What ChiIdren Chose Last Year…

P.L.R. estimates of Public Library Borrowing 1988/89

This list (arranged alphabetically by author) contains the 100 children’s books which scored highest library loans for the period July 88 -June 89. It’s a significant list since, presumably, the children were choosing with the usual constraints of pocket-money and parents being minimised… thereby giving adults much to ponder. BfK readers following on from David Bennett’s article, for instance, will notice at once the preponderance of primary-age borrowings.

Allan Ahlberg: Miss Jump the Jockey; Mr Buzz the Beeman; Mr Tick the Teacher; Miss Brick the Builder’s Baby; Mr Cosmo the Conjuror

Janet and Allan Ahlberg: Funnybones

Linda Allen: Mrs Simkin and the Very Big Mushroom

Ronda and David Armitage: The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch

Christopher Awdry: More About Thomas the Tank Engine

Rosemary Billam: Alpaca in the Park

Val Biro: Gumdrop and the Monster; Gumdrop at Sea; Gumdrop Finds a Friend; Gumdrop Finds a Ghost; Gumdrop Goes to London; Gumdrop has a Birthday

Quentin Blake: Mister Magnolia

Judy Blume: Blubber; Forever; Just as Long as We’re Together; Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great; Superfudge; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; Then Again, Maybe I Won’t

Raymond Briggs: The Snowman; Fungus the Bogeyman

Anthony Browne: Piggybook

John Burningham: Mr Gumpy’s Outing

Eric Carle: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

John Cunliffe: Postman Pat Goes Sledging; Postman Pat to the Rescue; Postman Pat’s Breezy Day; Postman Pat’s Letters on Ice

Roald Dahl: Danny The Champion of the World; Fantastic Mr Fox; The BFG; The Enormous Crocodile; George’s Marvellous Medicine; Matilda; The Twits; The Witches; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; James and the Giant Peach

Goscinny: Asterix and Caesar’s Gift; Asterix and the Banquet; Asterix and the Cauldron; Asterix and the Chieftain’s Shield; Asterix and the Golden Sickle; Asterix and the Great Divide; Asterix and the Laurel Wreath; Asterix and the Magic Carpet; Asterix and the Normans; Asterix and the Roman Agent; Asterix at the Olympic Games; Asterix in Britain

Eric Hill: Spot’s Birthday Party; Spot’s First Walk; Spot Goes on Holiday; Spot Goes to School; Spot Goes to the Circus; Where’s Spot?

Mary Hoffman: Beware, Princess

Shirley Hughes: Alfie Gets in First; Alfie Gives a Hand; Alfie’s Feet; An Evening at Alfie’s; Dogger; Helpers; Lucy and Tom at the Seaside; Lucy and Tom Go to School; Lucy and Tom’s abc; Lucy and Tom’s 123; Moving Molly

Pat Hutchins: Rosie’s Walk; The Doorbell Rang; The Surprise Party; The Very Worst Monster; The Wind Blew

Judith Kerr: Mog and the Baby; Mog and Bunny; Mog in the Dark; Mog the Forgetful Cat; The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Sheila Lavelle: The Big Stink; The Disappearing Granny

Penelope Lively: Dragon Trouble

David McPhail: Where Can an Elephant Hide?

Jill Murphy: Five Minutes’ Peace; Peace at Last; Whatever Next!

Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski: Meg on the Moon; Mog in the Fog; Mog’s Box; Owl at School

Chris Powling: The Phantom Carwash

Gerald Rose: Scruff

Details supplied by the Public Lending Right Office, Bayheath House, Prince Regent Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS1 8 1 DF (tel: 0642 604699).

Public Lending Right

PLR is now in its eighth year of operation. It recompenses registered authors and illustrators for the library loans their books generate – the 1989 rate being 1.39 pence a borrowing up to a maximum of £6,000. The amount due is calculated on the basis of 20 sample libraries throughout Britain multiplied in proportion to total library spending. Only issues from public libraries are included: use in schools and in school libraries is not covered. Details are released each January with payment a month later.