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 ...keep reading
David Walliams is the fastest growing children’s author in the UK – so children aged nine and up will be thrilled to hear that his fifth novel has hit the bookshops. Like its predecessors, Ratburgeris hilarious, sad and at times downright revolting. It isn’t for children of a nervous disposition but most young readers will laugh uproariously from start to finish – in between gasping in horror at Burt, Walliams’s ...keep reading
The south of France is usually heaving with UK visitors at this time of year. But in sun-baked Avignon I didn’t spot any British tourists at all (apart from us, that is). The newsagents’ stack of English newspapers looked untouched and there wasn’t a whisper of an English accent at the historic Palais des Papes. I suspect most people are at home glued to the Olympics. And come to think ...keep reading
It’s hard to believe that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Sue Townsend’s bestselling The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾. It seems no time at all since I first read it and so many details, from Adrian’s spots to his obsession with Pandora Braithwaite, have stayed in my head to this day. Penguin has just brought out a special edition of the book to celebrate (with ...keep reading
I used to find David Walliams (and Little Britain too) plain annoying. But now I’m going to have to eat my words. Firstly because he did that amazing swim for charity along the murky River Thames and secondly because he’s fast becoming a writer to be reckoned with. I adored Billionaire Boy, his third children’s book, which I picked as one of my Christmas reads last year. Sweetly dedicated to ...keep reading