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Original poster

Judith Kerr has died

84 replies

Reallybadidea · 23/05/2019 10:34

Terribly sad news. Her books have given me and my children a huge amount of pleasure. Absolutely amazing woman.

OP posts:
Natsku · 23/05/2019 12:10

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and it's sequels were favourites of mine when I was a child, still got them in my parents' attic to give to DD when she's a bit older.
I got Goodbye Mog for DD when her dad died and it helped her so much, she loves the Mog books, even named one of her soft toy cats Mog.

ZuttZeVootEeeVro · 23/05/2019 12:16

"When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit" is one of the books that encouraged my daughter's love of history.

She was a brilliant author.

TonTonMacoute · 23/05/2019 12:16

Just heard the news and am so sad to hear it. She had the most extraordinary life and her books brought so much pleasure.

She was a good age, and seemed to have lived her life fully and energetically to the end. I hope I have such a good and healthy old age myself.

If the BBC repeat the Alan Yentob documentary about her I really recommend you watch it. There was a scene where she goes back to Germany, and meets German children who are reading When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit at school.

Tolleshunt · 23/05/2019 12:24

Oh no! I'm so sad.

What a wonderful woman she was. She lived near me, and I was hoping I might bump into her one day, and get the opportunity to thank her for how much pleasure she had given me and DD.

I will make sure to read one of her books to DD before bed. We have nearly all of them.

Calloway · 23/05/2019 12:30

What a great life she had and what a body of work she's left behind.

The BBC did an Imagine programme on her a few years ago. It was really interesting and involved her revisiting the apartment in Germany that she'd lived in as a child before leaving with her family for England. Hope they repeat it.

Calloway · 23/05/2019 12:31

The one, @TonTonMacoute, mentioned before me Smile

GabrielleNelson · 23/05/2019 12:33

Very sad to hear this. Yes, 95 is a great age. Yes, she had achieved a great deal. But the world has far too few people of her calibre. It is a great loss. I loved her books, both in my own childhood and reading them to my children.

xsquared · 23/05/2019 12:36

Thank you for the books of my childhood. You were a real inspiration.

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 23/05/2019 12:40

Such an inspirational lady - this news has hit me hard. I'll make sure DD gets Tiger and Mog at bedtime tonight.

CatChant · 23/05/2019 12:46

I remember reading When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit aloud to my DD when she was off school with some sort of bug. She loved it so much I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. I loved it so much that it wasn't a hardship to do so.

Both my DC adored Mog, including Goodbye Mog, even though it made them cry, and we can all recite huge chunks of The Tiger Who Came for Tea - otherwise known as The Lazy Mother's Excuse here.

DD and I saw her at a reading and book signing some years ago and she was so lovely and down to earth.

She dedicated Creatures (the retrospective of her life and work) to "the one and a half million Jewish children who didn't have [her] luck, and all the pictures they might have painted". She could so, so easily have been one of those murdered children.

Thank you Judith for all the pleasure you gave us. Your life was an inspiration.

implantsandaDyson · 23/05/2019 13:17

My youngest child was a very reluctant reader hindered by poor eyesight. The Mog series of books was a light in what seemed a very long road. They sparked an interest in her and held comfort for her.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit as another poster mentioned also ignited a love of history in one of my older daughter's which is still ongoing.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 23/05/2019 13:20

Oh no! I have to admit I have been wondering when this would happen, but I am still so sad. I loved her delight at the Sainsbury's Mog Revival in 2015.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 23/05/2019 13:25

Very sad. I heard a lovely interview with her, and it was clear that she was lonely since her husband died. I'm glad she didn't suffer a slow decline, after such an amazing life.

blameitonmyjuice · 23/05/2019 13:26

Mog brings back bittersweet memories for me . As a child my parents had an awful relationship and my mum ended up in hospital 300 miles from home . Sister and I were fostered out then stayed with my grandparents. My lovely granda read me mog stories and recorded me reading them too . I still have the tape but can’t bear to listen to it , Granda died twenty years ago and if I listen it brings back both horrible and lovely memories . The mog stories I always adored and still read them from time to time if unhappy , beautiful stories and illustrations .

Calloway · 23/05/2019 13:28

Ah, you've brought a tear to my eye there, blameitonmyjuice.

happystory · 23/05/2019 13:29

I will read it to my nursery class tomorrow in tribute, it's one of their favourites.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 23/05/2019 13:29

I just love that Mog was not a superhero but just a slightly ... dumb... cat.

mogtheexcellent · 23/05/2019 13:31

How sad. A brilliant author and illustrator. I loved her books as a child and now my DD loves them. Her favourite toy is a stuffed Mog.

She brought a lot of joy to many children.

JassyRadlett · 23/05/2019 13:33

My huge, cool, football-mad seven year old snuggled in with me and his little brother for Mog last night.

I honestly can’t think of another author who has had such an influence on my life, particularly through the Pink Rabbit books.

Tonight I will give my kids sausages and chips and ice cream for dinner.

viques · 23/05/2019 13:34

I hope Mog remembers who she is when they are reunited!

Just read her BBC obituary, the gestapo went to her parents house the day after they managed to leave. As others have mentioned she never forgot the millions of Jewish children who did not grow to adulthood and did not have her chance to leave such an amazing legacy.

RIP Judith, thankyou for helping give so many children the love of reading.

drspouse · 23/05/2019 13:35

Amazing woman, amazing life.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit really made me understand how it feels to be new in a new country, as well as inspiring an interest in WWII. I read quite a few other books about the era at about the same age; this is a particularity good one.

www.amazon.co.uk/Mischling-Second-Degree-Childhood-Germany/dp/0140342907?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

kelper · 23/05/2019 13:36

DS adored the tiger who came to tea, I knew it off by heart so I could read it in the dark!
Might have to read it to him tonight (he is 11 but still!)
Thank you for the beautiful stories Judith

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 23/05/2019 13:42

I hope Mog remembers who she is when they are reunited! Oh, that's a lovely thought, viques.

CountFosco · 23/05/2019 13:44

Saw a wonderful exhibition about her years ago at Seven Stories (they hold her archive), there were pictures she had drawn as a child in Germany, her mother had carried them all the way to England when they escaped.

Loved Mog, the Tiger and Pink Rabbit. DD2 has a pink rabbit because of that book. She had a long and productive life that has had a positive impact on millions of people, the world needs more Judith Kerrs.

LettuceP · 23/05/2019 13:49

One night in the zoo is one of mine and my 3yo's favourites, we will read it tonight.

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