Please Mrs. Butler

by Allan Ahlberg

The bestselling and much-loved children's poetry classic, Please Mrs Butler by Allan Ahlberg is celebrating its 30th anniversary! With a fresh new look for a brand new generation of school children to take to its heart, every teacher, parent and child should have a copy. Nobody leave the room. Everyone listen to me. We had ten pairs of scissors At half-past two, And now there's only three. This witty collection of school poems by Allan Ahlberg, re-jacketed for its 30th anniversary and for a whole new generation of school children to fall in love with, is full of typical classroom events that will be recognized and enjoyed by everyone. From never-ending projects, reading tests, quarrelling, making-up, excuses and 'Please, Sir, it isn't fair.' Fritz Wegner's line drawings beautifully complement the hilarious and poignant verses. Please Mrs Butler was voted the most important twentieth-century children's poetry book in a Books for Keeps poll. Praise for Please Mrs 'Hilarious and poignant school verses about primary school life. A real winner' - Guardian 'Clever, funny and nostalgic, the collection is a delight' - Sunday Times PLEASE MRS BUTLER - The most important 20th-century children's poetry book' - Books for Keeps poll Praise for Allan 'By far our best writer for the young,' - Telegraph Author 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 Christmas Postman - both winners of the Greenaway Medal. He has also written prize-winning poetry and fiction for older readers. The Telegraph described him as 'By far our best writer for the young.'

Genres: Poetry, Childrens, Humor, Classics, Fiction, School, Young Readers

96 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 1983

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 4 out of 5]

I loved this poetry book as a child. It was so simple and relatable. All of the poems are about primary school and as a child it seemed quite a truthful portrayal. I thought it might seem dated now but it doesn’t.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allan Ahlberg's collection of witty and comical poems about the trials and tribulations of being at school is superb. Although some of the content is pretty dated, having been written in 1983, the comedy contained within still manages to produce laughter in the classroom. Children of all ages can relate to the various aspects of school life such as friendship, breaking up and making up, misbehaving and getting into trouble, and mean and unsympathetic teachers.

From the opening verse of the first poem it is easy to see how beneficial such a collection is to a child's understanding of the features of the literary form such as structure, verse, rhythm and rhyming couplets:

Please Mrs Butler
This boy Derek Drew
Keeps copying my work, Miss.
What shall I do?

The poems vary in length and style from the short two verse, eight line, twenty words of Eating in Class, to the rather epic seven pages of The Ordeal of Robin Hood. Favourites include: As I was Coming to School, Complaint, Scissors and the title poem Please Mrs Butler.

The subject matter is universal, and the language simple, and is therefore suitable to be read by a teacher to children throughout primary school. It is a great book for the younger children to have as their first introduction to poetry, and for the slightly older children to obtain ideas from and improve their poetry writing skills. It has long been a favourite of teachers, parents (many who read it whilst they were in primary school!) and children alike, and is a must for every classroom!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please Mrs Butler was a poem book that was read to me while in primary school and i still think it is a really fun book. It relates to school life and highlights different incident within the school. A child continually asks her teacher what to do about a boy who is constantly disturbing her, copying work and stealing rubbers. These are likely incidents all children have experienced while in school which makes it relevant to them. The unexpected responses the teacher gives makes the book humours and comical. The Short paragraphs and the repetition allow the children to anticipate what will come next, encouraging their participation. It is also a book children can easily read independently.

The book is recommended for children 8 and above which i believe is a suitable age. The book could be used as a tool in helping children write their own poems or as an aid for discussion during circle time.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted poetry book which children from all year groups can enjoy. It is relatable to all children as explores scenarios which could occur within every school, for example "Back to school" and "Excuses". The poems can also be used to introduce pupils to basic poetry techniques, and therefore inspire pupils to write their own poetry based upon school experiences.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please Mrs Butler is a fabulous collection of funny little poems centering on the school experience. They cover all the relevant issues including doing projects, lost scissors, making excuses, and empty fish tanks. If you like Shel Silverstein, you will enjoy this little book.

A 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.

[Zoe Venamore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this as a child and read it over and over. I still know many of the rhymes by heart.

[Liz Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was in school so was keen to read it again and to get some inspiration when teaching poetry with KS2. The children really enjoyed each and every poem in the book (we read one each morning) and again it prompted a lot of discussion about their own experiences and was a great way to inspire them to get into poetry.

[Hannah Bainbridge]

This book is a lovely collection of school related poems about all times of the school day including home time.
I remember reading it as a child and still made me chuckle!
Would highly recommend for an easy read poem book!

[Nicke Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Used to lovethis as a kid but as a 40-something now, not so much! Tho it does make me feel nostalgic for school! Not sure kids of today would appreciate it either, I’m guessing school’s a whole different kind of experience now!!!

[Claudia G-D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these poems when I was at school.

[Diana Jaques · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mum used to read this to me all of the time so it has a lot of nostalgia.
Please Mrs. Butler is a book filled with funny and heart warming poems about school.

My top three have to be: Emma Hackett's newsbook, Dog in the play ground and Scissors.

Each poem is as witty as the last.

[Francesca Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this poem. I remember it being read to me at primary school and since reading it again as I have got older it reminded me of how good it still is!

[Alice Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Please Mrs. Butler’ is very entertaining for both children and adults. Reading it is like a trip down memory lane, and for children it is entertaining whilst effective in making them reflect upon rituals such as "picking teams" and "Swops".

Through rhyming couplets and short punchy lines Ahlberg creates a fun yet informative read for children of all ages. Younger children can enjoy the musicality of the poems when read aloud, whilst older children can appreciate the rhymes and relatable content of the verses.

'Supply Teacher' is one of my favourites. Ahlberg uses an introductory verse followed by two verses concluded with the all too familiar phrases;
"Our teacher never does that, Miss!"
"Our teacher always lets us, Miss!"
The final line is perfect as it breaks from the pattern of the two previous verses, but maintains the effective structure;
"That other teacher told us to, Miss!"
The italics used to emphasise the "our" and "other" make the verse very effective for reading aloud to a class, and the children can have great fun joining in with this. The rhyming words and structure of the poem can be demonstrated in a literacy lesson.

'Picking Teams' is a very emotive poem. The rhyme on every other line creates a very musical and rhythmic verse. The reader cannot help but read it aloud quickly and enthusiastically. The reader is made to empathise with the persona, hopefully in turn engraining in a child the moral message behind this poem.

'Haircut' depicts a common fear in many children's lives - standing out. At school consistency is key; the minute you change your appearance someone will have something to say about it. Ahlberg captures the annoyance at being told the blatantly obvious;
"What I can't stand
Is being told I've had it cut -
As if I didn't know!"

What is so interesting about Ahlberg's verses is that they are still so relevant today. They are timeless, in that they capture the day-to-day experiences of ordinary children in a primary school in a realistic, witty and sympathetic way, reflecting both the insights of the teacher and child, but as it was a quarter of a century ago. However, attitudes towards “slow readers” and the probably authentic response of Mrs. Butler herself, worn out by endless questions, to declare “don’t ask me!” wouldn’t be the expected response of the contemporary teacher, would it?

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to a list I saw the other day, Please Mrs Butler is one of the top ten favourite children's poems in the UK. It is the first poem in this collection and we used to have it read to us in infant school every day so it felt. Due to oversaturation, it is not my favourite of the collection, but I do think this whole book is filled with very clever observations of the absurdities of both children and teachers and creates a lot of nostalgia. They are a little old-fashioned. Even when I was in school, teachers didn't smoke in the staffroom and headteachers couldn't punish children with slippers, and that was over thirty years ago, so I've no idea how accurate it is to MODERN primary school life, but it certainly feels accurate to what I remember. I always think this would make an excellent school play.

Side note: Listening to Please Mrs Butler in infant school was one of the first ways I learned that I was different to most other children - when the child complains that Derek Drew keeps taking their rubber, the teacher suggests 'Keep it in your hand, dear. Hide it up your vest. Swallow it if you like, my love.' And without fail all the other kids would fall about laughing because the word 'vest' had been mentioned because it was a bit of UNDERWEAR! It really bugged me because clearly swallowing it is the escalation line and no one paid any attention to that because for the next five minutes they were just shouting 'vest' and giggling. Hiding in in your clothes is not that unusual but swallowing it could actually kill you, so why are we not reacting to a teacher suggesting THAT? That was what all of infant school was like for me.

[Deborah Malaponti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please Mrs Butler is a great poem book. It is a collection of poems set in a primary school. Within the book are poems such as ‘Supply Teacher’ and ‘Picking Teams’. The poems reflect the aspects of the schooldays such as playtime, friendships, home time, quarrels and tests. The poems are popular within the primary and can be used as discussions in Circle Time. This poem book can be used for various different lessons within the primary school. A fun lesson that I have taught is reading for performance which seems to always go down really well with the children as they really enjoy bringing the poem to life with their own expression and twist on the poems. They are good poems to look at how expression can be used in poems and what makes expression. Rhyming throughout the poems also make the children really enjoy reading them. The poems can also be used to help inspire the children also create their own poems. I am currently studying ‘Supply Teacher’, ‘Picking Teams’ and ‘Slow Reader’. I think Supply Teacher is a great poem for drama as there is so much going on within the poem that it can be used as a poem to help create a drama piece.

[Khalida wahid · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read Please Mrs. Butler was as a year 6 pupil. .it is a journey through the school day - School time, Play time, Dinner time, School time again and Home time - all from the prospective of the children.
It is full of wit and wisdom, each poem heart felt and full of life.
brilliant collection of poems written by an ex-teacher all about the prim
Reading each poem made me chuckle, or sigh, and each and everyone made me think back to my own school experience.

Reading again as an adult I notice poems such as Slow -reader with a greater sense of empathy and the poems take me on more of a reflective journey.

Some poems are written to be sung, some to rhyme, but all tell a story.

I think what stuck out to me most when reading the poems this time round is how useful some would be when starting circle time during PSCHE lessons. . Poems such as: "small Quarrel" "Picking teams" "The gang" and so on could be read out loud to the whole class to get them thinking about issues in a subtle and non pressured way.

[Charlotte]

This is a brilliantly child friendly book that they can relate to due to the wording and the way the poems are written. Children will really love the poems as they are a focussed around children's everyday lives and their lives within school. The poems are also written in a way that adults can relate to, as quite often the poem is from the view point of the teacher or the adult. There are many types of poetry used throughout the book, mainly written to sound like children speaking, and also full of humour.
Some of the poems seem a little old fashioned and out of date, but I think that children can still relate to them. They are also very repetitive which makes them good for children learning to pronounce words and for phonic awareness. Small illustrations are also on each page to add more background and visual imagery to the poems.
I think they can easily be read to the class, probably a year 2 or 3 class, as well as children reading them to themselves or in guided reading. I loved the poems!

[Steven Farmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another nostalgia driven buy for me. I'm not sure if I remember reading it myself, or having it read to me, but I remember thinking it was brilliant. Reading it again now at the age of 30 it didn't quite do it for it me any more. I still enjoyed reading the poems, and it is definitely worth a look for 'Emma Hackett's Newsbook' and 'Dog in the playground' alone.

The book is a collection of verse, all set in the school environment on familiar themes. Organised in to sections that follow the pattern of the school day (school time, play time, dinner time etc), there are nice poems of different sorts about things like supply teachers, telling tales, excuses for being late, notes and parents.

For children now, some of the references might not make sense, so I'm not sure how useful it would be from an educational point of view. Some poems if carefully selected could be suitable, and these might be useful ways of exploring poetry and verse, but I think that some more modern collections would engage children more.

[Sabera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please Mrs Butler
This boy Derek Drew
Keeps copying my work, Miss.
What shall I do?...

This collection of poems is full of many incidents that occur daily within a primary school from children telling tales to the classic issue of the “copycat”! Ahlberg adds a humorous twist to each and every poem, such as the title poem ‘Please Mrs Butler’ where the teacher gives foolish suggestions to the pupils who continuously whine about the behaviour of another child in class (such as “Lock yourself in the cupboard, dear. Run away to the sea…”)

This book would be particularly effective to share with upper key stage two who would not only understand the various issues that are raised in each poem but also understand Ahlberg’s use of humour. The poems would be a good starting point to getting children keen on the idea of writing poetry and the fact that poems do not always need to rhyme. Also, examples such as being picked last for teams could be used as a focus for circle time, particularly in a class where any children many feel singled out.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading the poems from this book over and over from my own childhood as I enjoyed them so much from a young age. Now, as a teacher, I see them for more than their entertainment value.

For example, I have used 'Scissors' to indicate that it was time to clear up in an Art lesson and 'Picking Teams' to begin a difficult PSHE lesson dealing with bullying.

The poems are as relevant today as they were when I was a child and when they were written. Great for Literacy and Drama as well as aiding teaching across the curriculum not forgetting the all important - Reading for Pleasure! Enjoy.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this book myself as a child and now introducing it to my class at school I would describe this collection of poems as fantastic. The book can be used to provide children with short poems read aloud when there is spare time within the school day and as an introduction into reading and writing poetry. The poems within the book are humorous and introduce poetry to children within a school based context. The book would be best suited to KS2 children in terms of using the poetry to encourage the writing of poetry independently, in partners or in groups. The poems are very well written and introduce a variety of poetry techniques to children and can be enjoyed by all ages.

[Tuyet Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book packed full with funny poems about life at school as if seen through the eyes of a child. Whether it be poems about friends falling out, who's to blame, being late or kids with nits, there's something in this book for everyone - even teachers!

I remember how my primary school teacher would read this to the class during story time. We loved the rhyme and being able to relate to the poems so much that we kept reciting the "Please Mrs Butler" poem for weeks.

This would be a great book to read with early KS2 children to help give them ideas for writing their own poems.

[Danielle Siddon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light hearted, humorous verse written about playtime. I like the way it is easy to read as a verse and by adding a touch of humour to a subject all children can relate to gives added interest to the listener.

Age Range: 7 – 10 years

A simple verse that would be useful in the classroom to either read to a class or to have on the class bookshelf for independent reading. It could also be useful as a guide for children to use when attempting to write verse themselves.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this recently, as a friend commented on how it was one of their favourite books of all time. I remembered reading it as a young child, and was certainly a fan of Ahlberg's other books so was pleased to revisit this one. The poems are evocative of a primary school day at school and with simple language, it is a collection of poems that a novice reader could certainly read without much help. A great collection to introduce children to the concept of poetry rather than prose.

[Steve Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent fun verse for adults and children, will read to the younger grandkids who don't yet possess a phone and I still command some attention 😄😄

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the same age as me. It was a staple of my childhood, a reliable funny friend. On rereading as an adult it still holds that charm and makes me laugh. It's 5 stars are every one pure nostalgia yet children now would still relate and love it.

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short and funny poems about home, school, and everything in between!

[Farisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poem humorously mentions the typical incidents that children may experience while in school which allows them to relate to the poem more. What makes the poem comical, is the unexpected responses that are given from the teacher.

I read this poem to my year 1 class during BSE and they absolutely enjoyed it. Although this poem is fairly outdated, the comical content still produced a lot of laughter from the children. Moreover, the repetitive nature of the poem engaged the children to participate in the reading of the poem.

I used this poem as a tool to help the children write their own poems, as well as getting them to replace ‘Derek Drew’ for their partners name as an alliteration.
This poem is most certainly a must have in all classrooms, as it enables all children of all ages to experience a poem that is both witty and rhythmical. It is a great introduction to poetry for much younger children, and it will also allow older children to be exposed to an unconventional style of poetry which will have them to explore numerous ways to create their own poem.

[Amanda Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had such incredibly fond memories of this collection of poems from my childhood, I was almost nervous to read it with my daughter. However, I shouldn’t have worried - it is still the most perfect book of poems about being in primary school and being a kid. The poems are all witty, truthful, well-observed, and laugh-out-loud funny in places. The only things that seem to date the poems are the students’ names - you don’t get many young Grahams, Colins or Glenises these days. Also, one poem is about the teachers chilling out, drinking cups of tea, having a chat and smoking cigarettes at play time -it doesn’t ring very true any more, and not just because of the smoking ban - teachers today are run off their feet and don’t get to sit down! My absolute favourite is ‘Dog in the Playground’ which has such a tremendous pace and sense of drama to it, about an event we can all identify with - still one of my favourite-ever poems and one of my favourite collections too. Bravo!!

[Owen Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

A childhood favourite revisited.

I'm glad to say that Please Mrs. Butler hasn't lost its schoolyard charm for me. This collection of poems about daft classroom deliberations and exasperated teachers is well-observed and witty even for the fussy adult that I've become.

I found Ahlberg's dry yet absurd humour endearing for all ages. Also Wegner's illustrations are a delightful match for the cartoonish scenes depicted in each verse. No matter how advanced the technology of a classroom becomes, misunderstandings and arguments remain timeless.

So if you're prone to chuckle at the comedy of errors that arise from school children interacting, I can cheerfully recommend Please Mrs. Butler.

Notable Poem

• Please Mrs. Butler - the titular teacher's blase responses to childish problems are iconic.

• The Scissors - a familiar craft time crisis highlighted with wonderfully pedantic drama.

• The Cane - a curious poem exploring the anachronistic novelty of a vicious teacher tool.