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The Pencil
The creators of THE RUNAWAY DINNER and PREVIOUSLY team up to imagine the comical world that comes to life when a lonely pencil starts to draw.
"One day that little pencil made a move, shivered slightly, quivered somewhat . . . and began to draw."
Welcome back Banjo, the boy from THE RUNAWAY DINNER! Once a pencil draws him, there's no telling what will come next — a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to color in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin — "This hat looks silly!" "My ears are too big!" — until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw . . . an eraser. Oh no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue?
"One day that little pencil made a move, shivered slightly, quivered somewhat . . . and began to draw."
Welcome back Banjo, the boy from THE RUNAWAY DINNER! Once a pencil draws him, there's no telling what will come next — a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to color in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin — "This hat looks silly!" "My ears are too big!" — until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw . . . an eraser. Oh no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue?
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
13 people are currently reading
636 people want to read
About the author
Allan Ahlberg
313 books175 followersAllan Ahlberg was one of the UK's most acclaimed and successful authors of children's books - including the best-selling Jolly Postman series. Born in Croydon in 1938, he was educated at Sunderland Technical College. Although he dreamed of becoming a writer since the age of twelve, his route to that goal was somewhat circuitous. Other jobs along the way included postman (not an especially jolly one, he recalls), gravedigger, plumber, and teacher.
Ahlberg wrote his first book when he was thirty-seven, after a decade of teaching - a profession that he maintains is "much harder" than being a writer. He says that if he hadn't become a writer, he would have loved to be a soccer player. He was married for many years to fellow children's author Janet Ahlberg, with whom he often worked. Their daughter, Jessica Ahlberg, is also a children's author.
Ahlberg wrote his first book when he was thirty-seven, after a decade of teaching - a profession that he maintains is "much harder" than being a writer. He says that if he hadn't become a writer, he would have loved to be a soccer player. He was married for many years to fellow children's author Janet Ahlberg, with whom he often worked. Their daughter, Jessica Ahlberg, is also a children's author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
August 31, 2018
A reread of a library book after many years. This book is so fun and inventive. A pencil draws a boy, who wants a dog, the dog wants a cat, and then they want colour. A paint brush is drawn, but once they are coloured they are not happy about some things so a rubber is drawn. The rubber becomes slightly carried away with it's duties so the pencil finds creative ways to stop the erasing!
We love the idea, we love how everything is named, it's a really entertaining read for any age. Highly
recommended.
We love the idea, we love how everything is named, it's a really entertaining read for any age. Highly
recommended.
August 21, 2008
Ahlberg and Ingman have created a picture book that is both charming and inventive. It is the story of a lonely pencil who decides to start drawing and creates its own world, filled with a boy, a dog, a cat, a paintbrush and much more. Trouble comes when the pencil creates an eraser who starts to take control. But clever thinking and quick drawing bring the story back full circle.
The humorous bits are what make this book work so well. There are small running gags, silly moments and other funny bits that add up to a book that will get giggles but has a lot of depth as well. Ingman's illustrations are integral to the book. They create this world of creativity on both the subtle black-and-white spreads and those wild with color. The partnership of author and illustrator here is so successful that it is hard to imagine the book was done by two different people.
Highly recommended for art classes or classes doing drawing, this is also a great book for craft days at libraries or to share with your own little artist.
The humorous bits are what make this book work so well. There are small running gags, silly moments and other funny bits that add up to a book that will get giggles but has a lot of depth as well. Ingman's illustrations are integral to the book. They create this world of creativity on both the subtle black-and-white spreads and those wild with color. The partnership of author and illustrator here is so successful that it is hard to imagine the book was done by two different people.
Highly recommended for art classes or classes doing drawing, this is also a great book for craft days at libraries or to share with your own little artist.
July 27, 2009
So creative! What happens when a pencil begins to create his own world--and then creates an eraser that gets carried away...!? I really enjoyed the journey.
January 3, 2009
Many of the picture books I read are firmly “of the times” - characters, dialog, and illustrations all combine to declare modernity. I envision kids reading these books for a few years and then, well I’m not sure. Some of them will have longevity and some won’t - it’s often hard to tell. Much more rarely do I encounter books that successfully rise above the here and now. Their combination of story and images displays a timelessness that will likely appeal to readers for years to come. “The Pencil” is one such book. One of my favorite picture book titles to be released this year.
As the title suggests, it all begins with a pencil. The first thing it draws is a boy named Banjo. Banjo requests a pet dog, so Bruce is sketched. Bruce wants a cat, so Mildred is whipped up. From there, the pencil starts getting creative. A town is sketched, along with a house and a family for Banjo. When they get tired of all the black and white, the pencil cleverly draws a paintbrush to add some color. Then the complaints start rolling in. The pencil’s creations are not pleased with the way things look and want some changes. The solution? An eraser.
However, the eraser soon starts rubbing out everything in it’s path. With the fate of his world in jeopardy, the pencil comes up with the perfect way to save Banjo, his family, and his town.
The storytelling is subtle. It doesn’t yell at the reader, but confidently lets the plot unfold. There are touches of humor. Everything the pencil draws wants to be named. This leads to a rubber ball going by “Sebastian”, and the endpapers filled to the brim with swing sets named “Claudia” and other various, named objects. Suspense is also used to great affect. When a problem arises, the reader must wait until the page is turned to discover the solution.
Ingman’s spare illustrations add much to the uncomplicated feel of “The Pencil”. Rendered in acrylics, their simplicity is integral to the story of the inexperienced pencil, drawing for the first time.
Not a title that will necessarily jump out at readers, “The Pencil” is a modest gem. Maybe not an obvious pick for story time, but don’t let that deter you - this book should be a read-aloud hit. The kind of book you can be proud to share.
As the title suggests, it all begins with a pencil. The first thing it draws is a boy named Banjo. Banjo requests a pet dog, so Bruce is sketched. Bruce wants a cat, so Mildred is whipped up. From there, the pencil starts getting creative. A town is sketched, along with a house and a family for Banjo. When they get tired of all the black and white, the pencil cleverly draws a paintbrush to add some color. Then the complaints start rolling in. The pencil’s creations are not pleased with the way things look and want some changes. The solution? An eraser.
However, the eraser soon starts rubbing out everything in it’s path. With the fate of his world in jeopardy, the pencil comes up with the perfect way to save Banjo, his family, and his town.
The storytelling is subtle. It doesn’t yell at the reader, but confidently lets the plot unfold. There are touches of humor. Everything the pencil draws wants to be named. This leads to a rubber ball going by “Sebastian”, and the endpapers filled to the brim with swing sets named “Claudia” and other various, named objects. Suspense is also used to great affect. When a problem arises, the reader must wait until the page is turned to discover the solution.
Ingman’s spare illustrations add much to the uncomplicated feel of “The Pencil”. Rendered in acrylics, their simplicity is integral to the story of the inexperienced pencil, drawing for the first time.
Not a title that will necessarily jump out at readers, “The Pencil” is a modest gem. Maybe not an obvious pick for story time, but don’t let that deter you - this book should be a read-aloud hit. The kind of book you can be proud to share.
December 18, 2008
Mildly amusing, I don't quite see the appeal that others seem to be able to spot. It is a fantasy but it does not seem to follow an internal logic -- which is that the pencil should not be able to create a paintbrush with 3 colors of brush tip. That solution is flimsy and unconvincing, even if the story is kind of fun.
October 18, 2021
'The Pencil' (2008) - is an absolutely lovely, inventive, very creative and original story from the pen of Allan Ahlberg, with delightful illustrations by Bruce Ingman.
'The Pencil' begins with just that - the first drawings of a pencil (a boy) and how a whole world is drawn/created and comes alive thereon in.
This is a great children's story which has been written by Ahlberg- key and absolutely central to the books success are Ingman's lovely illustrations.
Ahlberg and Ingman have created a fantastic journey of the artistic imagination and one that is definitely not to be missed.
'The Pencil' begins with just that - the first drawings of a pencil (a boy) and how a whole world is drawn/created and comes alive thereon in.
This is a great children's story which has been written by Ahlberg- key and absolutely central to the books success are Ingman's lovely illustrations.
Ahlberg and Ingman have created a fantastic journey of the artistic imagination and one that is definitely not to be missed.
July 10, 2020
یه کتاب عالی برای گفتگوی کلاسی از نوع فلسفیش.. سر کلاس بچه های چهارم تا ششم دبستان اونقدر بحثهای عمیق و قشنگی درگرفت که مغزم داشت سوت میکشید (اختیار، خلقت، نارضایتی در زندگی، نظر اکثریت، ...). با این اوصاف چرا ۳ستاره دادم؟ چون نویسنده گره داستان رو با یه ایده ی بی نمک و تا حدودی غیرمنطقی حل کرده بود و این تازه وقتی به چشمم اومد که ایده های خلاقانه ی بچه ها رو شنیدم و اعتراضشون به نوع حل شدن مسئله توی کتاب. ولی بهرحال کتابیه که خواننده رو وادار میکنه به فکر کردن و چی ازین بهتر؟ ;)
October 30, 2009
The Pencil is a purely delightful book! It begins with a lonely pencil who starts to draw first a boy then a dog and a cat. When their world needs color he draws a paintbrush to color everything in. Soon the boy has a mother named Mr., a father named Mrs. and a sister named Elsie. Everyone is happy except Mr. doesn't like her hat and Mrs. ears are too big, so the pencil draws an eraser. The eraser gets carried away and erases everything and just before the eraser erases away the pencil the pencil draws another eraser and they erase each other away. The pencil starts over and draws the boy, the dog, the cat, the paintbrush, Mr and Mrs. and everything again.
The Pencil is on the short list for the Ronald Dahl funny prize and in my opinion it should win! Its so charming you can't help but smile when you read it. This would be a great story time book and could easily lead into some drawing activities with preschoolers. This book just makes me happy!!
The Pencil is on the short list for the Ronald Dahl funny prize and in my opinion it should win! Its so charming you can't help but smile when you read it. This would be a great story time book and could easily lead into some drawing activities with preschoolers. This book just makes me happy!!
September 21, 2016
One for all you writers out there. An amusing tale of a lonely pencil that starts to draw. His creations come to life but then become more and more demanding, wanting to be named (as characters do!) and coloured. Then they become discontented with how they look. Will the pencil ever live in peace with his creations? Is this all a metaphor for the writing journey?
Ultimately this is an fun postmodern story that heads in unexpected directions and makes you smile.
Oh and I love the endorsements on the back of this book - one is a serious one from The Guardian, the other says "The best book ever!" from the illustrator's mum
Ultimately this is an fun postmodern story that heads in unexpected directions and makes you smile.
Oh and I love the endorsements on the back of this book - one is a serious one from The Guardian, the other says "The best book ever!" from the illustrator's mum
November 2, 2018
A nice book to read with children, the language is simple enough for the children to potentially read themselves. Throughout the text I felt that there were some underlying themes of friendship and selfishness. It was only when the pencil got carried away and created a rubber that all the stuff he spent time drawing got taken away from him. There were also humorous elements throughout! My favourite think about this book, besides the lovely illustrations in the text, is the way that almost every character/object/animal is named individually....thought that added a nice little extra touch to the text.
July 5, 2010
We loved this book about a pencil who draws people and then draws more things to cater to the people's demands. And everything, animate or not, gets a name.
December 13, 2014
My son adores this book. We have read it every night for the past week or so. He now knows it off by heart!
November 21, 2017
From the beginning, Allan Ahlberg's style of writing is distinct and engaging. A very clever and inventive book that made me giggle.
May 19, 2020
A charming book which follows the journey of a 'normal' grey pencil who is very lonely, so he decides to draw some friends. The book explores the world that the pencil draws. But the pencil becomes sad because he has no colour. So he draw's a colourful paintbrush and they work together to create a colourful world. But the pencil becomes frightened by words from people he has drawn so he drew a rubber. But this is where things start to go wrong, because the rubber begins to rub everything out. So the pencil draws a wall to try and protect himself, but it's no good, the rubber keeps rubbing. The pencil becomes more and more worried, and in this stressful time he draws another rubber. But luckily, for the pencil, the rubbers rub each other out, so then the pencil and the paintbrush find each other and draw back the beautiful world they created. I love this story, it's fun, exciting, and leaves children wanting to know what happens next. This story was highly requested by children on my placement to read and read again, so I look forward to sharing it with my class in the future.
November 6, 2019
This is very reminiscent of Harold and the Purple Crayon or The Day the Crayons Quit. You know you're an adult reading a children's picture book when you question how the eraser is able to erase color painted with a paintbrush. Also, how was the pencil able to give the paintbrush color? If I look past these questions, though, I enjoyed the story and the illustrations. I loved that everything got to have a name - even each individual ant who came to the picnic!
October 18, 2019
I'm a massive fan of Ahlberg's work so I was a bit disappointed by 'The Pencil.' I liked the humorous comical side of the story as it did make me laugh however I thought he could have done a lot more with the story. For me, the story felt very repetitive, however I can imagine young children would enjoy the book.
February 1, 2012
The pencil tells a beautiful story about a lonely pencil. All alone he decides to start drawing. He draws some beautiful things but they all start complaining. Trying to please everything he created he runs into a bit of a problem and has to solve it. This story is very witty and indeed the pencil is very smart. It had me thinking straight awy all the great things you could do with this book... art, RE, memory games, PSHE.. it would be great for boys and girls from age 7. brilliant for discussion about how the world began. brilliant to discuss the history of art, and fabulous for ideas for sorting issues and thinking on your feet and pleasing each other. Fabulous read and I Just read it to a group of boys with behavioural difficulties. THey loved it!
May 10, 2019
My daughter is home from her first year of college. Time for Mama, Papa and Baby Bear to sit on the sofa for a picture book binge! (4 of 4)
I picked this up because a Goodreads reviewer said it was a superior version of the story I liked so much in Perfect. I'll have to disagree on that though, as this story is much too dark and disturbing. A pencil creates a dog, a cat, a boy and more and more and more. The new creations become increasingly demanding and soon turn on him. His solution unleashes an apocalypse the sort of which I have never seen in a children's picture book, and the resolution seems straight out of a Rick & Morty episode: twisted and sort of sexualized. Bizarre.
I picked this up because a Goodreads reviewer said it was a superior version of the story I liked so much in Perfect. I'll have to disagree on that though, as this story is much too dark and disturbing. A pencil creates a dog, a cat, a boy and more and more and more. The new creations become increasingly demanding and soon turn on him. His solution unleashes an apocalypse the sort of which I have never seen in a children's picture book, and the resolution seems straight out of a Rick & Morty episode: twisted and sort of sexualized. Bizarre.
March 13, 2010
I recently read The Runaway Dinner by this same team, and methinks this author has a thing for runaway food. Quite amusing!
This is a really unusual story, which I enjoyed more as it went on. (At first I thought I’d simply recommend Harold and the Purple Crayon but I ended up very much enjoying this story and its pictures.) It’s very funny and sweet and creative and clever. And, it’s really, really fun to read aloud.
This is a really unusual story, which I enjoyed more as it went on. (At first I thought I’d simply recommend Harold and the Purple Crayon but I ended up very much enjoying this story and its pictures.) It’s very funny and sweet and creative and clever. And, it’s really, really fun to read aloud.
February 17, 2010
This picture book fantasy brings to life a whole new world as a pencil begins to draw the story. The story line builds for the young audience, as the pencil constructs new characters and objects, naming family members and pets, then drawing a paintbrush to color this new world. As conflicts happen within the newly created characters an eraser is drawn by the pencil, just in time to rub out the difficulty. I found myself thinking of the wonderful Harold and the Purple Crayon. This could be a good introduction for children to draw examples of their worlds, real or imaginary. Grades K-3.
January 29, 2017
Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman join hands (as only a brilliant writer and a brillianr illustrator can) to tell an exciting story about creating stories. The life automatically given to the drawings of the little pencil tells us much about why and how we narrate and create.
Die span Ahlberg-Ingman verklap die geheim van waarom en hoe ons stories vertel in hierdie verbeeldingryke verhaaltjie van 'n eensame potlood. Dit moet verpligte leesstof word, nie alleen vir alle kleuters nie, maar ook vir letterkundenavorsers. Ook magister- en doktorale kandidate moet kan speel!
Die span Ahlberg-Ingman verklap die geheim van waarom en hoe ons stories vertel in hierdie verbeeldingryke verhaaltjie van 'n eensame potlood. Dit moet verpligte leesstof word, nie alleen vir alle kleuters nie, maar ook vir letterkundenavorsers. Ook magister- en doktorale kandidate moet kan speel!
October 8, 2008
This is a charming picture book that gives the pencil the role of narrator. The pencil illustrates the events happening in the story and give names to his drawings and makes everything come alive. It is very reminiscent of Harold and the Purple Crayon. Story events come to a climax when everything is destroyed by the eraser. Students could have a fun time predicting what will happen next in this book.
September 10, 2008
I really enjoyed this story of a pencil who draws a whole world. His drawings are quite demanding - they need names, color, food, their ears are too big, FIX IT, Pencil! Pencil draws a paintbrush and an eraser to help him create a whole world, but mistakes do happen, as with any art project.
I love the build-up of the story and the fun illustrations.
I love the build-up of the story and the fun illustrations.
September 22, 2017
'The Pencil' is a charming (although somewhat abstract) story about the beauty of mark making, and embodies how illustrations add so much richness to a text. The progression from the grey pencil to the colour in the paintbrush allows the reader to truly appreciate how the colour brings the illustrations to life.
September 8, 2008
This was a very original picture book. I have enjoyed some of Ahlberg's work over the years and think this is one of his best. (I also love The Bravest Ever Bear) I don't always 'get' his humor, but in this case, I felt the book was clever, fun, and full of surprises.
July 5, 2012
This is a crazy, busy children's book about a lonely pencil who one day decides to draw himself some pals. Things get more and more wacky from there. Kids who love to draw are going to really enjoy this one.
September 29, 2016
I thought this was a lovely book which the children would really enjoy. It would provide plenty of opportunities in the classroom to do some cross-curricular activities, especially with English and Art.
May 11, 2019
A dystopian apocalyptic picture book for children? There is nothing in the book you can think about for more than five seconds without it becoming horrifying. One small example: the pencil draws himself a wife.
July 16, 2014
Lovely, funny, and fun.
October 18, 2018
very nice one for kids
Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews