The Jolly Postman [Hardcover]

Allan Ahlberg (Author), Janet Ahlberg (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: K and up

Now republished in a larger format, this classic depicts amusing correspondence from one fairy tale or Mother Goose character to another, giving readers a chance to follow-up on some favorite tales. Full-color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This British import is great fun, sure to entertain children and parents alike. The Jolly Postman goes from home to home in a fairy-tale kingdom, delivering letters to such familiar addresses as "Mr. and Mrs. Bear, Three Bears Cottage, The Woods." Every other page is an actual envelope, with a letter tucked inside. The letter to the three bears, for instance, is from Goldilocks, who apologizes for the trouble she's caused and invites Baby Bear to her birthday party. Some authors would stop with this cute concept, but the Ahlbergs have given this book their all. The story of the postman's travels is told in charming verse; the pictures are delightful, full of clever detail; and the results are frequently hilarious. (The wicked witch of "Hansel and Gretel" fame, for instance, receives a circular from Hobgoblin Supplies Ltd. which advertises such appealing products as Little Boy Pie Mix.) A real treat at a good price.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Allan & Janet Ahlberg were married in 1969 and soon became one of Britain's most successful and bestselling author/illustrator teams, producing ingenious high-quality books. Allan is the author of over 60 books for children, much of which he collaborated on with his wife. Allan moved to London following his wife's death in 1994.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 28 pages
• Publisher: LB Kids; 20 edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316017760
• ISBN-13: 978-0316017763
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.8 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #273,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ever wonder what type of junk mail a wicked witch gets?, June 11, 2000

By 

K. Bennett (Rolla, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Jolly Postman: Or Other People's Letters (Hardcover)

In this book, the Jolly Postman is delivering the mail to the residents of a quaint fairy tale village, and you get to read all the letters -- even the junk mail! Every other page is an envelope with some type of correspondence tucked inside. The Three Bears get a handwritten apology from Goldilocks, complete with misspellings and invitation to a birthday party. The occupant of Gingerbread Bungalow in The Woods, who happens to be the Wicked Witch, gets an advertising circular from Hobgoblin Supplies Ltd. A certain snout-nosed grandma gets a demand letter addressed to Mr. B.B. Wolf from Miss Riding-Hood's attorney, who also states, "On a separate matter, we must inform you that The Three Little Pigs Ltd. are now firmly resolved to sue for damages. . .all this huffing and puffing will get you nowhere." Some of the funniest moments in this book come from the illustrations of the Jolly Postman stopping for tea with each mail delivery. At the Wicked Witch's cottage, he peruses the newspaper, the Mirror Mirror, while the witch reads her mail and her black cat does the dishes. At Cinderella's castle, he enjoys a glass of champagne poured by Prince Charming, who is still in his honeymoon Hawaiian print shirt and white slacks. This book is perfect for sharing one on one with a child, but if there aren't any children available, it's also amusing for solitary adults.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A totally engaging book for young children., March 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Jolly Postman: Or Other People's Letters (Hardcover)

The Jolly Postman or Other People's Letters is an incredible book for young children. I am a student teacher who is currently studying this book for a group project and the children we have used this book with have been absolutely delighted. I found the book to be thoroughly enjoyable and quite amusing. The possibilities for use in a classroom environment are endless and we found that children are so enthusiastic about writing letters after reading this book. Children I feel love it so much because they can delve in to the lives of others by reading their mail which is normally considered such a private thing. It also includes rhyme and a variety of different writing formats that will help children to develop as readers.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Review for THE JOLLY POSTMAN: OR OTHER PEOPLE'S LETTERS, July 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Jolly Postman: Or Other People's Letters (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful story of a postman's route to deliver the mail to well known fairy tale characters. This book is unique because its pages form actual envelopes with letters in them. They are addressed on the front of the page. Some of the characters receiving the letters include: The Three Bears, THe Wicked Witch, The Giant, Cinderella, The Big Bad Wolf, and Golilocks. This story could be used in the the classroom during a lesson on letter writing and addressing envelopes. The story would interest the students and motivate them to write their own letters. Also, the book could be read during a unit on community helpers when discussing the jobs of a postman.