Author: Alan Ahlberg
Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg
Publisher: First published by Viking 1981, published in Puffin Books 1983, Published in the edition featured 2004
It's National Storytelling Week and I'm all excited as I'm about to go into Edie (3) and George (1)'s nursery to read to the children. Now I know I only posted a book from The Ahlberg writing duo last week, but as 'Peepo' is one of my favourite books of all time, and will join in on my nursery reading adventure, it felt only just to feature it tonight.
I should make a disclaimer that 'Peepo' entered our house as a gift on the arrival of my second son, so it's tied up in a real personal joy for me, and despite myself I always feel teary when I read this book.
I think that beyond the personal sentiment the book brings a tear to my eye because it captures an era so beautifully, so wisely, that no other film nor book set in this wartime period does so well. This is the life of a baby, seen through the eyes of that baby (emphasised by the cut out 'vision circles' on every other page). This baby perceives itself as surrounded by family, two sisters, mum and dad and gran. This is kitchen-sink life on the homefront during the Second World War, not the more familiar depiction we associate with these times of trench warfare, battle, Blitz aftermath. For the baby it's an unremarkable time, just life, normal, everyday. The baby notices the little, incidental things like 'the hairnet his mother wears in bed', his 'sister squabbling, She wants him on her knee,' the 'tassel's on his grandma's shawl', 'his ball and his teddy'. In every illustration in this book there's a detailed
plethora, an archive of artefacts from the time. This book is a feast of nostalgia, a catalogue
of urban life in the family during the war, and strangely, as a child on the 1980s I remember
so much of the furniture, the household products, the items of that time, as my own postwar baby boom parents had inherited 'this stuff', these ways, this look. I remember my own great grandmother, the very image of this shawl clad, hat pin wearing grandma in Peepo.
Now the problem for my four, all they hear me say when I read this book is, 'look, mummy
had a bed like that when she was little', 'mummy had a coal shed and outside loo like that in
her house when she was a girl' (disclaimer: I grew up in a rural cottage so not all 1980s born parents will think like me on this one!) The children used to do well to listen to my ramblings fairly attentively, I think it was white noise to them really, they were too bewildered by the very busy detailed pictures, trying to spy the tiny 'incidental' (in the baby's eyes) image of the war planes on the 'park outing' page, but recently 7 year old Alf has started groaning, 'not this book that's all about you again !'... Fair point!
So why recommend this as a read and bring this one into a children's nursery? Because it
works on so many levels: this book is fun (our 1 year old just hear's the repetition of the word 'Peepo!' , it's moving (OK, more so for adults), it's educational (a history lesson in every sitting*), and the rhythm, cadences and rhyme in this book- sublime. It's lilting, song-like language; I find it so easy to read aloud and share with children. I think I'll always be so grateful that this book entered my life, the least I can do is pass it on.
*Bert (5) informs me that his class looked at the following page of Peepo this week to look at 'things in a kitchen', I was surprised myself by how much he identified, so how much of our lives are therefore the same and not so distant from this time.
Author and illustrator: Beatrix Potter
Publisher: Frederick Werne 1909 originally. reproduction Frederick Wearne and Co 2002
This is my 3 year old daughter's favourite book, and it has been for quite some time. Once you overcome the length of Beatrix Potter stories with little ones, and Potter books do feel quite long for them on the first few reads, there's something comforting and familiar about the stories, characters and even the way she writes, probably because her work is so over merchandised in contemporary Britain. I've lost count of the Petter Rabbit toys we own, the Squirrel Nutkin birthday cards we've received, and the Tiggy Winkle cup and bowl set I kept from my own childhood we use most days. And there's the rub I suppose, nostalgia! I think I read these books with more passion, more longing, more patience then any other children's books as I have fond memories ( of that cup and bowl set), and so maybe it's this Edie hears in my voice that makes her love them so. I don't think I was ever really read the books as a child myself, but I remember this version of BBC serialisation so well, happy days: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_of_Peter_Rabbit_and_Friends
Now the thing I love about 'The Flopsy Bunnies' tale in particular is the menace of Mr McGregor nearly getting to put the sleeping bunnies in a pie. Edie and I like how he counts out the bunnies on several occasions as it brings the proximity to the time that he will eat them so close. I also love the fact Potter's work is still unabridged ( I think that's the correct word) meaning that her original descriptions and use of language lay in tact, and so my three year old understands / is expected to understand what 'soporific bunnies' means! I could tell I was reading Potter books far to much to Alf when he was three, as he once turned around in the park and said, with hands on hips, ' I am affronted!!' to a complete stranger. (line from 'The Tale of Tom Kitten' if anyone is wondering).
As an aside, when we took a visit to Beatrix Potter's house in the Lake District,the National Trust volunteer tour guide handed all the children a copy of The Tale of Samuel Whiskers. We were worried that our 7 year old wouldn't engage in the tour at all, but with book in hand the guide asked him to find all the places in the house illustrated in the book. These were places, she said, where Beatrix Potter was reported to have seen real rats ( and tried to kill them. Far from bored, the boys in particular run excitedly round the house comparing the illustrations of the skirting board to the real nooks and crannies in HillTop house. If you're interested in visiting Hill Top (a great way to support children's reading of The tales of Beatrix Potter, visit the National Trust site: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top
Rating: Stick with these books, persist, and you'll be rewarded with discovering the magic of Potter, beautiful, detailed and eloquent stories, with a very 'British' rural flavour, note wild flower illustrations encapsulate the period.
Author and illustrator: Susan Stegall
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Limited, 2008
This is one of my favourite books for the 2-4 year old category, but as 1 year George proved tonight, can be enjoyed by younger ones too. Essentially this is a poem using onomatopoeia to describe a train journey to the seaside. Once read a few times, children easily join in and get a feel for the words sounding like the experience: 'rattle and rap, clickety clack'. The beautiful vibrant illustrations in this book are copies of collages using various layers of textured paper. Given this, Steggall's attention to detail is incredible, collage tractors, cows and ploughed fields ( just some examples) with such depth due to the texture and grain of
the paper ripped, cut, scored. In the past I've used this book to prompt the children in creating their own train journey collages. The simplicity and repetition of the story is very comforting and I never tire of reading this book. Tonight five year old Bert fixed on the reoccurring train passengers, where is the businessman with beard sitting now? Where is the guy with the surfboard? There's the family at the start meeting grandma on the platform. There's also a nice cross reference to another Steggall book, On the Road, with the same children in the red mini reappearing and the same pedestrians pushing buggies and walking dogs.
We were bought this book as a gift years ago, and I honestly think it's one of the best presents we've ever received. It's a perfect book for toddlers, and continues to be a favourite through to rising five. One to treasure, a favourite and highly recommended.
