David Walliams Books

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David Walliams is the pen name of David Edward Williams an English comedian, activist, television presenter, presenter, actor, and author. Walliams made it big on TV with his “Little Britain” comedy sketch show that he produced with Matt Lucas on BBC One. He also wrote the script and starred in the situational comedy “Big School” that aired on BBC One.

As an author, Walliams is best known as children’s novelist. His novelists have proved wildly popular, selling over 12.5 million copies and translated into more than 40 languages. Described as the one of the UK’s fastest growing author, he wrote his first novel, “The Boy in the Dress” in 2009. Compared to Roald Dahl, many of his novels borrow from the themes of his first comedy Sketch show “Little Britain”.

David Walliams has been a mainstay in British comedy since the start of the millennium. He first came to prominence in the TV series Rock Profile with his writing partner Matt Lucas, in which they would parody popular music celebrities, and then send up the often awful interviews that these celebrities would give to television programmes. He then followed that up with the enormously successful Little Britain, which had the spin-off Little Britain USA. Walliams also found success with programmes such as Big School, Come Fly With Me and Partners in Crime, as well as becoming a regular face on the judging panel for Britain’s Got Talent.

However, with all the plaudits Walliams has received for his comedy writing and acting, he broadened his fan base in 2008 with the publication of his first children’s book, The Boy in the Dress, which dealt with, as the title would suggest, a boy who enjoys dressing up in dresses. The Boy in the Dress deals with the reactions the boy gets from his friends and family, and how he copes with it. Like a lot of Walliams’ books, it is aimed at breaking down social prejudices, and at teaching children that cross-dressing is not something people should be vilified for. The Boy in the Dress was illustrated by Quentin Blake, who was a long-time collaborator with Roald Dahl, with whom Walliams has been compared to. The Boy in the Dress was adapted for television, and was broadcast on Boxing Day 2014.

Walliams followed up the success of The Boy in the Dress with Mr Stink, which was published in 2009. Again, Walliams makes a of point trying to teach children that even though someone may look different or be less fortunate than them, they aren’t bad people. In Mr Stink, a 12-year-old girl, Chloe, befriends a homeless man called Mr Stink. Chloe decides she has to help Mr Stink, so she lets him live in her parents’ shed, without letting her parents know of her plans. She tries to do where best for Mr Stink, while keeping her plan a secret from her parents. Like The Boy in the Dress, Mr Stink was illustrated by Quentin Blake. Mr Stink was adapted for television, and it was broadcast on December 23, 2012 on the BBC.

Billionaire Boy was the next children’s book written by David Walliams, and it was broadcast on New Year’s Day 2016 on the BBC. It was the first book written by David Walliams to feature illustrations by Tony Ross. Billionaire Boy was published in 2010. This was then followed up in 2011 by Gangsta Granny, which, again, was adapted for television and was shown on the BBC on Boxing Day 2013. Gangsta Granny was followed by Ratburger in 2012, which won the Children’s Book of the Year at the Specsavers National Book Awards, and the Demon Dentist in 2013, which also won the Children’s Book of the Year at the Specsavers National Book Awards.

In 2014, David Walliams wrote his seventh children’s book, Awful Auntie. The setting for Awful Auntie is 1933, and we are introduced to Stelle Saxby, a young girl whose parents are killed in a car accident. Stella is the only heir to the family’s fortune and their mansion, so when Stella’s awful auntie, Auntie Alberta, move in to Saxby Hall, along with her pet owl, Wagner, it soon becomes clear that Alberta has her eyes firmly set on the Saxby estate. Stella must do all she can to overcome her auntie’s awful ways and stop her from getting her hands on the inheritance which is rightfully hers. Awful Auntie, like other books by David Walliams, has been adapted for television. Like his previous two books, Walliams won the Children’s Book of the Year at the Specsavers National Book Awards for Awful Auntie, and also the award for Audiobook of the Year at the same awards.

In 2015, continuing his yearly publications, the eighth children’s book to be written by David Walliams was published, entitled Grandpa’s Great Escape. Then, in a slight change, Walliams wrote a collection of short stories entitled The World’s Worst Children, which was published in May 2016. In The World’s Worst Children, Walliams introduces us to some truly horrible children, such as Dribbling Drew, Sofia Sofa and Blubbering Bertha.

Walliams has also written picture books for children, including The Slightly Annoying Elephant, The First Hippo on the Moon, The Queens Orang-Utan, and The Bear Who Went Boo!

As well as having written children’s books, Walliams has also written books to accompany his work on the TV show Little Britain.

DAVID WALLIAMS AWARDS

David Walliams has won many awards for his novels over the years. His 2009 published novel “Stink” won the Children’s Award at the 2010 People’s Book Prize. “Stink” also won the 9-11 year old category Lincolnshire Young People’s Book Award. His fourth novel “Gangsta Granny” was a winner of the 2012 Red House Children’s Book Award. “Ratburger” his fifth novel won the 2015 Younger Readers Award at the Red House Children’s Book Awards. “Ratburger” also won the 2012 Children’s Book of the Year at the Specsavers National Book Awards. He was back in 2013 and 2014 winning Children’s Book of the Year for “Demon Dentist” and “Awful Auntie” for two years in a row. “Awful Auntie” also won the 2014 Audiobook of the Year at the Specsavers National Book Awards.

DAVID WALLIAMS BOOKS INTO TV/MOVIES

Several of Walliams novels have been adapted for TV or for the big screen. “The Boy in the Dress” was adapted into a film by BBC One in 2014, starring Bill Kennedy with Matt Lipsey directing. “Mr. Stink” was adapted for TV in 2012 and made history as the first narrative program on the BBC to be filmed in 3D. It starred Nell Tiger Free as the lead protagonist with Declan Lowney in the director’s chair. In 2016, the TV adaptation of “The Boy in the Dress” was the 17th most watched series on BBC One. David Walliams played the lead role of Mrs. Trafe. “Gangsta Granny” was made into a 70-minute film that aired on BBC One in 2013. Gilly Tompkins starred as the chief protagonist Granny.

BEST DAVID WALLIAMS BOOKS

Even as Walliam has written some of the greatest novels, there are some that have gone on to become fan favorites, having widespread appeal. Three of the most popular novels by David Walliams include:

The Midnight Gang: The novel is a heartwarming story of magic and friendship between five children that are in a hospital ward. Even as it is expected that children should be sleeping at midnight, the Midnight Gang is always up seeking adventure. On one of their nightly adventures, Tom has to be taken to the Lord Funt Hospital after he is smacked in the head by a cricket ball. Things go from bad to worse when he is greeted by an evil-looking porter, only for him to meet the wicked matron of the children’s award. In a spellbinding tale, Tom discovers that he may be on the most thrilling journey of his young life.

Grandpa’s Great Escape: The novel is an exquisite portrait of the emotional bonds between a grandpa and his young charge. The Grandpa is a resident of the Maximum Security Twilight Zone, from which his grandson is on a quest to free him. It is an incredible journey detailing great escapes, speeding spitfires in the night sky, and a city full of high-octane adventure and humor. It portrays the everyday nature of the two as they go about their daily lives, such as the grandpa forgetting Jack’s name, wearing slippers to go shopping, and eating tinned tongue together.

Gangsta Granny: It is a moving and hilarious novel with the silly word, funny lists, and most of all a story of acceptance and prejudice that is the hallmark of David Walliams. The lead character is Ben, who is bored out of his mind when he has to spend the holidays with his grandmother. His mother is one of the most boring people he has ever had to live with – all she wants to do is eat cabbage soup and play scrabble. But all this time, she has a dark secret that she is hiding from her grandson. She used to be an international jewel thief and has now set her sights on the Crown Jewels. Best of all, she wants the help of Ben in stealing them.

David Walliams FAQs

Q: What nationality is David Walliams?

A: David Walliams is an English author of children’s books, as well being an actor and television presenter.

Q: What is David Walliams’ date of birth?

A: David Walliams was born on August 20th 1971.

Q: What is the name of David Walliams’ first children’s book?

A: The first children’s book to be written by David Walliams was The Boy in the Dress, which was published in 2008.

When Does The Next David Walliams book come out?

David Walliams doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Blunders and was released on October, 12th 2023. It is the newest book in the David Walliams Picture Books.

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