My son Tom, born in 1977, was part of an early generation of children to be brought up on top-notch picture books. Puffin Picture Books, at £1.25 each, were an affordable treat for all of us. We didn’t tire of reading him ‘The elephant and the bad baby’, or ‘Not now, Bernard’, or anything illustrated by Quentin Blake or Allan Ahlberg.
The books we all loved were passed on to Elinor, then ten years later, to Emily.
Then they were carefully packed away for years. Elinor (aka Fanny the Champion of the World) married and had twins. Out came the boxes of books for Alex and Ben to enjoy.
Then these books, some almost as old as Tom himself, came full circle. His son William is enjoying them as much as his dad ever did.
Last night, this is what William picked to have read to him. Though there’s no need really. He knows everything off by heart.
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
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