Peek-a-Boo

by Janet Ahlberg, Allan Ahlberg

This work follows a baby through the day. A series of holes peeping through to the next page leads the young child on to the next stage of the day, giving a hint of what is to come.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Storytime, Historical Fiction, Poetry

32 pages, Board Book

First published October 19, 1981

About the author

Janet Ahlberg (1944-1994) was a British children's book illustrator, and the co-creator, together with her husband Allan Ahlberg, of the best-selling Jolly Postman series. Born as Janet Hall in Yorkshire in 1944, she studied at Sunderland Technical College, where she met Ahlberg. The two married in 1969, and began to work together, publishing their first co-venture - The Old Joke Book - in 1976. She won the 1978 Kate Greenaway Medal from the British Library Association - an award recognizing the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject - for Each Peach Pear Plum.

Janet Ahlberg died of breast cancer in 1994, at the age of fifty, having produced many beloved and bestselling books. Her daughter with Allan Ahlberg - Jessica Ahlberg - is also a children's book creator.

Reviews

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book for little ones, with piles of 1940s detail to discuss in the pictures. A word of warning, though: because I'm a bit dense, it took me a few goes to realise that the baby's father was not in fact in the Home Guard or the like, but actually on his last day of leave from the War (you see him gradually getting dressed in his army uniform over the course of the book). I now have a bit of trouble getting through the last pages without becoming teary...

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun little book! I love the "peek through" pages where you get a glimpse of what is going on with the baby's family in another part of their house/yard. Super cute illustrations are full of detail but not too "busy" for little ones.

[Stephen Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peepo is a picture book told from the perspective of a baby boy. He seems to be at the age of around 9/10 months old. Just around the age where he is able to sit up himself and is beginning to notice different and fascinating things around him. Things that perhaps the older children and adults are not noticing as they are so busy doing different things. For example,

"He sees a bonfire smoking,
pigeons in the sky,
His mother cleaning windows,
A dog going by".

So while his Mother is concentrating hard on cleaning, he is aware of numerous events and objects around him catching his attention. My daughter loves this book as the well detailed large pictures help her to envisage what he is seeing. Also she has a baby brother who is of similar age, so it helps her to relate to the story. She always relates this story to our family, so I would be the dad and her brother would be the baby and so on. It could encourage children to loo at the importance of family. I believe it could also help children and adults to see life through differing perspectives.

Excellent book and one that my children never grow tired of, a real bedtime favourite.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5* art
5* story/poem/concept

The perfect marriage of writing and illustrating. Absolutely love the details, which are so true to life (the baby watches the tassels on his Grandma's shawl waving in the breeze).

You were right, Overbylass. We love it.

[Claire Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of what a baby (around 10 months old) sees and does during the day. I really enjoyed this book and there are lots of opportunities for inference in this book. Children can look through the hole in the centre of the page and try to figure out what else the baby can see and what else is happening in the scene, for example what his dad is doing. This book could also be used with older children, perhaps in year 2 to year 4, to discuss the images (When were they set? What are they Wearing? Do we wear those clothes now?) and that it is set during the war. There is more to this story that meets the eye and that children may not notice straight away, which is that as the story progresses the dad is getting dressed in his uniform, perhaps to go back to war after leave; children could also discuss what the dad is doing. This book is an enjoyable read for children in Foundation Stage but once the book is looked at in more details there are plenty of opportunities for book talk, regardless of age, which add to the story and meaning.

[Best_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Known to my kids and I as 'Peepo' this is one of our favourites (and there are many contenders in this genre!). Beautiful rhyming story about what a baby can see from various places - his cot, high hair, bath etc. The verse is beautifully written and easy to read and the illustrations so fascinatingly detailed you will find something else to catch your eye every time you open a page. This is an absolute must in any baby's collection!

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A darling little rhyming book about a day in the life of a baby and his family. I believe the family is English since some of the words are not in common usage here. I read it to my granddaughter and she loved it as well. Truly lived up to its reviews.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just great.

[Tahmin Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janet and Allan Ahlberg's story Peepo is based on the perspective of a baby boy. Throughout the day and the story, the baby is watching what is going on around him, for example his dad sleeping, mum cooking, grandma putting out clothes and so on.

This book contains a hole in the middle of the page so the audience can only see a small part of what the boy is seeing until we turn the page. Therefore this is great for story time amongst the Early Years and Key Stage One as it promotes children to guess what else the baby can see, for example 'He sees his sisters skipping'.

This is ideal for young children as it encourages their language and communication skills. Furthermore, the book is very poetic and has a repetitive paragraph, which no doubt young children will grasp straight away.

[Rachael_rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great picture book for Early Years Foundation Stage, giving teacher's the opportunity to introduce the early Historical concept of old and new. Reading this with a class and pointing to the old furniture, clothes and food and asking 'Do we think these are items from this time, or the past?'. I used this book with my year 1 phonics/reading group last year and they loved it. One child even managed to guess that the picture of Winston Churchill hanging on the wall was 'an important man from the passed' which was very impressive and enabled us to talk about how we can find out about the past. Its also a great book for getting the whole class engaged and the repetitive 'Peepo!' gets every child involved and joining in, and offers you the chance to ask lots of thought provoking questions throughout the book.

[Amal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peepo is a book about a baby who is very observant of his surroundings, he picks out specific details of what he sees and encounters in his daily life. The book has some interesting illustrations, it also has a circle cut out on every other page of the book were the baby peeks through. If you look carefully at the illustrations of this book, you can pick the WWII theme, which gives the book a time and setting.

Upper KS2 children may use this book during their topic lessons on WWII, they may want to pick out the importance of family during this time, such as when the dad is bathing the baby and kissing him goodnight. Furthermore, KS1 children may also appreciate the rhyming nature of the book and may want to create their own one during a literacy lesson, which focuses on their lives.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at the library last week because I like the Ahlbergs (I loved The Jolly Postman as a kid, and discovered Each Peach Pear Plum just before having my own kids) and thought my youngest would enjoy it. She did (as did the other two), but what made the book most interesting for me was the 1950's era illustrations, reminding me of the show Call the Midwife, which I've recently become hooked on. I checked the copyright (1981), so this was definitely done in a purposefully historical style, and I'd be interested in finding out more of the story behind the story.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book for younger years/year 1.
As ever with the Ahlbergs the story is witty and the illustrations and format of the book are not simple or boring.
My nieces who have a 6-month-old brother LOVE it as they imagine him as the baby in the book and try to guess what he is seeing and describe it to me.
Simple to read aloud and follows a pattern that is easy to follow for more novice readers.
Highly recommend especically if you've read and enjoyed another Ahlberg book.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely evening family read.

[Maxwell Westjohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyming was clunky at times, but otherwise a wonderful piece of literature. George loved the peekaboos.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a reason this book is still popular, especially with younger readers and their teachers, despite recently celebrating its 40th anniversary. 'Peepo' is a time machine - the "it's bigger on the inside" kind!

Essentially a picture book with rhyming descriptions to tell the story of a day in the life of a family in wartime Britain, the illustrations in this book are the star of the show. We can place the setting in time thanks to picture clues - a Warden checking out a fire in someone's garden; Spitfires flying around during a trip to the park; a tin bath for baby's bath time; a bucket of coal for the Range; the Father putting his uniform on, page by page, so by the end of the book he's ready to return to his post.

You couldn't ask for a more colourful snapshot of daily life in the past with which to compare homes and lives today. Readers get the sense that everything in the Peepo house has a purpose and is loved by its family, with nothing carelessly thrown away.

The Ahlberg's have a magical way of explaining what can be seen through a child's eyes, without over-complicating things. As with all books by these authors, Peepo can be poured over again and again, with readers finding something new to ponder each time. It's a fabulous starter for students exploring British homes, work and family life in the last century.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Aw, such a darling little book! This is definitely one of my favourites. The sweet, rhythmic text and the detailed, fascinating images are such a splendid pair. I love the little glimpse into WWII England on a bomb-free day and the typical houses of the era. Baby’s schedule would still be about the same now, and his family certainly isn’t all that different from ours, which makes the story timeless. Overall, it’s a delightful read aloud and picture book!

[Oanh · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the rhyming in this book is lovely, and the pictures are sweet, the story and characters are very gender stereotyped. Mum has curlers in her hair; Grandma irons etc. Baby is too impatient to sit through the full verse and the pages get turned rather quickly, so I edit out the gender-restrictive parts.

[Stacy Atherton Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading this book to my babies and toddlers. It's really cute with wonderful illustrations based around the time of WWII in England. My toddlers have even eventually started to quote it along with me.

[Dcbruhbruh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son loves this book

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this story. It was great fun to revisit it via the Kids Book Club today :)

[Ian Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

version of trivial

[Nicole Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a baby and what he sees through out his day. There is a cut out on every page that children could look through. The pictures and text seemed super busy to me and there was just a lot going on in this book. Not sure it would hold a young ones interest for to long but I could see lots of possibilities for looking further into the pictures.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peek-A-Boo

Published 1997, copyright 1981, Viking, The Penguin Group, isbn 0670871923

A delightful and interactive peek-a-boo book for babies and young children. The book also hides a deeper message about family love in wartime England.

While the Booklist review on the back of this book recommends it as a first book for babies, it is interesting enough on different levels that it can grow with your child until he or she is an early reader. The most obvious interactive feature that would appeal to babies (6 months and up) is the cutout hole on each page which shows a baby’s view of his world, which focuses on his parents, sisters and grandmother. Turning the page reveals a wider view of each scene of bustling life during WW2 in England, in a cluttered but cozy house strewn with toys and laundry. Each page contains one or two four-line rhymes, followed by the chance to join in saying “Peek-a-boo!”, good for developing phonological awareness. The many British English words and detailed illustrations of, say, coal ovens and double-decker buses provide plenty of opportunities to develop vocabulary and learn about a way of life that may be unfamiliar to readers. The loving atmosphere in which the baby lives gives the book a warm feeling, but it is neither simplistic nor sappy. The original title of this book was “Peepo!”

At first glance, the book is simply an interactive story about a loving family; however, the background details reveal a darker side to the story. It seems that the father is actually on leave from the front, and when he kisses the baby goodnight at the end of the story, it is not clear whether he will return. This hidden secondary story speaks to the tenacity of family love and the will to retain a semblance of normalcy for a young baby in spite of the situation.

Reviewers were not in agreement about whether the book took place during or after WWII. Some reviewers, such as the staff of Horn Book, said the board book format diminished the appeal of the illustrations. By contrast, Judith Sharman, in Books for Keeps, was pleased to have "such a good book in a more durable format". Amazon readers agreed with the latter. Mary Nickerson at the School Library Journal thought that the illustrations are too complex for babies, but the text is too simple for older children. Of all the reviews I read, however, her review contained the most helpful description of the book. Peek-A-Boo was chosen as one of ALA's Books to Grow On in 2003, indicating that the ALA agreed that the book’s appeal spans a wide age group.

Horn Book Magazine, Peek-a-Boo, Staff review, Mar/Apr91, Vol. 67, Issue 2

Nickerson, Mary B. Peek-a-boo (Book Review) School Library Journal, Jan82, Vol. 28 Issue 5p58

Sharman, Judith, Books for Keeps No. 107, November 1997

[Sue Winson · Rating 5 out of 5]

23-month old little-AJ and Mummy fell into love with this book the very first time we read it. There is a cut-out hole at each alternative page, showing us what the little baby (perhaps 10 months old?) sees while looking around his surroundings at different times of a day. We have so much fun pointing at the objects, and spotting random items lying around here and there at the very realistically messy household with three kids.

There are so much goings-on in each picture. Everyone around is always busy doing something. Daddy carrying bucketful of coal, mummy pouring hot porridge in a bowl, grandma pegging washing on the clothes-line, the sisters skipping in the yard outside. The house is untidy, cosy, and so familiar. Panda soft toy sitting at dining chair, teacup on the floor, socks on mantelpiece, rubber ducky underneath a chair in bedroom.

The scene settings are probably in the 1940s war-time period, with old-fashioned pram, lavatory separate from house, coals for fireplace, vintage-looking radio, and the occasional black-and-white photographs framed and hung on walls. Daddy dressed up in his military uniform and kissed the baby goodnight, giving us a subtle hint of the era of those lovely pictures.

This is a classic that can be read and re-read. We can always spot something new and find some fresh surprises every time we look at the pictures.

Blog review here: https://storypleasemummy.wordpress.co...

[Nazia Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is set a few decades ago. As an adult, I enjoyed looking at the contrast in modern and post-World War settings in the family home in Britain. I love the way this book shows family unity. Most young children will be able to relate to a character, or relate a family member to a character the book has portrayed.

Peepo is a fabulous picture book, which is told through the perspective of a baby boy (approx age of baby is 10 months). The baby is watching what is going on around him. The book has a very clever ‘peep hole’ cut out on each page, where he audience can only see a small part of the setting. This is great for discussion with younger children. You turn the page to reveal a fantastically illustrated setting.

This is ideal for young readers as it can open great discussions with them. For example, ‘what do you think he will see next’ and ‘what does the black and white TV tell us about the story?’ Great rhyme and rhythm are used throughout the book which makes it fun to read.

Excellent book to have as part of a child’s early years, and I’m sure it will cause much excitement every time it is read! I do feel it can be used with slightly older children as well. You could discuss the perspectives of other characters in the book, for example, ‘what do you think Mum is thinking?’ and so on.

A definite must-have in the EYFS setting! PEEPO!

[Khari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because of the art and the setting.

I thought it was interesting that it was written in 1981, but it is set in probably WWII in London. I say WWII because the father is wearing what appears to be a basic British Infantry uniform on the last page and certain tell-tales like the pram the baby is in and how the mother sleeps in a hairnet. No one does that anymore, even though I think they were very practical and should be brought back into use. I say London because of the closeness of the homes and the two story red bus in the background.

I felt that the book was giving me a peek into life of that era: kids amusing themselves by fishing using a net they made out of a stocking, a baby being washed in a tub on the floor, clothes being warmed on a coal stove, a coal stove! I've had one. I don't know many other people who have. It was just a fun read.

Story: Rhyming I spy book
Art: Very vintage
Price: $12.99

[Hassan Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review 5 - Peek-a-Boo – Janet and Alan Ahlberg.

All children from nursery to key stage one will be able to happily read this book or have it read to them by a parent/guardian. The book starts off by showing a picture of a toddler in her crib and has rhyming lines to set the tone of the book and create a jolly mood for the reader. The toddler or baby looks out from his cot, chair, pushchair etc. There are holes cut out in the book to show beautiful watercolour images and the text provides much to talk about because it outlines different subjects and objects. Children can play games with adults or themselves by trying to find different objects in the pictures (as most of the scenes are quite cluttered), which means the detail is brilliant.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a firm favourite since my oldest child was a baby and we own a well loved copy.

The book is from the perspective of a little baby boy and will appeal to babies due to the asthetics of the book, with the cut out hole to the next page - perfect for chubby little hands to hold, through to older children and adults, as when you turn the page the fantastic illustrations depict WW2 scenes of family life.

The book is written in gentle rhyme which we all know by heart and Janet Ahlberg's illustrations are stunningly detailed, ans is perfect for bed times.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read this classic to my baby daughter twice as part of our new nightly routine. At 9 (nearly 10) weeks old, she doesn’t understand yet (she was hardly awake!) but in time I hope to enjoy this book even more with her. It’s rhyme is catchy and it has so much detail in the artwork that it could easily become a game to find different images in it.
It’s charming and nostalgic for me and my hubby.
Looking forward to many more readings in future!