One of my most recent books finds are the Alfie series by Shirley Hughes. These are great books for preschoolers! The illustrations have a 1950s style, but they take place in the 1980s. I haven’t come across her books at my local library, nor have I seen them on popular booklists. While these books are not well-known, I think you and your preschooler will enjoy them for several reasons. They are so good, chances are your bigger kids will enjoy them as well!
Simple and Humorous
What made me really like these books was the humor and the simplicity of the plots. Alfie is preschool age and has a sister named Annie who’s about one year old or so. The stories range from Alfie accidentally locking his mother outside the house after grocery shopping to helping his sister eat her breakfast. The problems that Alfie encounters are normal everyday problems, but Hughes is able to turn the mundane into an interesting story that leaves the reader wanting more.
Memorable
The stories memorable in many ways. They feature problems and scenarios that aren’t usually featured in picture books, such as having a pipe burst when a babysitter was babysitting. These books are a perfect match for preschoolers because Hughes writes about things that matter to them: taking walks with grandma, being sad about losing a rock, and setting up a store in the backyard to sell leaves and seeds.
Something I appreciate is that they remind me how events and things that seem insignificant to adults, are actually significant for children. Why would losing a rock at the beach be a problem? There are a billion rocks that could easily replace the lost rock. Well, the rock was Alfie’s friend and he named him Bonting. Everyone knows you can’t replace a friend. Hughes recognized what is interesting and special to small children. It’s almost like she was able to get inside the head of a preschooler and understand their world.
Illustrations
I love the illustrations because they show a time that was simpler. A lot has changed since the 80s. The family lives in a neighborhood where the neighbors are their friends and help when there’s trouble. They know the milkman. Their babysitter lives across the street. Mom walks to the store and Alfie’s school. Friends come over for tea. Mom talks to other moms at school before pickup (she can because she’s not waiting in a car). For most of us, life isn’t like that today. I read these stories and I find myself wishing I lived in a time like that.
Reread
The best kind of reading is rereading, and one good way to know if a book is good is if your child wants to read the book again (most of the time this is true). My children enjoy reading these stories again and again. Shirley Hughes wrote other books as well, but I am not yet acquainted with those. After you read the Alfie books, you might be like me and wonder why you hadn’t heard of them until now.
I love it when a friend tells me about a great book they read to their children. Personal book recommendations make life better. Finding books with interesting characters, especially books for preschoolers, can be hard. I hope you get to enjoy the Alfie books, and maybe they become part of your home library. Happy reading!