Cops and Robbers

by Allan Ahlberg, Janet Ahlberg

This is a new Puffin edition of Allan Ahlberg's best-selling Cops and Robbers classic picture book, with a brand new cover! The robbers of London town plan a desperate crime one Christmas Eve - to steal all the toys they can lay their hands on! Fortunately, the robbers meet their match in brave office Pugh who leaps into action and arrests the villains - all except Grandma Swagg who manages to get away.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Crime, Christmas, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

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]

A Brilliant book - anything by the Ahlbergs is always fantastic! Also recommend Burglar Bill and the Jolly Postman series.

[Dollylulham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The boys loved listening to this. Really takes me back reading these stories.

[Paul Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cops and Robbers is one of the books which I remember fondly as a child. It is a short rhyming tale which involves a scheming bunch of 'robbers' who are planning to make a haul on Christmas Eve. However, there is one stand out police officer who aims to spoil their villainous plan. The story continues to describe what happens when the 'robbers' carry out their plan and details the officers attempt to stop them. The story is accompanied by excellent illustrations which allow for children to make their own minds up about what is happening. This may also help with children who have SEN and who use English as an Additional Language as it is a highly visual book. I believe this book would be suitable for Key Stage One children to both use independently or as a book to be read in the classroom as a group.

[Simon Cian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is beautifully written and catchy children’s book. The verse flows well and this traditional cops and robbers story is entertaining. Will this gang of robbers who are terrorising London ruin Christmas or can the upstanding Officer Pugh save the day? As well as the fun story and the lyrical verse, the numerous illustrations are excellent and an integral part of the story, make sure to keep your eye on them towards the end!

This book would be well suited to being read out loud in class or at home. After finishing it you will be left wanting to read it again while singing to yourself, ‘Ho Ho for the robbers, The cops and the robbers Ho Ho!’

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child - my dad had a particularly good voice for Grandma Swag. It was so exuberant in fact that I have a sneaking suspicion that he secretly rather rooted for her. The pictures are beautiful and are little novels in their own right whilst the humour works whatever age you are. Fantastic.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

London succumbs to a crime wave on Christmas Eve. Officer Pugh uses excessive force to apprehend the conspirators leaving one, identified as Grabber Dan, unconscious after a blow to the head.

While he may be celebrating operational success on Christmas Day, the New Year is more than likely to see Officer Pugh confronting assault charges.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was young and even had a tape with it and would listen to it again and again. I loved all the rhyming an the repetition. I found my original book at my mom's and have just read it all over again with my little one and he loves it aswel I still love this book and it's my all time favourite children book

[Ian McHugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A festive caper involving cops and robbers. The robbers of London Town try to steal all of the city’s Christmas presents but Officer Pugh is up to the challenge of stopping them and getting all of the presents to the girls and boys. Florence likes the robbers - especially Snatcher Jack.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

If my english teacher makes me read yet another book for 3 year olds to then give me a bad grade i will have to take matters into my own hands, anyways quite boring book to analyze and wanted to die a little more each lesson.

[Elizabeth McInerney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my son's favorite book. He is now grown and heading to Law school. I can't credit the book for this, but we did enjoy reading it over and over and over and over again!

[Jackie Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
What a book, it's as funny as anything. It's just as good as the other books they have written. Like Burglar Bill and Funny Bones.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vaguely fun

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect in every single way. My favourite page as a child was the one with the map of all the places the robbers were going to steal from.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books as a very young child, managed to get my hands on a copy and it instantly took my back to those times! Love it!

[jxlinesminho · Rating 1 out of 5]

so boring i hatw school books

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a hand-me-down from an older cousin and became an instant hit. Written in verse with the refrain "Ho Ho for the robbers/The cops and the robbers Ho Ho!" which is too catchy and my son used to sing out as loudly as possible.

The characters are beautifully drawn in both the text and illustrations and their names are hilarious. There's Grabber Dan, Snatcher Jack, "baby-faced Billy-the-Bag/Peg-leg Horace/Fingers Maurice/and villainous Grandma Swag." Unfortunately these scalliwags are planning a heist on Christmas Eve. Fortunately "the best of cops," Officer Pugh is on duty but can he foil their plan?

Clever, witty and it even has a moral, Cops and Robbers is a delight. I'm sorry we haven't passed this book on now that we have outgrown it; we have kept it in a box marked "best-loved childhood books" along with Burglar Bill also by Allan Ahlberg

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ballad about a gang of robbers with a Christmas heist in the works, and the brave Officer Pugh who saves the day.

A humorous Christmas tale. I thought for sure Officer Pugh was down for the count, but he came back to save the day against all odds. The rhyme is very song-like in style (which is why I dubbed it a ballad in the description).

[L.M. Krier · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful rollicking tale, and not just for children! I bought this book after hearing Sara Lancashire reading snippets from it on BBC's excellent Happy Valley. I teach English as a foreign language here in France and thought what a wonderful teaching aid this would be. Some of the words are tricky but with the beautiful illustrations it's so easy to read. Absolutely loved it!

[Sophieknowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book as a child and still makes me laugh today. It is about the crime that occurs on Christmas Eve as the police are having their Christmas party. It is a rhyming book with lots of brilliant characters my favourite being Grandma Swag!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the typical picture book. Different and fun.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is OK, Squidge really enjoyed it though.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amusing story about robbers on a Christmas Eve caper who are caught by cops.

[Rosalind · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read aloud. My girls and I pretty much know it off by heart. This belongs in every preschooler's collection.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One from my childhood. Fondly remembered

[Stephenie Oxley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice rhyming story. Jake enjoyed it :)

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's no surprise that everything is missing in London !!!!!!!! Robbers are behind this. Help the cops to get the robbers by reading this book

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The audio book is darling.

[Katy W · Rating 3 out of 5]

If only all criminals would wear a uniform of stripes, it would make them much easier to catch.