Allan Ahlberg, British children's author of 'Funny Bones' and 'The Jolly Postman', dies aged 87

Celebrated British children's author Allan Ahlberg has died aged 87, his publisher Penguin Random House has confirmed.

Ahlberg wrote 150 books, including beloved titles like “The Jolly Postman or Other People’s Letters”, “Funny Bones”, “Burglar Bill”, “Peepo!” and “Each Peach Pear Plum”. He worked with his first wife, Janet, an award-winning illustrator, for these classics – which sold millions of copies around the world.  

The prize-winning “The Jolly Postman”, published in 1991, has sold over six million copies.

In Euronews Culture’s The Books That Made Us, we described "The Jolly Postman"'s “wild and varied characters” and the happiness that decries from reading such a joyful book.  

After Janet’s death in 1994, he worked with other illustrators like Raymond Briggs and then went on to collaborate with his daughter Jessica for books like “Half a Pig”.  

Ahlberg also made headlines in 2014 when he refused a lifetime achievement award because it was sponsored by Amazon, which was facing criticism over its tax arrangements. 

Francesca Dow, head of children's literature at Penguin Random House, said: "Allan was one of the most extraordinary authors I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with. His brilliant books – so many of them created with his late wife, Janet, the highly talented illustrator – have been described as 'mini masterpieces'.” 

She added: "Allan's are some of the very best – true classics, which will be loved by children and families for years to come. Dear Allan, we will all miss you enormously." 

Fellow children's author Michael Rosen said in a tribute on X: "You were a pioneer of great children's literature, both in picture books and poetry. You were clever, funny and wise. My children loved your books. So did and so DO I." 

Born in Croydon in 1938, Ahlberg was adopted into a working-class family living in the West Midlands town of Oldbury. He worked as a postman and gravedigger before training to become a teacher at Sunderland Teacher Training College, where he met Janet. 

Ahlberg is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Jessica and stepdaughters Saskia and Johanna.