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Original poster

David Walliams children's books - thoughts?

36 replies

michelle303 · 29/07/2016 15:26

Hi all,

I'm trying find something engaging for my daughter to read, but she gets bored so easily. I've heard good things about David Walliams books but I'm not sure whether to invest in them or not. They always seem to be out of the library because they're so popular.

Has anyone read his children's books? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Michelle

OP posts:
MrsFrankieHeck · 29/07/2016 15:55

The kids at school all love these, they are the most popular books they read to us.

I got my copies cheap on eBay.

Paniniswapx3 · 29/07/2016 15:52

My 9 year old DS loves them & has read them all (& I enjoy them too - agree with pp re they are Roald Dahl-esque).

Hulababy · 29/07/2016 15:50

Dd used to enjoy them when she was younger. They've been popular amongst their children I know.
FWiW the children who read them generally didn't have a clue who he was before reading the books, but still enjoyed them.

megletthesecond · 29/07/2016 15:48

doin I didn't like them either. If he wasn't famous I can't imagine they'd have been published.

LockedOutOfMN · 29/07/2016 15:45

Your daughter can see hear the first part of the novels read aloud on the website, and get a taste of each book, e.g. this page for "The Boy In The Dress".

DoinItFine · 29/07/2016 15:44

They are so, so bad.

Like cringe bad.

He can't write at all and he's no funnier in print than on screen.

The only books I started that my kids were happy never to hear of again was his one about a billionaire at school.

It made me regret learning to read.

LockedOutOfMN · 29/07/2016 15:42

I have only read Gangsta Granny and The Boy In The Dress. I teach the bottom set in English in Year Seven (my school is abroad and nearly all of the students have English as their second or additional language), and for the past two years we've looked at "The Boy In The Dress" as our end of term book for the "fun" fortnight after exams. There are lots of resources on Walliams' website like fun worksheets and we were able to have a debate about school uniform and discuss other issues that arose from the book. There is also a BBC screen adaptation (there's one of Gangsta Granny too). The students loved the book and many of them, and others, have enjoyed reading his others like Billionaire Boy and Rat Burger by themselves.

Walliams' writing is a bit like Roald Dahl's in that the children love the books and there are often funny and even gruesome moments but also an emotional undercurrent and very vivid vocabulary.

nancy75 · 29/07/2016 15:41

Dd loves all of them, she is 11

mumsnit · 29/07/2016 15:39

We've got them all! DD (9) loves them and so does DS (12) so they're well read in our house.

How old is she? That might change which books to recommend as some of them wouldn't be entirely suitable for younger kids I don't think.

'Grandpa's Great Escape' is DDs favourite and I loved reading 'Gangsta Granny' to her. Very funny!

Original poster
michelle303 · 29/07/2016 15:37

Thanks for the response. I will try and get hold of one of his books at the library, I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on his books

Michelle

OP posts:
ShatnersBassoon · 29/07/2016 15:29

Order one from the library, they'll have loads of copies across the county. Chances are there'll be one available somewhere that they'll have sent to your branch.

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