Burglar Bill

In Burglar Bill, Janet and Allan Ahlberg offer an unexpectedly incisive critique of carceral approaches to social harm. Rather than relying on surveillance, incarceration, or punitive deterrence, the narrative traces behavioral change through non-carceral mechanisms: mutual aid, relational accountability, and the fulfillment of material and emotional needs. Bill and Betty are not “rehabilitated” by the state, but transformed through care work and kinship, exposing the limits of punishment-based systems to produce genuine social repair. By centering a response to wrongdoing that bypasses the prison–police nexus entirely, the book models an abolitionist horizon in miniature—one in which safety is generated through community, responsibility, and love, rather than confinement. A deceptively simple children’s story that invites readers to imagine justice beyond cages.

We loved this book when my sons were little and it’s now a favourite book of my granddaughter who wants to read it every time she visits. She then goes around the house being Burglar Betty! It’s really caught her imagination.

My 5 and 2 yo enjoy this book

A super wee book , fun for the infant and the parrent. My daughter loved it , her grandad read it to her, this copy is for her to read to her wee boy aged two. Wonderful book , a classic.

Have just read this to my granddaughter. To get the best out of it, one needs to provide unique voices to the characters. Lovely pictures. A delight to share with a youngster.

I remember this story from my childhood. I loved it them, I love it now, and I hope my son will come to love it as much as I do! The illustrations really make this a great book, and the story is heartwarming and fun at the same time. So why not five stars? Well, I bought the kindle version and I think the publisher could have done more to adapt this for the kindle. Don't ask me exactly how! (though making the text more reader friendly, and changing the lay-out of some of the pages would be a start). As things stand, I'd say the physical book would likely be much better than the electronic version.

This is one of my top three childrens' books of all time - it never gets old!! Absolute belter from Janet and Alan Ahlberg. Should be on every child's bookcase!

An absolute classic! Nobody can fail to be amused, love, and be entranced by the adventures of Bill, as he goes about his burglary business, adopts a baby left at his door, and falls victim himself to a female burglar whom he eventually marries. The whole tone and ambience is captured perfectly in the illustrations, and should be on every child's bookshelf. Also, there is an implicit moral tone to the story that balances the otherwise unacceptable idea that burglary is a forgivable, victimless activity. In this story, the husband-and-wife burglars recognise the error of their ways, and return all their stolen goods to the respective owners in the dead of night. Crime doesn't pay, nobody goes to jail, nobody loses out, and everyone's happy. If only real life reflected all of that!

Lovely book from my childhood in the UK. Tells the story of a burgler who reforms his ways when he comes across a lovely baby. My 3 yo daughter loved this book and the illustrations. Any Ahlberg book is a gem!

La historia es original pero claro, los tiempos cambian y las historias a veces se quedan anticuadas, especialmente cuando el tema habla sobre las relaciones hombres / mujeres.

Received book in good condition. But the product is actually priced as Rs 399 but I got it for Rs 620

Ma fille de 5 ans et moi-même avons adoré ce livre qui comporte pas mal d'illustrations. L'histoire est gentillet, mignonne, attendrissante même et drôle. Ma fille a particulièrement rit quand elle est arrivée à la séquence du bébé. Auteur très connu et ancien maintenant et j'avais un peur qu'il soit désuet ou plus dans l'air du temps mais pas du tout. Ce livre reste actuel. Un classique à adopter qui perdure dans le temps.

I've loved Burglar Bill since I first read it to my son, 26 years ago. I loved the language, the funny, colourful illustrations, the humour and, of course, the message - that you can be a basically good person that does 'bad' things, and you can decide to change. Some of the little scenarios are hilarious and the things he gets the baby to say are so much fun to repeat, over and over and over. Definitely one of my very favourite short, illustrated children's books! I was so sad when it went out of print and couldn't find it at the library any more!