Happy Families

23 total works

Miss Jump the Jockey

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 6 March 1980

Miss Jump the Jockey is a hilarious picture book by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Andre Amstutz.

Miss Josie Jump the jockey can't wait to gallop in a race like her mum, her brother and even her grandma, but everyone says she's too young. But then grandma's horse gets a sore throat and Jimmy Jump gets a splinter in his bottom so she might get her chance at last...

Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY POSTMAN - both winners of the Kate Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction and lives in Bath.


Look out for other hilarious Happy Familiies books!


Mrs Wobble the Waitress; Mr Biff the Boxer; Master Money the Millionaire

Master Money the Millionaire

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 26 March 1981

Master Money the Millionaire is a hilarious book by Allan Ahlberg and illustrated by Andre Amstutz.

Master Money is a very rich little boy indeed. When he's only four years old, he finds buried treasure in his garden. When he's five, he finds buried treasure in the sandpit at school. And, at six, he finds buried treasure on the beach. But then Mister Creep the Crook finds him ...

Look out for these Happy Families books, too!


Mrs Wobble the Waitress, Mr Biff the Boxer, Miss Jump the Jockey

Mrs.Vole the Vet

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 5 September 1996

Mrs Vole the vet has one son, three daughters, three cats, four dogs and no husband. She works day and night curing rabbits and leopards and hamsters and elephants and every animal in between. But her children think she deserves some attention too, so they decide to help her find a boyfriend. Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' - Children's Rights Workshop.

Mr. Biff the Boxer

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 6 March 1980

Mr Biff is a boxer but he likes to eat cream cakes and sit by the fire in his slippers. Mr Bop is a boxer too, but he's the fittest, toughest man in town. So Mr Biff needs to train hard before their charity match - but will he strong enough to swap his cream cakes for carrots? Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' - Children's Rights Workshop.

Master Bun the Baker's Boy

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 28 April 1988

Bertie Bun was born to be a baker. His mum is a baker. His dad is a baker. Even his grandparents were bakers. But Bertie has a big problem - he's bored of bread! He wants to be a butcher's boy, or a bus-driver's boy or even a balloonist's boy - and his wishes are going to land him in lots of trouble. Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' - Children's Rights Workshop.

Dormant: Mrs Wobble the Waitress

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 3 December 2015

Master Salt the Sailor's Son

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 6 March 1980

Sammy Salt's mum and dad say he's too small to sail the seas with them in their ship the Jolly Jack. But when they try to say goodbye before setting off on an exciting voyage to Coconut Island, Sammy is nowhere to be found. And then some very odd things start happening on board ...

Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop.

Mrs. Lather's Laundry

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 26 March 1981

Mrs Lather is getting quite worked up in her laundry. She hates washing socks, she hates washing vests, she really doesn't much like washing trousers or dresses either. But her job gets rather more difficult when her customers start bringing in more unusual washing loads ...

The `Happy Families' series is designed for use at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

`The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop.

Master Track's Train

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 24 April 1997

Master Track is adopted as a baby when he is found by Mr and Mrs Track in a handbag on a railway station. Little do they realise that he's going to grow up to be a hero and rescue a train that's been stolen by Mr Creep the Crook and his family.

Mrs Wobble the Waitress

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 6 March 1980

A brand new, bigger, edition of an Ahlberg Happy Families classic.

Mrs Wobble LOVES her job as a waitress but, oh dear, there's one big problem - she wobbles!! And when she wibbles and wobbles and drops jelly everywhere, it's time for a new job! Luckily, Mr Wobble, and all the Wobble children have a cunning plan . . .

Janet and Allan Ahlberg's Happy Families series is full of wonderful and funny books, perfect for children learning to read. This new, bigger, edition means that even younger children can enjoy the stories. Look out for Mr Biff the Boxer, too!

Allan Ahlberg, a former teacher, postman, plumber's mate and grave digger, is in the super-league of children's writers. He has published over 100 children's books and, with his late wife Janet, created such award winning picture books as EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM and THE JOLLY POSTMAN - both winners of the Kate Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction and lives in Bath.

Other Happy Families books:

Master Money the Millionaire; Master Bun the Bakers' Boy; Mrs Lather's Laundry; Mr Creep the Crook; Miss Jump the Jockey; Master Track's Train; Master Salt the Sailor's Son; Mr and Mrs Hay the Horse; Miss Brick the Builders' Baby; Mrs Jolly's Joke Shop; Mr Buzz the Beeman; Miss Dose the Doctors' Daughter; Mr Tick the Teacher; Mrs Wobble the Waitress; Mr Cosmo the Conjuror; Mrs Plug the Plumber; Miss Dirt the Dustman's Daughter; Mrs Vole the Vet; Ms Cliff the Climber; Master Track's Train

Mr Creep the Crook

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 28 April 1988

Mr Creep the Crook is a bad man, and all his family are bad too - even Growler, his dog. But when he escapes from jail and heads to the seaside, he finds out that being bad is not such a good idea after all. . .

The 'Happy Families' series is designed for use at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop.

Miss Dirt the Dustman's Daughter

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 5 September 1996

Daisy Dirt's dad is a dustman on the dole, but her mum has remarried a Duke and is a filthy rich Duchess. Poor Daisy doesn't know whether she's coming or going, whether she's rich or poor - until everything changes . . .

Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop.

Miss Brick the Builders' Baby

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 26 March 1981

Mr and Mrs Brick are builders, just like their mothers and fathers and grandmothers and grandfathers. But their new baby doesn’t seem to be following in their footsteps. Instead of building things up, she keeps knocking things down!

Based on the classic `Happy Families’ card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

`The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss’ Children’s Rights Workshop.

Mr Buzz the Beeman

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 26 March 1981

Mr Buzz works hard to look after his bees – and his bees work hard to make lots and lots of lovely honey. But one morning Mr Buzz sees his bees swarming and he knows that when bees swarm and buzz off together they never come back. So the Buzz family put on their bee hats and bee gloves and give chase. But will they ever catch their bees up?

Based on the classic `Happy Families’ card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

`The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss’ Children’s Rights Workshop

Mr and Mrs Hay the Horse

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 26 March 1981

Mr and Mrs Hay are a horse! Every day they climb into their horse suit (she’s the back, he’s the front) and perform at the circus. But as their children Henry and Henrietta grow up, their galloping parents begin to embarrass them ...

Based on the classic `Happy Families’ card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

`The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss’ Children’s Rights Workshop

Mrs. Jolly's Joke Shop

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 28 April 1988

Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this title is suitable for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by an Education Adviser and written by an award-winning author.

Ms.Cliff the Climber

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 28 August 1997

This is the story of ups and downs, and tangles, in the life of the keen mountain climber, Clara Cliff. She marries, has children, divorces, remarries, has more children and all in all has more than the usual quota of family fun and adventure.

Miss Dose the Doctor's Daughter

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 28 April 1988

Dora Dose is not just a doctor's daughter, she's a double doctor's daughter - her mum and dad are both doctors. Dora wishes she was a doctor too. But, when her parents wake up covered in spots, it looks as if her wish is going to come true - a little too soon. Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' - Children's Rights Workshop.

Mr. Tick the Teacher

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 26 March 1981

Mr Tick loves teaching his six children at their little school. But then they hear news that all small schools must close, so Mr Tick starts teaching some rather unusual lessons - in how to trick stern school inspectors. Based on the classic 'Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg. 'The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' - Children's Rights Workshop.

Mrs. Plug the Plumber

by Allan Ahlberg

Published 6 March 1980

Whenever a plumber is needed in the town, people call for Mrs Plug. And wherever she goes, Mr Plug and the baby Plugs go too. Then one night she uses her plumbing tools to save a rich man from a robber and the family end up setting sail on their biggest plumbing adventure ever!

Based on the classic `Happy Families' card game, this highly entertaining series is ideal for reading and sharing at home or at school. It is guided by the Education Adviser, Brian Thompson, and written by the award-winning author, Allan Ahlberg.

`The best thing to happen to beginner readers since Dr Seuss' Children's Rights Workshop.