The Story Of Alison Hubble – A Brilliant Children’s Book

Have you heard about the story of Alison Hubble, who went to bed single and woke up…double? No?

A Childhood Classic From My Own Childhood

Alison Hubble is a book about a normal girl who keeps on doubling, by legendary children’s author Alan Ahlberg.

I  was sent pretty far down memory lane by this book, because it’s one – of many – that sticks out vividly from my childhood as we acted it out for a primary school assembly (remember when school assemblies were a thing? Are they still? Guess we’ll find out soon enough).

It’s tantamount to both how good the book and the power of repetition that I still remember it *decades* later. I was Alison 2 to my best friend’s leading  Alison 1.

An Updated Version Of Alison Hubble

The new version of The Story Of Alison Hubble s an updated version that has changed, ever-so-slightly, and there’s a new set of illustrations. It’s fascinating reading it now from both an adult and parent’s perspective. How do they know who the original Alison is? Do they collectively share memories? Do all of them have souls? Is it an allegory for the disposable nature of modern life? What happens to all the Alisons?

Needless to say the book is as magical as ever, for me. It’s so good reading it after all these years of first discovering it myself. I’m thrilled that Eliza loves it and hasn’t stopped asking to read it.

Are there any (many) books you vividly remember from primary school, all these years later?

It’s published by Penguin / Ladybird who sent us our copy.

More posts…memories from the Sundays of my childhood, tips for writing a children’s book more childhood nostalgia (how many of these do you remember?).

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