Jean Adamson (1928–2024)

I bought this (and sneakily read it) to send to my cousin. They've just had their second child and I think it important that the older sibling doesn't feel left out (I know I did when my baby brother came along and ruined my perfect little world - that's not entirely in jest). In this Topsy & Tim's friend Toby gets a little brother. So there's pregnancy, then when they visit they discover that babies cry, need their nappy changing and need to be treated gently. Not too much detail, but at show more least a way for a sibling to understand what's going on.
I selected this over the Peppa Pig equivalent as I remember Topsy & Tim from my childhood, so there was a spot of a nostalgia trip going on here. show less

How things have changed in children's books since 1978. The children on the school bus are Topsy, Tim, Trevor and Karen. There are one or two differences of race but in general the illustrations could have been from the 1950s. Mr Fenn's jumper is certainly unfashionable.

Interesting to read that Topsy and Tim did not win the swimming race 'but everyone got a Beginners' Badge because they had all reached the other side'. There is something wrong with winning these days and any form of competition.

Jean and Gareth Anderson, Topsy and Tim at the library, (Blackie, 1978). This book about children who almost mislaid a library book has sentences such as 'Mummy was cross'. Topsy and Tim teach Stevie to use the library. The Children's Librarian is Miss Page, a useful name. The illustration on page 8 portrays the ideal library: a well stocked wooden trolley, a children's section and a card catalogue in a wooden cabinet. Miss Page explains classIfication, unfaceted, and shelf order to the show more children. She is kind but underneath it all one can perceive anger. She almost certainly abides by shelf discipline and expects children to do so too. Fortunately Miss Page 'made a date in each book with a rubber stamp, to show when the books were to be brought back to the library' (page 19). Incidentally, there are no page numbers in the book and that is irritating. The conclusion is that Dad and Mummy are good librarians. As for Dad's trousers, grey and white checks, they are outrageous. As for extra detail, Miss Page explains how the book stamping works: 'Topsy and Tim and Stevie took the books they had chosen to the desk. Miss Page made a date in each book with a rubber stamp, to show when the books were to be brought back to the library. "Do you have a new stamper every day?" Tim asked. "No, just this one" said Miss Page. She showed Tim how to twiddle the rubber figures round to make any date". page 18. show less