Book info

• Title Demon Dentist
• Author David Walliams
• Year 2013
• Genre Childrens

The jaw-achingly funny novel from David Walliams, the number one bestselling author! Make your appointment if you dare... Darkness had come to the town. Strange things were happening in the dead of night. Children would put a tooth under their pillow for the tooth fairy, but in the morning they would wake up to find… a dead slug; a live spider; hundreds of earwigs creeping and crawling beneath their pillow. Evil was at work. But who or what was behind it...?

Thoughts

I was curious to read this to see what David Walliams’ writing was like, and really, any excuse for an easy-to-digest kids book is fine by me. I was suitably impressed. There are some great characters, really vivd and brought-to-life right off the page - Winnie and her respective reactions to chocolate and coffee, Gabz and her tomboy grace, even Mr Grey is absolutely as you think he should be.

The story also impressed me because whilst it is silly and fun, a bit of an adventure with witches and capitalising on every kid’s (and most adults) hatred of the dentist, there’s no shying away from the tough stuff. The boy is living in poverty trying to care for his dad, he’s not keen on the nosy social worker at first, and things are building towards a pretty dramatic conclusion.

I really enjoyed it, even though I’m far too old for it. I think there were a few bits and pieces for adults peppered in there, though. Revels and the “not for turning” quote spring to mind.

Rating: 5 / 5