Who is the best villain in children's literature and why?

[boglach]

I think Mrs Coulter in the Northern Lights

Complex, devastatingly beautiful, narcissistic

[mustdash]

The child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

I'm a proper grown up now, and still terrified.

[Gigondas]

From books I actually read - white witch In lion the witch and the wardrobe and witches in roald dahls witches book (both terrified me).

Mrs coulter came later and I always thought was softer side to her

[DeWe]

The Hogpen (Mr. Hobden) in The White Riders (Monica Edwards); simply because he thinks he's doing everyone a favour while destroying the marsh. He has no idea that he's so bad.

And Ballinger's male accomplice (I think he's called Louis) in Lone Pine London (Malcolm Saville) as he doesn't fit the usual profile of a villain. He's well dressed and quiet... but will stop at nothing.

[sayanything]

I second Mrs Coulter, but also Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Just unbelievably creepy.

[FlouncyMcFlouncer]

Could anyone be more of a villain than Voldemort?

[SandStorm]

Count Olaf in A Series of Unfortunate Events is pretty high up there for me.

[planetpotty]

Mrs trunchball sp fm Matilda.

Captain hook maybe ?

[fuckityfuckfuckfuck]

The grandma in Georges Marvellus Medicine. She's just vile.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Umbridge is far scarier than Voldemort.

Agree re Count Olaf - he is scary because he is completely narcissistic (sp?) and thus cannot be reasoned with at all.

Mrs Trunchbill in Matilda.

Not a children's book but couldn't help but think of Jack and Roger in Lord Of The Flies.

cruella

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Just remembered that horrible mother in Goodnight Mr Tom too.

[SecretSpi]

If a tree can be a villain, then Green Noah in The Children of Green Knowe does it for me for creepiness.

[talkingnonsense]

Cruella de Ville

[RufusTFirefly]

Block, from "Five go to Smuggler's Top". Creepy and devious. I like the moment George sees him through a window, talking to Mr Barling and obviously not deaf at all.

Mrs Minchin from "A Little Princess". Money-grubbing old bitch.