Anthony Browne Quotes

“Her father didn’t have time to take her to see one at the zoo. He didn’t have time for anything. He went to work every day before Hannah went to school, and in the evening he worked at home. When Hannah asked him a question, he would say, ‘Not now, I’m busy, maybe tomorrow.’ “

“The night before her birthday, Hannah went to bed tingling with excitement – she had asked her father for a gorilla! In the middle of the night, Hannah woke up and saw a very small parcel at the foot of the bed. It was a gorilla but it was just a toy.”

“Hannah rushed downstairs to tell her father what had happened. ‘Happy birthday, love,’ he said. ‘Do you want to go to the zoo?’ Hannah looked at him. She was very happy.”

“They opened the front door, and went outside. ‘Come on then, Hannah,’ said the gorilla, and he gently lifted her up. Then they were off, swinging through the trees towards the zoo. “

“Hannah was frightened. ‘Don’t be frightenend, Hannah,’ said the gorilla, ‘I won’t hurt you. I just wondered if you’d like to go to the zoo.’ The gorilla had such a nice smile that Hannah wasn’t afraid. ‘I’d love to,’ she said. “

“When they arrived at the zoo it was closed, and there was a high wall all around. ‘Never mind,’ said the gorilla, ‘up and over!’ They went straight to the primates. Hannah was thrilled.”

“ ‘What would you like to do now?’ the gorilla asked. ‘I’d love to go to the cinema,’ said Hannah. So they did.”

“ ‘Time for home?’ asked the gorilla. Hannah nodded, a bit sleepily. They danced across the lawn. Hannah had never been so happy.”

“Mr. Smith and Mrs. Smythe looked the other way.”

“One morning Mr. Smith and his little girl, Smudge, took their dog, Albert, for a walk.”

“Both dogs were free.”

“On that same morning Mrs. Smythe and her son, Charles, were taking their dog, Victoria, for a walk.”

“Albert was impatient to be let off his lead. Victoria waited quietly until Mrs. Smythe detached the lead from her collar.”

“First Albert chased Victoria, then Victoria chased Albert, then Albert chased Victoria again, so quickly that sometimes it was difficult to tell them apart.”

“Mrs. Smythe sat at the other end with Charles. Smudge and Charles looked at each other.”

“Meanwhile the angry gardener chased the dogs off the flower beds.”

“They took off their coats and Smudge swung like a monkey on the climbing frame.”

“They all played on the bandstand. The whole world seemed happy.”

“But Mr. Smith read his newspaper on one end of the bench and Mrs. Smythe looked the other way.”

“Charles picked a flower and gave it to Smudge.”