Ahlberg made news headlines in 2014 when he turned down a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, after discovering that this same award was sponsored by Amazon, which was facing criticism over its then tax arrangements.
Mr Ahlberg is survived by his second wife Vanessa, daughter Jessica and stepdaughters Saskia and Johanna.
In ár gcroíthe go deo.
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