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Jan 02, 2009

Melody rated it:

I had forgotten about this book until Phyllis added it. This was one of my daughter's favorites. She LOVED the letters included with portion of the story. The interesting thing is that when we bought the book one of the letters was missing. We wrote to Chinaberry (the company we ordered the book from) and they very cheerily sent the missing letter - along with a personalized letter to my daughter - which then had to be included in the book and in each reading of the book.

4 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 08, 2009

Krista the Krazy Kataloguer rated it:

I love this book, with its letters you can take out of their envelopes and read.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 06, 2009

Casey rated it:

I loved, loved, loved this as a kid. It still makes me laugh.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 12, 2011

Lauren rated it:

This is one of my more favorite post modern picture books, I normally feel like the post modern genera is difficult to do in picture book in a way that does not loose a child it the various stories, voices, and perspectives. Although Janet Ahlberg did an amazing job writing this story. It is from the post mans point of view, but the reader also got to see how all of the characters reacted to each other from the various stories they each told. I like that each of the characters had each their own More...

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Oct 25, 2011

Elizabeth rated it:

I really enjoyed reading this book and thought it was written and illustrated in a great way. This is because it was not just a book, but it was an interactive book for younger children as well, which was my favorite part of it. I thought that is was really interesting how the author and illustrator more than likely combined their thoughts together to make this story as a whole.

The letters that the audience could take out of the pages and use together I thought was really cool. This is More...

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Sep 20, 2011

Big Book Little Book rated it:

My eldest daughter (3 3/4) has just discovered this story. I have had it for a long time and kept it hidden as it is definitely better for children who are a bit older, in fact I think she is still too young and will get more out of it when she is 5 plus years old.

The story is about a postman delivering his letters. They go to many people your child might have heard of; the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, the Big Bad Wolf, the three bears, Goldilocks, Cinderella and so on. The mo More...

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Sep 19, 2011

Leanne added it

This picture book is a clever twist on classic fairy tales. We are re-introduced to the loveable and well-known characters. The children will already be familiar with the stories so they are treated to a look onto what happened after those happy ever after endings. It follows the jolly postman on his bike as he delivers mail to the array of characters. Goldilocks writes to the Three Bears apologising for her misbehaviour. She misspells in her letter which can be used as an opportunity to re-writ More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 06, 2011

Lana rated it:

This book is a fantastic example of how reading can be made exciting and accessible for even the most dis-interested child!

Janet and Allan Ahlberg have added a whole new dimension to story telling with this clever and rather revolutionary book. We follow the Jolly Postman on his rounds, delivering mail to all manner of enchanting (and very familiar!) fairy tale characters. While we read about his morning, we can actually take out and read the contents of his post-bag as he delivers e More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 04, 2011

Rhian rated it:

When I was young I loved Janet and Allan Ahlberg books and the jolly postman was one of my favourites. This book is really interactive and features letters from many famous children's book characters whose stories intertwine.

The body text is written in simple rhyme that is fast paced and easy to read. Clues lead you to guess who each of the letters could be from before you open the envelopes. Sometimes you will see clues in the post mark, or the stamp, or the little illustrations on t More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 02, 2011

Catherine rated it:

This book tells the story of a "Jolly Postman" delivering letters to well-known fairy-tale characters like Goldilocks and the Big Bad Wolf. It includes pages that are envelopes, holding the letters that the postman is delivering. Through reading the interactive book, children are exposed to various types of mail that one may receive, including friendly letters, legal letters, and postcards.

On the pages that aren’t envelopes, the illustrations are simple watercolors that sho More...

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Mar 19, 2010

Jessica rated it:

This book is a fractured fairy tale about a postman delivering letters to various classic fairy tale characters. The book is cleverly designed with pages that look like envelopes and they open up and there is mail for the different characters in it. The pieces of mail range from a birthday card with "money" in it, an ad for witch supplies, a note from an attorney for the BIg Bad Wolf, and an apology letter from Goldilocks (this piece even uses typical children's spellings for word More...

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Aug 04, 2011

Basra rated it:

The Jolly Postman is one of my favourite picture books. The book encompasses multimodality and intertextuality flawlessly. The book is eye catching and young children will be engaged in it because it involves them getting each letter out of the envelopes.
Many activities can be derived from this book, for example, older children can examine the different types of writing that are used. This could lead them to write in similar styles when writing a newspaper articles or leaflets. Using Mult More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

May 02, 2010

Tamara rated it:

Summary: Fifteen years ago, long before anyone else thought of tucking actual letters and notes inside a book, Little, Brown published The Jolly Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg. This wonderful book gave children a chance to read letters sent from one fairy tale or Mother Goose character to another. Among the funny notes was one from Jack, who lolled on a sun-drenched island, thanking the Giant for the gold that let him afford such a nifty vacation.

Written by Janet and Allan Ahlber More...

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Oct 11, 2011

Nicole rated it:

I was so happy when I saw this book on the post-modern booklist, I completely forgot about this book but I absolutely loved this book when I was little and being able to read all of the little letters; it was great being able to read it again. First of all, this book can be good for young children in today's society because the concept of mail coming through the post is getting increasingly less popular. Seeing all the the Postcards from different children's stories is great because it helps to More...

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Jul 21, 2011

bonny rated it:

I received a lovely handwritten letter from my sister-in-law on my birthday, and it was so personal, contemplative, rare, and different from the usual exchange of emails that it made me recall this wonderful book I read to and with my kids when they were growing up. I had to dig The Jolly Postman out of my box of saved books to read and enjoy again. The concept of reading actual letters that can be removed from the envelopes in the book is pure genius. I'm wishing for more books like this aimed More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 25, 2011

Erika rated it:

I loved this book as a kid because you could take out the letters different fairy tale characters has written to one another and see their "real" lives outside of the books. This is a great book for kids who are familiar with the traditional western fairy tales - it's an opportunity to think about them in a different way and relate back to the stories they come from. I think kids would like the idea of writing to a character from a story or inviting one to his or her birthday party. More...

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May 05, 2011

Nancy rated it:

Love this book—have had it for some time and just recently reread it. The postman delivers letters to a variety of characters from children’s fairy tales including: Goldilocks, who writes a letter of apology to The Three Bears stating her Daddy will fix the ‘littel’ chair. The Wicked Witch gets an advertising brochure from Hopgoblin Supplies Ltd offering such things as a Halloween boot that comes in five different shades of black in sizes 4-14 and an easy-to-clean cauldron set with free recipe f More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 26, 2008

Kathryn rated it:

I remember loving this book when I was little--my friend had a copy. I had lots of pen-pals, and I loved reading books, so what could be better than a book about letters -- one that has the "actual" letters tucked inside it! :->

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 15, 2011

Kathryn rated it:

I read this book for my read aloud book in class. I chose this book because the classroom that I am working in currently is focusing on letter writing. I thought this book would be a good book to read aloud because the letter writing varies throughout the entire book. It was a challenging book to read aloud because holding the book and trying to pull out and read all the letters was tough. I would suggest having the book for students to look at but not read the book aloud. I like how the book us More...

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Sep 25, 2011

Anjumanara rated it:

It is a fantastic treasure for every child to experience as they follow the Jolly Postman on his rounds in the land of children's classical stories including the likes of Cinderella and Goldilocks and the Tree bears. It is an innovative idea which encapsulates a variety of posts, formal and informal set between pages within their own envelopes making it both very imaginative and interactive. It is written in verses which makes it further enticing to the children of EYFS and Key Stage 1. More...

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Jun 30, 2010

Misty rated it:

This book is wonderful! The idea of mail is such an interesting concept for young children, so this book is an absolutely fabulous book to read to them. Complete with "real" letters and cards they are thrust into the world of the Jolly Postman and other fairy tale characters. The story follows the Jolly Postman on his rounds as he delivers mail and also allows them to read the letters and cards he is delivering. I highly recommend this title.

On a side note. I work as a libr More...

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Mar 10, 2010

Amber rated it:

I used this book for a lesson on letters. It was a good book to use because you have the many different types of letters that the postman encounters and you get to meet all the characters. Then I used Goldilock's letter to talk to the children about how a letter was written and do a review lesson with them. I then had a letter that I typed up to them and they had to put where the greeting went and the closing and everything else. They were excited though to get the "letter" from me and More...

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Sep 20, 2011

Tiffany rated it:

I liked how this book followed the postman around as he delivered letters to fairy tale characters. The letters that you can open up throughout the story are nice to engage the reader. It's a good book to use when writing friendly letters as you can have the class rewrite some of the friendly letters that are in the book.

Readers will get the "inside scoop" into some of the characters by being able to read their letters.

I thought this book was good, it just wasn't More...

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Sep 10, 2008

Ashley rated it:

I had heard of this story before, and how good it was and was thoroughly delighted when I read it for myself. I think the style is easy and fun for children. Most of the time, there is some aspect of rhyming on each page. The illustrations were usually small and simple, yet cute. The illustrations, and story, held both a fairytale and modern feeling. For example, when the postman delivered a letter to the wicked witch, she lived back in the woods and her house looked like it had candy on it like More...

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Mar 28, 2011

Jennie added it

This is by far my favorite children's book! I would love to use it to teach children how to postcards, and even formal/informal letters, cards, and even advertisement! It talks about many fairy-tales that students are familiar with such as The Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and much more. The way the book is set up, it is a good example as to how you write a letter including the envelope, how it's addressed, and the format.

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Sep 12, 2011

Lorna rated it:

A very interactive book that contains real letters addressed to the characters. It follows a jolly postman on his journey to deliver his post and includes some familiar characters that young children would have already come across in nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Aimed at Early Years, the story is told through rhyme and comes with all the postcards and letters the jolly postman delivers for the children to read.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 14, 2011

Deanna rated it:

This book is great and students love it! It can definitely be used when students begin to write letters. The book uses familiar stories to students and actually includes letters. The story helps students to understand the purpose and the format of a letter. This book could also be used when students learn about community workers, to learn the duties of a postman and the importance they hold in the community.

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Mar 29, 2011

Shannon rated it:

As the Jolly Postman goes from house to house in this magical kingdom delivering the mail, children can read, on every other page, the whimsical letters tucked inside their own envelopes.

Teaching Ideas:
http://www.allanahlberg.com/us/1621/0316...
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-...

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Jan 27, 2009

Marisa rated it:

These books are so fun, I've had them for years since before I was even married. They contain real letters as every other page is an envelope. The postman delivers to Cinderella, the gingerbread boy and the wicked witch to name a few. At preschool, the kids take turns pulling out the letters before we read them. Great attention grabber!

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Nov 21, 2008

Jen rated it:

this was hands down, one of my favorite books as a child. there was nothing better than receiving mail as a kid (postcard! birthday note from grandma!), and this book plays on that theme but incorporates classic fairytale characters. how novel, to actually include real letters in a book! i loved it then and i love it still.

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