The Wombles
Author Elizabeth Beresford
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Story
Wombles are quiet creatures living on Wimbledon Common who clear away rubbish to create their own upcycled items. Led by the stern but kindly Great Uncle Bulgaria, they live in an underground burrow and go out every day to bring back the rubbish they find to Tobermory's workshop. Each Womble has its own distinctive character (lazy Orinoco, sporty Tomsk, eager Bungo, clever Wellington) and Beresford's stories chart their adventures evading people and dogs and finding unexpected abandoned items.
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Why we chose it
The Wombles' work tidying up the rubbish from Wimbledon Common provided a strong environmental message for children that in many ways was ahead of its time, with its focus on upcyling items and 'making good use of the things that we find'. Their appearance on television alongside the books and the popularity of the Wombles music earned them widespread recognition and affection.
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First published
1968, Ernest Benn, London