The Pencil - by Allan Ahlberg (Paperback)

About the Book

The creators of "The Runaway Dinner" and "Previously" team up to imagine the comical world that comes to life when a lonely pencil starts to draw. Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

"Clever and suspenseful, a surefire delight." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Once a pencil draws a little boy, there's no telling what will come next -- a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to color in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin -- "This hat looks silly!" "My ears are too big!" -- until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw . . . an eraser. Oh, no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, creators of The Runaway Dinner and Previously, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue?

Review Quotes

Clever and suspenseful...surefire delight.
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

There are deep resonances here of world creation myths and the power of artistic expression... free-wheeling faux-childlike illustrations ... a thought-provoking model of conflict resolution. But really, this wry, madcap, loving story is for everyone who thinks that of course a boiled egg should be called Billy or who wants to hear the tale repeatedly so as to shout "OUT!" louder each time.
--The Horn Book (starred review)

Inspire some creative world-building in budding artists.
--Kirkus Reviews

Ahlberg's matter-of-fact, curiously specific storytelling has a weirdly appealing blend of absurdity and homey charm.
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

The Pencil is wildly inventive, deliciously high-concept and simmering with dramatic tension. (Who could have imagined sweat beads flying off a nervous pencil would be so believable?)
--San Francisco Chronicle online

Both clever and suspenseful, this surefire delight tells the story of a pencil who must deal with the consequences of his inventions...The book's comical unexpected plot and wry narrator keep the story fresh throughout.
--San Francisco Examiner

A definite winner from the team that created The Runaway Dinner. The combination of humorous text, quirky drawn out writing style, and clever illustrations all point to another runaway hit!
--For Immediate Release Reviews...Kids

Ahlberg's playful, abundant imagination is made visible in Ingman's wryly personified illustrations.
--The Star.com

ALL of the characters in this book get names -- even the ants. And it's a GEM of a read-aloud!
--Shelftalker (PW blog)

About the Author

Allan Ahlberg (1938-2025) is the acclaimed author of many books for children, including Under the Table, Previously, and The Pencil, all illustrated by Bruce Ingman. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called The Pencil "clever and suspenseful . . . a surefire delight." His best-known series, The Jolly Postman and its sequels, has sold millions of copies worldwide.

Bruce Ingman is the award-winning illustrator of Previously and The Runaway Dinner, as well as Boing! by Sean Taylor. He lives in London.