Miss Dirt the Dustman's Daughter

Happy Families

by Allan Ahlberg, Tony Ross (Illustrator)

Daisy Dirt has an amazing life as she zooms between two homes - one with her Dad who is a dustman on the dole, and one with her Mum who has married a Duke with a Daimler. But when the Duke loses his money and her Dad wins the lottery it is a different story.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

24 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 1996

About the author

Allan 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.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this story! It's a poignant and sweet tale from the Happy Families series. It stars Daisy, who is a little who's Mum and Dad got divorced and she splits her time between her Mum's and her Dad's. It speaks to the pull and torn allegiances a child in these circumstances without creating a worrying or sad story. There is a little plot twist which does and doesn't change things for Daisy. The illustrations by Tony Ross are fab and give the characters life; they are bright and engaging. It's a relatively quick read, the language is appropriate for early readers (or pre-schoolers even) and there are some colloquialisms but they are explained within the story.

[Hayley Spinks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Any child whose parents are separated will sympathise with Daisy Dirt.
This contemporary tale tells the story of a little girl who goes backwards and forwards from mums house to dads house and in effect, leads two very different lives. Mum is very rich and dad is very poor and so Daisy experiences both lifestyles.
Children of all ages would be able to connect with this story on some level, whether it be because of the detailed illustrations or the comical way in which it is written.
In a strange twist of fate, Daisy's parents end up swapping lifestyles by the end of the story but this still makes Daisy both 'the poorest and the richest girl in the whole town'.
This book would prove very useful in a PSHE lesson or circle time, especially if there are children in the class who are experiencing a similar situation in their own home life. Children may be able to show empathy for Daisy. There may be a discussion as to which lifestyle they would prefer and why. Daisy Dirt writes a diary. Children in KS1 could be encouraged to keep a diary for a week and compare it to Daisy's.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

To start with the illustrations are brilliant and fundamental in showing the difference and whirlwind of daisy's life. The book as a whole is slightly repetitive but I believe now something many young children can relate to with families not always staying together or the feeling of being pulled from pillar to post. However it lacked emotion for me only noting she didn't know whether she was coming or going or how she felt about parents or even being rich and poor. It would be a short story for the end of the day good for art or getting children to look at their busy lives or writing a diary other than that it is a little pants!

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third book in the Happy Families series I have read and the 17th in the series sees another somewhat humorous but average read. Keen observers of these reviews may see a pattern here as I read through a bunch of these Happy Families books, between others of course. All good fun, very short and easy reading, with humour.

[Gabriella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good book. I think the book has a good moral to the story and children could learn a lot from the ideas of 'rich and poor'. I think this book was very enjoyable and would recommend this book to children.

[Pipa Guest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book about separated parents for young people.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contrasts

Miss Dirt is a book of comparisons and contradictions. I still love this book from when I was young. It was relevant today and hilarious levels of back and forth! I love this series!