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The Jolly Postman
The Jolly Christmas Postman
It's Christmas Eve and the JOLLY POSTMAN is delivering greetings to various fairy-tale characters - there's a card for Baby Bear, a game appropriately called 'Beware' for Red Riding Hood from Mr Wolf, a get-well jigsaw for hospitalised Humpty Dumpty and three more surprise envelopes containing letters, cards, etc. Everyone's favourite postman keeps on peddling his bicycle up hill and down dale . . . and into everybody's hearts.
52 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
8 people are currently reading
1378 people want to read
About the author
Allan Ahlberg
308 books166 followersAllan 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
December 2, 2018
This is one of our all time favorite Christmas books. Luckily my children took good care of their books and this only came out at Christmas because the new version is made of flimsier paper and I don't think will hold up to 20 years of love as the original one has.
This is such an enchanting book. My girls have enjoyed reading and re-reading the letters from the postman, the jigsaw puzzle from Humpty Dumpty, a postcard from the big bad wolf and my very favorite, the peek through from the door of a house into the outside world of the Postman, just incredible.
The illustrations are so adorable, I can't wait to read this to my youngest grandkids, the older one already loves it.
If you can snag an original copy it's a big sturdier than the new one but you should definitely add this to your Christmas collection :)
This is such an enchanting book. My girls have enjoyed reading and re-reading the letters from the postman, the jigsaw puzzle from Humpty Dumpty, a postcard from the big bad wolf and my very favorite, the peek through from the door of a house into the outside world of the Postman, just incredible.
The illustrations are so adorable, I can't wait to read this to my youngest grandkids, the older one already loves it.
If you can snag an original copy it's a big sturdier than the new one but you should definitely add this to your Christmas collection :)
September 28, 2021
I'd forgotten how brilliant this book was!
Such a simple idea of a postman delivering letter to various classic fairytale characters but with the added bonus of various surprises in each envelope.
Starting with a Christmas Card for Baby Bear that included a very funny joke from Goldilocks, whilst The Gingerbread Man received a book within a book - honestly this had everything.
There's hours of fun to be had with the board game for Red Riding Hood and of course Humpty Dumpty received a jigsaw puzzle!
Certainly one for the who family to enjoy over Christmas.
Such a simple idea of a postman delivering letter to various classic fairytale characters but with the added bonus of various surprises in each envelope.
Starting with a Christmas Card for Baby Bear that included a very funny joke from Goldilocks, whilst The Gingerbread Man received a book within a book - honestly this had everything.
There's hours of fun to be had with the board game for Red Riding Hood and of course Humpty Dumpty received a jigsaw puzzle!
Certainly one for the who family to enjoy over Christmas.
November 18, 2020
2.5 stars
This book has pockets shaped like envelopes on some pages so you can take out a puzzle, letter or a card related to the story. There wasn't much of a storyline apart from cards delivered and it being Christmas time. I have really enjoyed some books by this author and illustrator, husband and wife duo, but this wasn't one of them. The pockets might be a fun aspect for a child.
This book has pockets shaped like envelopes on some pages so you can take out a puzzle, letter or a card related to the story. There wasn't much of a storyline apart from cards delivered and it being Christmas time. I have really enjoyed some books by this author and illustrator, husband and wife duo, but this wasn't one of them. The pockets might be a fun aspect for a child.
December 10, 2018
“The Jolly Postman cycles on:
He sees three fiddlers playing;
The fast-eloping dish and spoon;
The mighty beanstalk swaying;
The seven dwarfs upon the hill;
The jolly snowmen sleighing.”
What a wonderfully, delightful book. I wish I had a child to read it to every year. What I decided to do with this book is to give it to our mail lady who has small children in order to pass on the joy.
The colored drawings in this book are wonderful too, and you can look at them all day and every day and never grow tired of them.
The book is about a mailman delivering cards at Christmas time, and each page is a poem, and every two pages there are pockets with cards in them that are so delightful to see and read.
What more can I tell you about this book
I really do not know,
But if you are not in the Christmas spirit
This book will warm your soul.
January 2, 2022
I love this book and read it every Christmas! It has lots of fun little things to do and I love all of the pictures.
October 14, 2012
Ho Ho Hope you all read this book and love it like I do.
Lets get this out of the way first, I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I love everything about it! I love the idea that at Christmas we can forget this busy technology driven world, with it’s fancy electronic mail, and go back to the finer things in life. Like sitting down and writing a letter to far away family, or watching a child’s beaming face as they post that letter to Santa, knowing he will read it and get to work making that toy with his elves.
That’s where this book comes in, that’s how this book makes me feel. Happy and joyful, it makes me think of my childhood and how special it was. I continue to this day to read this to myself every Christmas and one day I will read it to my children, hopefully one Christmas to theirs too.
The "Jolly Christmas Postman" is a simple picture storybook, a timeless gem that just gets it right. Beautifully illustrated with letters and parcels for the children to open and touch. It tells the tale of a postman delivering his Christmas post, along the way he encounters classic children’s story characters such as “Mr. Wolf” and “Mr. H Dumpty”.
One of three Jolly Postman books this never ceases to make me smile, it also means “It’s Chriiiiisssssstttttmmmmaaaaaasss”.
Lets get this out of the way first, I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I love everything about it! I love the idea that at Christmas we can forget this busy technology driven world, with it’s fancy electronic mail, and go back to the finer things in life. Like sitting down and writing a letter to far away family, or watching a child’s beaming face as they post that letter to Santa, knowing he will read it and get to work making that toy with his elves.
That’s where this book comes in, that’s how this book makes me feel. Happy and joyful, it makes me think of my childhood and how special it was. I continue to this day to read this to myself every Christmas and one day I will read it to my children, hopefully one Christmas to theirs too.
The "Jolly Christmas Postman" is a simple picture storybook, a timeless gem that just gets it right. Beautifully illustrated with letters and parcels for the children to open and touch. It tells the tale of a postman delivering his Christmas post, along the way he encounters classic children’s story characters such as “Mr. Wolf” and “Mr. H Dumpty”.
One of three Jolly Postman books this never ceases to make me smile, it also means “It’s Chriiiiisssssstttttmmmmaaaaaasss”.
December 29, 2024
A beloved classic in our family!
The final year-end review I'm posting to Goodreads is, in part, a cautionary note to other parents/grandparents who have experienced The Jolly Postman series of three books—which have circulated in various editions since the first volume appeared in 1986. Our "kids" were born in the mid '80s and now we have three grandkids and this series remains a family classic.
However, for various reasons, we had not pulled out the Christmas volume in some years—and, when I finally did this year, I remembered to re-read the book before carrying it into gatherings with grandkids. The reason I mention this is something that, oddly enough, I don't see other reviewers mentioning on Amazon: The Christmas volume includes a small "board game" that requires a six-sided die and at least a couple of playing pieces. For us, that's a die from some other game plus a penny and a dime for two players. You could use buttons or some other small objects.
What's odd to me is that the various Amazon reviews (including video reviews) marvel at the wonderful stuff in the pockets of this book—like clever letters and, at one point, a small jigsaw puzzle, plus this game board itself. But nobody advises potential purchasers that they'll have to supply a die and "markers" for the players. Imagine the disappointment if you're reading this book and your beloved child or grandchild is really engaged with the adventure and says, "Please, let's play the game!"
Then, if you're not prepared, you'll have to rummage around your home for a die and some markers.
So, I'm posting this final review to say: We do continue to love this book, but be if you're tempted to get it to share with children you love, be sure to read the book in advance and be prepared to actually enjoy it.
And, with that, I look forward to another 104 reviews in 2025!
Thanks to so many friends who have sent me encouraging messages in various forms about my eclectic approach to recommending books. I truly love doing this and I'm always glad when someone makes a meaningful connection because of some piece I've posted.
May we have more fun in 2025.
The final year-end review I'm posting to Goodreads is, in part, a cautionary note to other parents/grandparents who have experienced The Jolly Postman series of three books—which have circulated in various editions since the first volume appeared in 1986. Our "kids" were born in the mid '80s and now we have three grandkids and this series remains a family classic.
However, for various reasons, we had not pulled out the Christmas volume in some years—and, when I finally did this year, I remembered to re-read the book before carrying it into gatherings with grandkids. The reason I mention this is something that, oddly enough, I don't see other reviewers mentioning on Amazon: The Christmas volume includes a small "board game" that requires a six-sided die and at least a couple of playing pieces. For us, that's a die from some other game plus a penny and a dime for two players. You could use buttons or some other small objects.
What's odd to me is that the various Amazon reviews (including video reviews) marvel at the wonderful stuff in the pockets of this book—like clever letters and, at one point, a small jigsaw puzzle, plus this game board itself. But nobody advises potential purchasers that they'll have to supply a die and "markers" for the players. Imagine the disappointment if you're reading this book and your beloved child or grandchild is really engaged with the adventure and says, "Please, let's play the game!"
Then, if you're not prepared, you'll have to rummage around your home for a die and some markers.
So, I'm posting this final review to say: We do continue to love this book, but be if you're tempted to get it to share with children you love, be sure to read the book in advance and be prepared to actually enjoy it.
And, with that, I look forward to another 104 reviews in 2025!
Thanks to so many friends who have sent me encouraging messages in various forms about my eclectic approach to recommending books. I truly love doing this and I'm always glad when someone makes a meaningful connection because of some piece I've posted.
May we have more fun in 2025.
December 2, 2016
LOVED this book growing up! I would read it all the time around December :)
December 30, 2024
While I’m fully aware that is a book aimed at young children it is an essential part of my Christmas. Every year the book gets retrieved from the attic and I read it and then Christmas has begun. My Grandma read this to me every year when I was tiny, then I could read the easier words and she would read the difficult bits and then when she found out it would be her last Christmas she got me my own copy so I could continue to read the story each year. It’s one of my favourites and even as an adult I enjoy my annual reading of the story and opening all the envelopes. A very Christmassy book!
December 21, 2016
One of our very favourite Christmas books! I love all the little surprises in the envelopes, and the illustrations are gorgeous.
December 31, 2019
Our best friends bought this for our daughter for Christmas and it is superb. What a charming, sweet, and, well, jolly book! The interactive features are a definite plus!
December 17, 2018
Entertaining tale of a postman making his rounds at Christmastime.
The gimmick of including the actual mail items is very ingenious and I liked looking through them. Younger children may not have the attention span or interest to read them all, however.
I loved the myriad ways in which the author pays homage to different fairy tales, although many of the humorous references may go over a young child's head.
I have read books by the Ahlbergs, but had never seen this before. And as I posted this review, I saw that they have other similar books, so perhaps this format is not so novel after all...
The gimmick of including the actual mail items is very ingenious and I liked looking through them. Younger children may not have the attention span or interest to read them all, however.
I loved the myriad ways in which the author pays homage to different fairy tales, although many of the humorous references may go over a young child's head.
I have read books by the Ahlbergs, but had never seen this before. And as I posted this review, I saw that they have other similar books, so perhaps this format is not so novel after all...
January 13, 2019
Yet again another gem! Wonderful story of the Jolly Postman bringing Christmas letters to beloved fairy-stories' characters, with charming and fairly unexpected presents tucked in the envelopes as well. This really makes you want to get started on writing postcards, lovely letters and making handmade presents to send to the loved ones.
December 1, 2015
A delight for kids who love to engage with books. As the postman bring Christmas tidings, the reader is invited to open letters, read postcards, assemble a puzzle, and more!
August 28, 2011
This book is a follow up book to the Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.
This is a magical Christmas tale following the journey of the Jolly Postman delivering his letters at Christmas time. The book is written in rhyme and tells you about the people he delivers the letters to, all of whom are fairy tale characters such as little red riding hood and humpty dumpty. This book would be a great follow on to the teaching of traditional tales in Key Stage One as it shows what might have happened to these characters e.g. Goldilocks sending the three bears a Christmas card.
The book ends up with the postman visiting Santa Claus and receiving a special Christmas card for himself.
The illustrations are fantastic and fit perfectly with the text.
My favourite part of the jolly postman books are the envelopes containing the letters, cards and games which he delivers which you can open and read making the book fun and interactive.
This is a magical Christmas tale following the journey of the Jolly Postman delivering his letters at Christmas time. The book is written in rhyme and tells you about the people he delivers the letters to, all of whom are fairy tale characters such as little red riding hood and humpty dumpty. This book would be a great follow on to the teaching of traditional tales in Key Stage One as it shows what might have happened to these characters e.g. Goldilocks sending the three bears a Christmas card.
The book ends up with the postman visiting Santa Claus and receiving a special Christmas card for himself.
The illustrations are fantastic and fit perfectly with the text.
My favourite part of the jolly postman books are the envelopes containing the letters, cards and games which he delivers which you can open and read making the book fun and interactive.
December 25, 2018
This book had quite a few humorous moments which I thought were a real hoot (the mini-story about the piggy bank with criminal tendencies being a classic). Probably should have read this last night but my youngest daughter, Scarlett, wasn’t complaining either way.
December 19, 2011
I thought this story was good in theory, but I feel like it was lacking something. It was cute & I loved meeting all the little fairy-tale characters. Still, something was missing. =|
October 10, 2019
I absolutely love this book, another favourite for my sister and I when we were younger. The author creates a unique story through joining classic fairytales and their characters such as little red riding hood and the three little pigs into one storyline. The author uses a similar style of writing along with rhyme which adds to the effect of the text.
In addition, as this text follows a postman delivering mail to the different characters there are physical envelopes with different materials such as puzzles and postcards to enhance the story. I think this is such a fun way to bring the literature to life and is very exciting to young children.
In addition, as this text follows a postman delivering mail to the different characters there are physical envelopes with different materials such as puzzles and postcards to enhance the story. I think this is such a fun way to bring the literature to life and is very exciting to young children.
January 13, 2013
The Jolly Christmas Postman is an amusing tale that follows the journey of a postman doing the rounds on his bicycle on Christmas Eve. On his back he carries a sack bursting full of letters, cards, and presents that he delivers to all sorts of well-loved characters from different traditional tales and nursery rhymes. Each letter comes in a different size and shape, and can be taken out of its stamp-addressed envelope and read out aloud in class. I had lots of fun with this book, which I used over several days in Reception for Literacy. The first letter we open is from Goldilocks and it is addressed to Baby Bear at Three Bears' Cottage. As he travels along, he delivers letters to Humpty Dumpty, the Big Bad Wolf and the Gingerbread Man. Along the way he stops and chats to lots of other well known characters including the Seven Dwarfs and the Dish and the Spoon from the Hey Diddle Diddle nursery rhyme. This book presents itself with lots of of different learning opportunities from recalling character names and the stories and rhymes they come from, to writing Christmas cards, Christmas lists and letters to Santa Claus.
December 13, 2017
What a gorgeous Christmas book! It celebrates what Christmas is all about. The resources and presents in the letters are wonderful; jigsaw, board games and a pop up Christmas cards all which children can complete themselves. Children could create their own pop Christmas card, links to DT.
December 1, 2018
November 2018 - Ben was instantly a fan, especially of pulling all the mail out of the envelopes. He vaguely remembered reading the original Jolly Postman, and knows most of the fairy tale characters. He was particularly pleased with the tiny book and the Humpty Dumpty puzzle.
March 21, 2013
A holiday version of the classic Alberg books. All the little pieces are half the fun.
December 13, 2015
One of my favorite Christmas books! Fun to share with Rose this year.
January 1, 2016
I love Christmas and I love this book, especially that closing picture!
January 1, 2017
Definitely a new favourite in our house and I am sure it will be a story that makes an apperance every December for a good few years to come.
January 11, 2017
I love the Jolly Postman and his fun deliveries..this Christmas edition is filled with humor and fun surprises.
October 21, 2017
A Christmas tradition, read every year when the kids were younger.
December 20, 2017
Stunning! Joyous! Creative! Sensitive! I can’t praise this particular gem of a children’s book enough.
December 13, 2020
Purchased for my niece for Christmas but I couldn't resist "previewing" it! A warm, wonderful book full of favourite characters and surprises. The wit and detail in all the "extras" (including a Humpty Dumpty jigsaw so you can put him back together again yourself...) is amazing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews