Snoozing Under the Bluebells Bookmark

Two mice fast asleep in the long grass beneath a stand of bluebells, cow parsley nodding overhead, a picnic evidently just finished. If you know Brambly Hedge, you'll recognise the feeling immediately — that particular warm, unhurried, early-summer contentment Jill Barklem could conjure in a single watercolour.

Barklem spent five years researching before she wrote a word, and it shows in every stalk and petal. When the first four books — Spring Story, Summer Story, Autumn Story and Winter Story — appeared in 1980, the Sunday Times Magazine called them the most research-crammed fantasy ever set before small children. They've since sold over seven million copies in more than thirteen languages, and the mice of Brambly Hedge have been quietly loved by generations of readers who first met them at four and came back to them at forty.

At 48 × 162mm with a yellow ribbon marker, it lies flat in any book. A perfect small gift for a Brambly Hedge devotee, a lover of English hedgerows, or anyone who could do with a reminder to nap in the sunshine.

Come and see the full Museums & Galleries range in the shop — there's always more on the shelves than we can fit online.

Key features

• Brambly Hedge artwork by Jill Barklem (1951–2017)
• Mice snoozing beneath bluebells, in Barklem's signature detailed watercolour
• Yellow ribbon marker
• 48mm × 162mm
• Museums & Galleries, the British art-stationery publisher behind the V&A, Tate, Natural History Museum and British Museum ranges
• Flat enough to post inside a greetings card
• Perfect for Brambly Hedge fans, nature lovers, nostalgic readers and book club gifts

FAQ

• What is Brambly Hedge? A much-loved series of children's picture books by Jill Barklem, following a community of mice living in an English hedgerow. The first four titles were published in 1980 and the series has sold over seven million copies worldwide.
• Who was Jill Barklem? A British writer and illustrator (1951–2017), known for her extraordinarily detailed watercolours and for the five years of research she did before starting the series.
• What colour is the ribbon? Yellow.
• What size is the bookmark? 48mm wide by 162mm tall.
• Is it suitable as a gift? Yes — lovely for children and adults alike, and light enough to post inside a card.