The Boyhood of Burglar Bill

Allan Ahlberg''s The Boyhood of Burglar Bill is a nostalgic, autobiographical story about football, schooldays and growing-up in the ''50s. Allan Ahlberg is the internationally bestselling author of children''s classics that include Peepo! and Each Peach, Pear Plum, illustrated by Janet Ahlberg.

Archie was a wonder dog in all our eyes. Nearly a year ago he had got run over. They found his foot in the street but the rest of him ran off. Mr Purnell mourned for a while; Mrs Purnell offered to beat the motorcyclist up or at least wreck his bike. Then, lo and behold, a fortnight later back came Archie.

Coronation year, 1953. The boys from the bottom pitch - a great soup of boys - play football. When the ''Coronation Cup'' is proposed, they put their heads together, pool their pocket money and get a team up. There''s no chance they''ll win of course. They''re just the odds and sods in Mr Cork''s opinion. Besides, he''d go berserk if they did; men