To folk my age, David McKee was always synonymous with the awesome Mr Benn, a children's TV show. It was only when C was born that I realised that this amazingly talented fellah was still going, and still producing some of the most incredible children's books including the subject of today's #Booky100Keeper entry.

There's one book that crops up again and again whenever you ask kidlit obsessives to name their favourite picture books.

"Not Now Bernard" is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, arriving all the way back in 1980 when I was too old for it - but just in time for me to read aloud to my younger brother.

Back then the message was probably way ahead of its time, and in fact the 40th anniversary edition has been updated to feature Bernard's ignorant parents doing the very thing that drives me absolutely crazy when I see it while out and about with my own daughter.

Parents on mobiles. Blissfully ignoring their kid, not giving them any attention, just like the parents in this story.

Bernard is constantly told "Not Now, Bernard" whenever he tries to talk to his mum and dad about a nasty purple monster that has taken up residence in the garden. Bernard decides to talk to the monster, and it's then that we're given a short sharp shock that feels completely at odds with anything you'll see in very few modern picture books. That 'snap' moment where the main character is done away with (in this case, scoffed up, every last bite, by the monster).

We've seen loads of well meaning but hopelessly rubbish analysis of this book over the years. What its true meaning is. Is Bernard the monster? Are his parents? Does he really get eaten? Does his mum really not realise that her son has been replaced with a monster?

Let's face it, we really don't need all that hogwash and I'm not entirely sure we needed the book to be 'messed with' for the new anniversary edition either, but as it stands - or rather as it stood, "Not Now, Bernard" is a masterpiece in subversive storytelling that delights kids every time they encounter Bernard's monstrous demise.

McKee is a bit of a marmite fellah. Some folk really love his books and understand entirely what their intent and their message is. Others go overboard in picking apart those messages, instead interpreting them as somehow menacing, subversive and harmful to children. Those folk are the sort of book folk who probably happily dictate to their child what they should and shouldn't read, and will probably never instil in their child a love of reading - or any form of that child finding their own way into books that they truly love, rather than being told to love.

Looking down the McKee books we've reviewed, particular favourites are "George's Invisible Watch" (which McKee collaborated on with his son Brett), and the sublime "The Hill and the Rock" which is a rather lovely and original morality tale that, like most of McKee's books, delivers its message subtly and rather beautifully.

More included below from this truly talented fellah, who deserves his place as a true kidlit icon.

Original Review Links: 

George's Invisible Watch by David and Brett McKee 

ReadItDaddy's Book of the Week - Week ending 15th November 2013 - "Isabel's Noisy Tummy" by David McKee (Andersen Children's Books)

A spooky Halloween Re-Review of "Not Now, Bernard" by David McKee (Andersen Children's Books)

Big Top Benn by David McKee (Tate Publishing Ltd)

Denver by David McKee (Andersen Children's Books)

The Hill and the Rock

Not Now Bernard

Two Can Toucan

Elmer and the Hippos

The King of Quizzical Island (with Gordon Snell)

Three Monsters

Ghouls, ghosts, monsters and witches! Tomorrow night the neighbourhood will be heaving with tinies dressed in scary clothes, bashing down your door and demanding trick or treat sweeties (they hate us - we only give them healthy snacks, har har har!!!)

When they're finally tuckered out and tucked up in bed, what better time to shuffle through your book collection for a halloween treat.

Without further ado, what would we recommend for a top ten terrifyingly scary list?

1) "Not Now, Bernard" by David McKee (Andersen Children's Books). 

It's actually a little unfair to keep this one for Halloween. It's good for all year round, but there's no monster better than the grumpy child-eating monster betwixt the pages of this book. We recently re-read this and even though both Charlotte and I love it so much we know it off by heart, we still love that shocker of a moment when Bernard ends up monster-tum-fodder. EEKS! David McKee's book is actually more about parents not listening to or paying attention to their kids and this was even before the advent of smartphones. Make of this what you will!

2) "Darkness Slipped In" by Ella Burfoot (Kingfisher Books)

Children's fear of the dark probably wasn't really helped by this book which introduces the dark as a rather playful, mischievous but downright terrifying entity that slips into a young girl's bedroom late one night. As Daisy clutches her toy cuddly closer, the darkness tries to allay her fears by showing her that there's nothing really to be scared of - and nothing in her room that isn't there during the day. Well, except this DOWNRIGHT TERRIFYING SPIKY HAIRED SHADOW THING GADDING ABOUT ALL OVER THE ROOM!

We jest, we love this - it did used to scare the bejabers out of Charlotte but she finds it quite amusing now. Interesting to note how many times the darkness crops up in children's books manifested in a very similar way (see also Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen's awesome "The Dark" for further spooky reading!)

3) "Night Post" by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder (Improper Books)

Not scary but so beautifully presented, told and observed - this wordless picture book is a real corker and if you haven't got a copy yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! A postman's night-time delivery route takes on unexpected twists and turns as he delivers letters and parcels to the dark-dwelling denizens of the night. Name just about any fictional monster or creature, ghoul or spectre in children's fiction and they sneak a cameo in this book in such a delightful way that you'll be coming back to this gorgeous tome again and again just to spot them all.

We do love the scene with the witches as they circle around in the darkened sky (see how many you recognise!)

We've longed, begged, pleaded for Ben and Laura to do another book together. As it stands, this is utterly sublime and we can't stop going on about it once you get us started. Just do the decent thing and go geddit!

4) "No Such Thing" by Ella Bailey (Flying Eye Books)

There is such a thing as the perfect halloween book and this adorable tale comes very close. A little girl suspects there's more going on around her house at halloween than meets the eye.

Weird things keep happening and they can't all be blamed on her adorable moggy. Could someone else be to blame? Someone ethereal, let's say?

Children will absolutely love spotting the spooky little characters who are REALLY behind all the nocturnal goings-on in this pitch-perfect tale. We always expect great things from anything Flying Eye publish and we were definitely not disappointed by "No Such Thing" which is an utter halloween delight!

5) "Dear Vampa" by Ross Collins (Hodder Children's Books)

It's always interesting to see how children's books deal with some pretty nefarious and spooky characters when it comes to a ghoulish tale. Vampires are a pretty scary lot, and in "Dear Vampa" Ross Collins shows us that sometimes Vampires are NOT the scariest thing on the block.

Flipping a vampire tale firmly on its head in the form of a family's letter to their dear (dead) old Grandad Vampa is pure genius.

As with all Ross's books, his deliciously detailed illustrations are a treat, picked out here in delightfully vampish hues of black, white and red as the Pire family (geddit?) cower in terror from their new sun-kissed happy neighbours.

It's enough to make an old vamp run away screaming!



6) "The Ghost Library" by David Melling (Hodder Children's Books)

This truly is a treat, as there aren't nearly enough children's ghost stories around in our opinion. It's lovely to see David Melling's brilliant classic "The Ghost Library" being reprinted with an all-new glow in the dark spooky cover. The story of a little girl named Bo who is accidentally whisked off to another realm by a trio of book-snatching ghosts. They are trying to restock the ghost library with books and have had to resort to thievery in order to do it.

Bo shows them that there may be a better way to repopulate the empty shelves. How about coming up with the spookiest and scariest stories of their own?

Delightful and whimsical, with tons of glorious characters (we love the ghosts who sort of materialise half-way through the book shelves as they creep in to listen to Bo's storytime). Absolutely perfect halloween storytelling by a master of mischief!

7) "Cordelia Codd - It's ALIVE!" by Claire O'Brien with cover by David Roberts (Orchard Books)

One for older readers now and if we referred to masters of mischief in our last recommendation, how about a rather mischievous girl. Cordelia Codd is the pint-sized hero of Claire O'Brien's fab book series and in "It's ALIVE!" Cordelia is facing up to the prospect of yet another boring Halloween, stuck in a tiny house in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. Cordelia has aspirations, she wants to be a mega-famous celebrity, design gorgeous clothes and...well get a life really but this halloween will be different as she soon finds out that even a young girl stuck in the dead-end of nowhere must expect the unexpected.

Claire O'Brien's rib-tickling series is perfect fare for reading by torchlight under the covers on a spooky halloween night. Look out too for Claire's other brill books "Cordelia Codd - Not Just the Blues" and "Cordelia Codd - Frankly Ruby, I don't give a Damn!" also from Orchard Books and also look out for a very special review of "It's Alive" SOOOON!


8) "Lockwood and Co - The Screaming Staircase" by Jonathan Stroud (Doubleday)

Sticking with books for older children now, and dispel from your mind all thoughts of whimsical, amusing and playful spectres - the ghosts in Jonathan Stroud's books are anything but!

"Lockwood and Co" kicked off in grand style with this first book "The Screaming Staircase" and it restored our faith in ghost stories for (older) children, which I thought had become too diluted and safe. It's the story of Lockwood, Lucy and George - a trio of ghost hunters roving the streets of an alternate-reality version of London in search of spirits who plague the world of the living. These ghosts can kill and maim, they're not the intangible wailers of other tales and this is what makes the book series really quite scary and disturbing as all three are frequently teetering on the edge of danger. Two further books in the series "The Whispering Skull" and "The Hollow Boy" will have you quaking in your slippers come Halloween Night so if you (like me) are a fan of cult telly like Sapphire and Steel, or old Hammer Horror stuff then this should be your first port of call.

9) "My Teacher is a MONSTER!" by Peter Brown (Macmillan Children's Books)

Most kids will try to convince you that there's something not quite right about their teachers. But in "My Teacher is a Monster" a young boy realises that despite her green skin, shouty voice and slightly questionable fashion sense, maybe his monstrous teacher isn't quite so bad after all.

A chance meeting in the park with the teacher in question is quite terrifying but soon leads the two to band together to solve a rather sticky problem involving a lost hat.

Peter's books are deliciously illustrated and beautifully observed and this monstrously entertaining tale is no exception. So next time your teacher gives you a black mark for your spelling, or howls at you from across the classroom for passing notes and giggling, take heed, they're maybe not quite as horrible as they seem.



10) "I'm Coming to get YOU!" by Tony Ross (Picture Puffin)

Cor, this is a golden oldie and we think it's high time it got a re-issue. Tony Ross's brilliant "I'm Coming to Get You!" features a nasty, stinky, smelly and quite downright horrible monster who sets out one night to chase down his chosen victim.

We love the way the story builds up excitement, tension and scares to the point where the twist in the tale is revealed - and it's a doozy.

We have seen rather too many books ripping this story off (we'll let you discover what the twist is and whether you think we're right or not) but none done better than here in "I'm coming to get YOU!" - with such a delicious pay off at the end that it's an utterly essential monstery halloween read.

We hope you've enjoyed this year's list. Do drop a comment in the box below if you've got a particular halloween fave you'd love to share with us and our readers, we are always on the hunt for new spooky books!

Way back in the days of yore, when this blog was just finding its feet in the world of children's books, we visited the library and picked up a book that would become a regular on this blog. Not only that, it's a book that I'm overjoyed to see so many other booky folk mention whenever they're put on the spot and have to come up with their "Top Ten Favourite / Most Influential Children's Books".

So as it's Halloween we thought we'd revisit David McKee's utterly brilliant, irreverent and monstrously good "Not Now, Bernard". Does it still tickle us the way it did back in 2010? Does it ever!

For Charlotte, "Not Now, Bernard" has to be treated with huge respect, and is subject to a set of 'read aloud' rules which I'm not allowed to deviate from in any way. I have to get the pace right. I have to express Bernard's effervescent and innocent naivety just right, I have to add just the right amount of parental exasperation for Bernard's mum and dad, and I absolutely have to get the monster right or I'll be in serious trouble! It's a tough gig!

"YOU'RE NOT READING IT RIGHT, DADDY!" is what I get if I dare deviate - or worse still, if I try to read it flatly as I do with some other books - just the normal "Daddy" voice and tone.

Bernard's mum. Vase (and wardrobe) malfunction!

The story of young Bernard, who tries to warn his parents that there's a monster living in the garden that wants to eat him - and what happens when the monster does just that - is an absolute classic. You can read between the lines and spot the cleverness of its message a mile off. Or you can actually take it at face value, and it STILL works beautifully. Bernard's parents ignore his pleas, and so the monster does exactly what it says it's going to - turning Bernard into a tasty snack. NOM!

Bernard's dad - In the wars as usual! Owch!

The monster then goes into the house - and finds that Bernard's parents still ignore everything he does. Even when it's really really naughty (like taking a chunk out of Bernard's dad's leg!)

If you're reading this, the chances are that I'm probably preaching to the converted, and you know and love the book as much as we do. Monster books have been staple fodder for us on the blog since we began but seldom few monstery books quite have the impact, the comedy, and the satisfying read-aloud feeling that you get when it works well and trips off the tongue.

David McKee is a huge talent, and I've loved his stories and TV adaptations since I was a kid. "Not Now, Bernard" was a joyous discovery and it's still a book we just can't get enough of. If you're looking for the perfect monster book for Halloween, this is what you should be picking up.
(Not Now, Daddy!)


Charlotte's best bit: Oddly, she now loves the bits where poor Bernard's dad ends up with horrific DIY and monster-inflicted injuries (and wears the bandages to prove it). Things like that should worry me, shouldn't they. 

Daddy's Favourite bit: Despite Charlotte's fairly rigid rules on how this book should be read, it's an utter joy to do so. The squeaky matter-of-fact voice I give Bernard, the exasperated sigh I give his mum and the slightly grumpy voice I give his dad - and the gurgling grunting monster voice that the monster gets, add to making this a book that I genuinely look forward to reading again and again and doubly so because it's one that Charlotte never turns down when I pull it out of the book stack. Wonderful stuff! If you do not already own it, get it!

Oof, back after a holiday in Cornwall and with a couple of weeks off work left, I thought I'd hit the library and refresh Charlotte's last selection. After all, great as The Gruffallo is, you can only take so many readings before you're reciting the page after the one you're actually on before you've even turned over. 

Back with David McKee and yet another moral tale of parents and their relationship with their kids. Naturally, this isn't some boring psychology paper, but a neat little story showing what happens when you ignore your child or take them for granted. As with all McKee's books, the illustrations and characters are instantly a hit with children and even though this was first published in 1980, it still has plenty to say about parent-child interaction today. 

Charlotte's best bit: The monster eating Bernard up, every last bit. 

Daddy's favourite bit: The look of indignation on the monster's face when he's sent to bed. 

Rating: 4 out of 5