The Wild Washerwomen

by John Yeoman, Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

Once upon a time there were seven unhappy washerwomen. They had far too much washing to do and the owner of the laundry, Mr. Balthazar Tight, was simply dreadful!

See what happens when these feisty washerwomen decide to escape from a very large pile of laundry and go on strike!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2009

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

John Yeoman was for many years Head of English at the French Lycée in London. His collaboration with Quentin Blake began in 1960, and has resulted in a long list of successful children’s books of which a number of earlier well-loved titles are now being republished by Andersen Press for new generations of readers.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of seven washerwomen, called Dottie, Lottie, Molly, Dolly, Winnie, Minnie and Ernestine. They worked for Mr Balthazar Tight, who was very mean and made them work long and hard, this made the washerwomen unhappy. One day they decided to go on strike and escaped from the laundry. Everywhere they went they caused havoc, they enjoyed it so much that day after day they went on the rampage terrifying everyone as they went.

Seven woodcutters, who lived in the forest, heard the washerwomen were coming and decided to teach them a lesson. They made themselves all dirty and dishevelled and intended to scare the washerwomen. However, they were no match for the washerwomen who took them straight to the river and cleaned them up. The washerwomen liked the look of the woodcutters, now they were clean, so they married them and lived happily ever after.

This book is very well written and the accompanying illustrations, by Quentin Blake, are amazing. The pictures tell the story very well and give children something to look at and create another aspect of the story. I would say this book is suitable for reception aged children right up to year four children. Younger children will enjoy having the book read aloud to them and exploring the pictures, while older children will be able to read the book alone and the pictures will feed their imagination at the same time.

[Emmeline Guest · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Quentin Blake ...

and I adore this book (as does my four year old son).

A silly story about seven washerwomen who are so fed up with their mean employer (Mr. Balthazar Tight) and all the MANY loads of laundry they wash day after day, that they go on a rampage!

The women splash mud on pedestrians, set animals loose, and swung from church bell ropes ...

Until he women run smack into seven of the dirtiest things they have ever seen ... seven woodcutters, who had planned to scare the rampaging women, instead end up having a bath ...

And falling in love with the wild washerwomen of course!


The story ends with the washerwomen and woodcutters "all happily washing and woodcutting and having the time of their lives."

(Quentin Blake makes sure, through his wacky illustrations, that their are plenty of men washing, and plenty of women woodcutting).

[Electra · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite children books.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about seven washerwomen who work for Mr Balthazar, who is a mean owner of the laundrette. The washerwomen are over worked and under paid. They are pushed to their limits when they receive a laundry load that is overwhelmingly large and filthy.
As a result, they decide to go on strike against Mr Balthazar and cause chaos throughout the town. This disruptive behaviour continued until they stumbled upon seven of the dirtiest woodcutters. The washerwomen cleaned up the woodcutters and fell for their brand spanking new looks. It was love at first wash! They never heard again from their mean boss and lived happily ever after with their handsome woodcutters.
I would suggest this book as a class story or a take home reader, as it could teach the children about equal pay and working rights in its simplest form. This may engage the class and encourage them to share their thoughts. The age range I would recommend for this book would be from 5 - 8 years old.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is great. I found it hard as I read it in Italian.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buenísimas ilustraciones a color de Quentin Blake

[현순 최 · Rating 4 out of 5]

long time ago, there were seven washerwomen. Everyday they need to wash the great mound of laundry. They got to the river they sorted out the clothes and plunged them in soaking , soaping and pounded them on the stones. They always need to do hard working. Their owner was mean little man. He forced them to do lots of things. One day they decided to run away from laundry house. Day by day they went on the rampage everywhere, but they met seven woodcutters in the forest and they lived happy forever. This book is very funny story.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to pair the song The Wishy Washy Washer Woman.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! The middle started to stray, but then it picked back up at the end with a funny twist.

[Mary]

I especially like when the big pile of dirty laundry lands on Mr. Tight. :)

[Semira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Lasenby gave me this book one time we visited him. It is one of my favourites and Blake's illustrations always make me smile. I will read this to my children

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was absolutely charming. I'm biased because the illustrations were done by Quentin Blake and I LOVE him, but the story is very funny.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

5* art
3* story

This book deserves more stars. It's not quite Squirt's cup of tea yet. We'll come back to it in a year and see then.

[Maeghan Nutmeg Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was weird. Haha

Thanks for the trip down memory lane... The illustrations are done by Quentin Blake, who most of us probably know well from Roald Dahl's books.

[Laura Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amusing book which I think children would love!! Is also written in Russian!

[Gauss the Panda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book! A wild adventure!

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wild Washerwoman by John Yeoman, Illustrator Quentin Blake- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates the story of seven washerwoman named Dottie, Lottie, Molly, Dolly, Winnie, Minnie and Ernestine. Laundry for washing is provided to them by Mr. Balthazar Tight, who was very mean. He makes them work hard for long hours. Barkin is the delivery boy. He carries clothes on his goat cart. Goat’s name is Lysander. One day Barkin brings a lot of dirty clothes for them. They decide to go on strike and escaped from the laundry on Lysander’s goat cart. They are angry so wherever they go they caused havoc but they enjoyed themselves. On other side of the forest, seven woodcutters reside. They come to know that the seven nasty girls would come their way. They decide to teach them a lesson. They made themselves all dirty and disheveled and intended to scare the washerwomen. However, they were no match for the washerwomen who took them straight to the river and cleaned them up. The washerwomen liked the look of the woodcutters now as they were clean. They propose and are married soon. The book ends with the note that they lived happily ever after. Coloured illustrations help the reader in relating to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[Abril G. Karera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considerado ya un clásico en la literatura infantil, hemos disfrutado mucho este libro con los pequeños. Siete lavanderas, hartas de ser explotadas lavando ropa, deciden ser el tormento de la sociedad haciendo lo que se les antoje. (Y hasta se me antoja ver un guiño feminista) ¡Muy recomendable!

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining, but rather disposable, book for the young - I felt it lacked consequence, either for the slave master that runs the washerwomen or the ladies themselves on their rampage of revenge. It might not have reached three stars, but I'd take a pounding from Dolly any day - she's lovely.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bizarre. Didn't get it at all

[Mai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Read to my students today for Read Aloud Day.

[Annet Schuurman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very random, funny book with a small twist. I appreciated the language and the pictures used.

[Lucas Sibona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unas lavanderas explotadas atacan a su patrón, escapan y terminan formando una comunidad aislada en las lavan lo que necesitan para ellas y no para llenarle los bolsillos a un burgués :)

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very engaging book. It can be kind of wordy, but the pictures accurately represent the point the author is trying to get across. I enjoyed reading this story.

[Ange · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked The Wild Washerwomen, particularly when they let loose and went rampaging through the town - loved the image of them swinging on church bell ropes and alarming the locals. But I was a little disappointed that they married the seven woodcutters and ended up doing the washing all over again. Just a brief reprieve from their life of servitude. Regardless, it is a fun and energetic book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

45 months - certainly a unique and slightly odd story.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Labor organizing meets lunacy meets matchmaking. So silly!

[Slow Man · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it!