Spring Picnic Bookmark

Mice in aprons and waistcoats, stirring bowls, carrying laden baskets, setting out teacups and jars of preserves among the primroses. This is Brambly Hedge at its most characteristic: a community busy preparing a feast, drawn in Jill Barklem's exquisite watercolour detail, where every little pot and spoon is worth stopping to look at.

It echoes Spring Story, the first Brambly Hedge book, in which the mice get up early to arrange a surprise picnic for Wilfred's birthday. Barklem spent five years on research before writing a word, working out how her mice milled their flour, wove their cloth and preserved their fruit — and when the first four titles appeared in 1980, the Sunday Times Magazine called them the most research-crammed fantasy ever set before small children. Seven million copies later, they're still working their spell.

At 48 × 162mm with a blue ribbon marker, it lies flat in any book. A perfect small gift for a Brambly Hedge devotee — and they are devoted — or for anyone who likes their comfort reading properly detailed.

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 preparing a spring picnic, in Barklem's signature detailed watercolour
• Blue 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, nostalgic readers, children 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 the five years of research she did before starting the series.
• What colour is the ribbon? Blue.
• 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.