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Original poster

Demon Dentist and David Walliams

77 replies

PulyaSochsup · 10/05/2019 20:26

I need to let everyone know that 3 chapters into this book I had to stop reading this book to my sons. For anyone unfamiliar with this story, Mr Grey has a stutter.

Hilarious.

Until the little boy you're reading it to also has a stutter and bursts into tears. I tried not to read it to him but we'd turned the page and he saw it.

I have never read anything else by him and he's now banned in our home. DS is confused and upset by this and I have told him the writer has a problem.
I'm so angry, we've been looking forward to reading this for ages.
I'm so angry. What sort of person writes a book encouraging mockery of people with speech impediment by children?

I am so, so disgusted. Poor DS struggles with this in most conversations, every day.

It is fitting though that I found it in Poundland, that, at least is self explanatory.

OP posts:
FiremanKing · 10/05/2019 22:30

Sorry, my point about the positive reviews is that you should add your own experience (negative) of the book.

JoyceDivision · 10/05/2019 22:36

He is crap. Stereotypes ( Demon Dentist: Winnie, who 'can't' pronounce Griffith's and hilariously says "Griffits") pretends to sympathise with characters but fails, he only lists what he sees as outsiders, but no real empathy... Fat, stutterers, orphans, loners... And the World's Worst Children books are beyond crap.

Definately agree he wants to be Roald Dahl... He won't care, his book sales are sky high.

Even DC's don't like them and gave th m away!

theliverpoolone · 10/05/2019 22:36

I think Demon Dentist might be the one where the boy finds 'dirty mags' under his dad's bed, so by stopping early on you've avoided that! I've always felt that as well as all the issues already mentioned, his books contain a lot of topics and language inappropriate for the age group they are meant to be aimed at. They're very poorly written and get churned out ridiculously quickly - I've been dubious as to whether he writes them all himself Hmm

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Children's books
Original poster
PulyaSochsup · 10/05/2019 22:37

Thanks Lucille, I will tell him tomorrow Cake
Thanks Fireman, I will do. I think people need to realise what's really being taught to their children as they follow the latest trend by giving them to their children.
I was just thinking that it's as though he psychologically groomed his audience with the Boy in the Dress (haven't read any of them but using Pink's opinion) and has pushed the boundaries further and further since then....... a very nasty and textbook component of the behaviour of an abusive individual.

OP posts:
Mouthfulofquiz · 10/05/2019 22:38

I’m sorry that your DS had such a bad experience of the book. My son just didn’t identify with the character with the stutter I suppose. He was just glad to see a character with a stutter in a book. Speech therapy did a lot towards explaining to him why he had his stutter and how to manage it. He just didn’t make the connection to take it personally.

JoyceDivision · 10/05/2019 22:39

Boy in the dress is the dirty mags, it's gross and really smutty, why would🦄 any adult want, in a book not aimed at teenagers, introduce topic of porn??? And magazines, I mean, in this day it's more online that needs addressing, and certainly not be David walliams!! Weird he wants to add stuff like this...

Mouthfulofquiz · 10/05/2019 22:39

‘Groomed’ is a bit much!

Original poster
PulyaSochsup · 10/05/2019 22:47

Joyce, I think children probably know they're being ripped off really, as a society many of us are trying so hard to teach our children empathy so who is actually buying them?

Liverpool, I am so glad we missed that part! If he writes them all himself he should be ashamed, of the subject matter and the delivery. He is doing his literary reputation with empathic parents a monumental disservice if he is allowing a ghost writer to attach his name to this hate filled drivel.
Thanks so much for reading and replying everyone and for all the kind wishes for DS, I will follow up your suggestions after the weekend.

OP posts:
hullaballoonie · 10/05/2019 22:54

My DS loves his books but parts name me cringe, the page 3 model girlfriend in Billionaire Boy for example. How the hell do you explain that to a 9 yr old boy???

hullaballoonie · 10/05/2019 22:54

make me cringe

Original poster
PulyaSochsup · 10/05/2019 22:55

Mouthful, perhaps lulled into a false sense of security might be more fitting, but I haven't read any more of his books, I was using someone else's opinion as a yardstick.
If you choose to read the rest then I hope they continue to meet with your approval and that of your DS and that you don't find any nasty surprises in them, I would hate for this to happen to anyone else, although I suspect it will given that it appears to be a fairly common occurrence.
I must say goodnight now, I've been on here for ages.
Thanks so much for your input and support everyone.

OP posts:
frugalkitty · 10/05/2019 22:58

My DS (11) has quite enjoyed the DW books but I must admit to not having enjoyed reading them with him....they just aren't good for reading aloud! Definitely a poor man's Roald Dahl (and I'm not really a fan of his books either!).

SrSteveOskowski · 10/05/2019 22:58

Slightly off topic, but he gives me the absolute and utter creeps.

escapade1234 · 10/05/2019 23:04

David Walliams is just gross. I won’t buy his books for my children and I “forget” to check out his books if they put one of his in their pile in the library.

Censorship I know, but I’m ok with it.

JoyceDivision · 10/05/2019 23:14

Pulya, my D's lived The Children Of Castle Rock, definitely recommend it for your ds!

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 10/05/2019 23:19

I’m sorry your son had that experience OP - very upsetting. Reminds me a bit of when me and my (African heritage) son worked our way through some ‘2000 years of British history’ type illustrated book he’d chosen from the library - all these evenings and pages and pictures of Romans and Celts and Georgians and whatever and then one evening we turned the page and saw a brown-skinned person for the first time - in chains. The look on DS’ face spoke volumes - the whole thing was like a punch in the stomach.

DW is just fucking nasty tbh - his TV work was always unintelligent, offensive and cruel, and two of those ‘Worst Children’ books have made their way into our home as hand-me-downs from someone I thought had better judgment. They’re the only books I’ve refused to ever read again. They’re just nastiness with no redeeming features whatsoever - barely enough structure to qualify as a story, rubbish and unintelligent use of language, gratuitous cruelty, massively outdated stereotypes and insults. As PP said, they are the downsides of Roald Dahl without any of the (considerable) merit of RD, who in spite of some very dodgy descriptions of physical appearance actually demonstrated a lot of compassion and morality in his writing, as well as some really pleasing, fun, vivid language. DW is more like those thuggish dick giants in the BFG.

Jackielaffertyiscold · 10/05/2019 23:19

I didnt realise his books are so awful Shock my kids are still too young for them thankfully

PinkieTuscadero · 10/05/2019 23:23

@playchicken, Anne Fine is streets ahead of Walliams! Diary of a Killer Cat and The More the Merrier are my personal faves, bloody funny.

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 10/05/2019 23:24

Oh - also one of my very best lecturers at uni had a stammer! She had clearly learned to manage it very well and you only caught a hint of it once in a while - I might never have known if she hadn’t mentioned it at the start and said that the room being quiet would make a big difference for her speaking. I suspect the process of getting through (usually a 90-min) lecture was much more tiring for her with that to contend with, but she was definitely one of (perhaps the?) the most engaging speakers in the department.

ineedaknittedhat · 11/05/2019 07:55

Sil once bought one for ds, but I chucked it in the bin. They're such a pathetic attempt at emulating Dahl, and his are bad enough.

He's as much a writer as I am a fish. They might be popular, but The Sun rag is popular too, doesn't mean it's a credible newspaper though.

ShowOfHands · 11/05/2019 11:44

Can I recommend Michael Morpurgo op? A very talented writer with well rounded characters facing real life challenges. He is superb.

ineedaholidaynow · 11/05/2019 11:48

I too recommend Michael Morpurgo but I would probably read the books myself first as he writes for different ages so some may not be suitable for DS yet

Slaymill · 11/05/2019 12:01

I can't stand DW and his vile books. Also the Royal Rabbits Of London really horrible not what I was expecting at all.

AtrociousCircumstance · 11/05/2019 12:05

There’s something really malevolent and creepy about him, like someone hiding in plain sight.

Original poster
PulyaSochsup · 11/05/2019 20:33

Thank you all so much for the lovely support for DS and I, he certainly felt better knowing that other people found him offensive, but it's certainly very sad hearing about other people's experiences.
DH has been in touch with Michael Palin's stuttering charity and we are waiting to hear from them.
I do think that David Walliams seems creepy, I suppose that's our subconscious making us aware that he's untrustworthy, and since he's clearly looking for perspectives on people's shortcomings and children's disabilities as the cornerstone of his career then it proves that intuition certainly has it's strengths. Total malevolence.
Maybe at some point it might be an idea to pool some ideas for children's books stating strengths and weaknesses of them. Thank you for the book suggestions, we will follow them upSmile .

OP posts: