In a tribute on X, he said: “You were a pioneer of great children’s literature, both in picture books and poetry. <\/p>\n
“You were clever, funny and wise. My children loved your books. So did and so do I.”<\/p>\n
Francesca Dow, head of children’s literature at Penguin Random House, said: “Allan was one of the most extraordinary authors I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with. <\/p>\n
“His brilliant books \u2013 so many of them created with his late wife, Janet, the highly talented illustrator \u2013 have been described as ‘mini masterpieces’.<\/p>\n
“Allan’s are some of the very best \u2013 true classics, which will be loved by children and families for years to come. Dear Allan, we will all miss you enormously.”<\/p>\n
Ahlberg is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Jessica and stepdaughters Saskia and Johanna.<\/p>\n
Born in Croydon in 1938, he was brought up by his adoptive parents in Oldbury, and worked as a postman, plumber and gravedigger before training to become a teacher at Sunderland Teacher Training College, where he met his first wife Janet.<\/p>\n
In 1975, the Ahlbergs published their first book together, Here are the Brick Street Boys.<\/p>\n
That was swiftly followed by The Old Joke Book, Burglar Bill and Each Peach Pear Plum, for which Janet was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustrators in 1978.<\/p>\n
The Jolly Postman, which was published in 1991, won the Kurt Maschler Award and has sold over six million copies. <\/p>\n
The second in the series, The Jolly Christmas Postman (1991), won a second Kate Greenaway Medal.<\/p>\n
His book Woof!, about a little boy who turns into a dog, inspired a TV series which ran on former ITV between 1989 and 1997. <\/p>\n