Friday book review – The Queen’s Orang-Utan
David Walliams has only been writing children’s books for seven years but his stories have been translated into 42 languages and have sold more than six million copies in the UK alone.
Not only that, a poll of half a million children recently found that Demon Dentist is now the most popular book for primary school pupils.
His legions of fans will be thrilled to hear that this month Walliams has not one, but two books out. Demon Dentist appears in paperback for the first time while The Queen’s Orang-Utan, a picture book he’s written exclusively for Comic Relief 2015, is out this week. It costs £4.99 and at least £3 from every copy sold will go to Comic Relief. There’s also an audio version, read by Walliams, Miranda Hart and Rob Brydon.
The Queen’s Orang-Utan is aimed at children of three and up but trust me, the story will bring a smile to everyone who reads it, whatever their age.
It’s the Queen’s birthday and she’s bored. She has so much stuff that none of her family have a clue what to give her, until she suddenly announces what “one would very much like…”
Tony Ross’s illustrations of the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles are quite brilliant and the story is mischievous, hilarious and a bit mad. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy it and the fact that you can help to raise money for Comic Relief by buying it is even better.
PS. The annual What Kids are Reading survey shows that secondary students voted The Fault in Our Stars by John Green as their favourite book.
The Queen’s Orang-Utan by David Walliams (HarperCollins, £4.99)