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.

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.

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.

Loved these books when I was a young en long time nowit it reads almost poetic with the wording also you must try cops and robbers this book burglar bill i feel is a follow up book when i read them to my 2 little girls who every time I get them out are on full alert I hope that when they grow up and have a family of there own this will be 1 of the stories they remember me reading to them illustrations and the storytelling is great might of aged a bit tho with wording could be outdated but love the books any child you read them to will

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!

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.

An absolute classic and one for every child’s library

My son adores this book he is 3 years old and it is a lovely book would highly recommend.

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!