Peek-a-Boo! (Peepo! - Allan Ahlberg)

Member Name: tb4ms

Product:	Peepo! - Allan Ahlberg
Date:	29/01/07 (118 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Detailed illustrations and clever format.

Disadvantages: None

My 'Peepo' book has been enjoyed by 3 - 7 year olds for different reasons.

It's another great book by the Ahlbergs who rarely fail to grip the attention of children of different ages.

~The Story ~

It begins with a baby in his cot:
'Here's a little baby, 1, 2, 3. Stands in his cot, what does he see?'

PEEPO!

'He sees his father sleeping in the big brass bed and his mother too with a hairnet on her head.'

The story continues with the rhyme 1,2,3 what does he see? With the answer very cleverly written in rhyme of what the baby can see when in the kitchen, in the park, the living room etc....

It ends with:
'Here's a little baby, 1, 2, 3. Fast asleep and dreaming, what did he see?'

This then gives you the opportunity to recall what the baby saw and sequence the events in his and his family's day.

~The format and illustrations ~

Peepo is a peek-a-boo book with a difference..........by means of strategically placed holes, the reader sees a small sample of what the baby in the story sees through various stages of his day, e.g. his parent's bed from his cot, the hustle and bustle of the kitchen from his highchair etc..... When the adjacent page is turned the full acitivities within the kitchen, the backyard etc are seen.

The illustrations are extremely detailed....they are said to be based on Janet and Allan Ahlberg's childhood so features like a range in the kitchen, coal being brought in for the fire, old-fashioned toys are depicted.

In short, the illustrations represent Janet Ahlberg's fine talents at their best!! Children can talk for ages about them, spotting different things on each page at different readings!

~Educational value~
The vast majority of the Ahlberg's books have an educational value, but this one is full of learning opportunities:

Obviously the fostering of the 'love' of books in young children is paramount.

Peepo, enables children to identify rhyme and the repetitive texts encourages them to join in with the 'chant' thereby developing their memory skills.

I have also used this book with Year 2 children when studying homes and the changes within them since WW2. This book is full of comparisons between the homes of today and those in the past. Interestingly the major thing that the older children noticed was the absence of a television!

~Prices~

www.amazon.co.uk have some bargains on offer as of January 2007
Paperbacks used and new from 1p
Hardcovers used and new from 93p

I have the paperback Puffin publication
ISBN: 0-14-050384-6 but I know that it has also been published by Viking Kestrel Publications.

~ About the Ahlbergs~
Janet and Allan met in the 60s when they were both training to be teachers. Allan taught for 10 years, whilst Janet left teaching to develop her artistic ability to study graphic design.

When Janet died in 1994, Allan stopped writing for a while but has since written and I am sure that I have seen a book by him and illustrated by his daughter, Jessica.

~Other books~
The list would become very tiresome if I were to write them all but here are a few you might want to take a peek-a-boo at!!
The Jolly Postman
Funnybones
Each peach pear plum
It was a dark and stormy night
Fee Fi Fo Fum
Burglar Bill


Peepo is a great book for adults and children, the rhythmic prose and excellent, detailed illustrations can't fail to appeal.

Summary: A lovely children's book that has stood the test of time!