Innovative, funny and moving, his work encompasses storybooks, picture books, easy readers, joke books and novels as well as poems. As with all their collaborative work, this is a book that invites repeated readings whether it’s to enjoy the rhythm of the rhyme again or to find hidden details in Janet’s pictures. In Each Peach Pear Plum, Allan Ahlberg explores the darkest realms of fantasy, describing in ultra-minimalist style the dichotomy between good and evil. Every child must own this book, it has a great rhyming story, a chance to play eye spy on every page and beautiful illustrations with so much to look at.

This book would be suitable for Early Years as it has rhythmical text and features a game that will be recognised by young children. The whole book is a daisy chain of names familiar from fairy tales and nursery rhymes, creating a story that includes Robin Hood, Baby Bunting, the Three Bears, a Wicked Witch, and Cinderella. In a clear reference to the Cold War, the Bears – a metaphor for the Soviet Union – are always there in the background, and Janet Ahlberg’s illustration of the Wicked Witch could not resemble Margaret Thatcher more clearly if it were a photograph.Absolutely adore this classic from my childhood, I purchased this for my little boy, fantastic pocket size for when you're travelling with your little one and seeking a form of entertainment, very practical!

This much-loved rhyme lets children spot all their favourite nursery-rhyme characters in Janet Ahlberg’s charming, jewel-like pictures, which are packed with familiar details of domestic life. Aimed at a younger audience (I bought it for a friend's daughter but thought I would read it and play it first) it should probably be simple for an adult like myself.Most highly recommended (and honestly, if someone is indeed and sadly offended by the fact that the Three Bears are carrying guns and going hunting, please do note that no animals are either shot at or killed and that the image of Baby Bear tripping and causing a stray bullet to dislodge Baby Bunting and his crib can always and easily be used for a bit of a discussion regarding potentially unsafe and dangerous types of behavior, can always be used as a teaching and learning moment). The story centres around lots of different fairy tale, fable and nursery rhyme characters, with again, lovely illustrations of each to boot.

Simple, rhythmic words and endlessly engaging illustrations to play with in this best all I Spy books. Characters are spotted, but only rarely are we given a glimpse of their fate – we know that Jack and Jill will fall down the hill, but it will happen off-screen, and in our imagination, a la Janet Leigh in the Psycho shower scene. Each beautifully illustrated page encourages young children to interact with the picture to find the next fairy tale and nursery rhyme character. And when you have to read the same books over and over again to a young audience, it's one of the few that I never get tired of re-reading!

There is also Baby Bunting featured with the three bears out hunting, Bo-Peep surreptitiously watching Baby Bunting fast asleep, Jack and Jill with Bo-Peep up the hill looking for them and I guess you will quickly realise where that pair are and the Wicked Witch with Jack and Jill in the ditch.

This familiar rhyme has been given the brilliant Ahlbreg treatment to which no young child can fail to respond. This rhyming pattern makes it easy enough for even three-year-olds to predict, but will engage readers probably to about age five. This is a book to read to them when they're small and for them to read to you when they are a bit older.The overleaf shows an abundant pear tree, a plum tree, and a peach tree, and tiny Tom Thumb snugly resting on a branch, reading a book. Allan’s repetitive text wastes no words; this is espionage literature with the gripping narrative of Forsyth and Ludlum, written with sinister style of Le Carré and Greene. They are familiar characters; the three bears, Cinderella, Robin Hood, etc, so it ties in nicely with traditional bedtime stories.