AniMalcolm

Product Information

My son used to be an avid reader and we have read most of the Road Dahl books together as well as some other great series’, such as Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey. Along with Baddiel’s other books for nine- to 12-year olds, The Person Controller, Birthday Boy and The Parent Agency, AniMalcolm has been a big hit with younger readers – largely because he deliberately set out not to patronise them, especially when it came to humour. His latest novel is a testament to that - a hugely imaginative adventure with a Home Alone meets Animal Farm twist!

Animalcolm by David Baddiel (9780008185145/Hardback

As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and can see it easily being a popular choice for children and could even provide some interesting discussion points. I was impressed at the size of typeface and page layout, with clear spaces between the lines making reading easier for my boys. But from there it was onwards and upwards, with Baddiel pulling in the crowds with his stand-up, filming The Mary Whitehouse Experience at the Edinburgh Playhouse, and having “one of the best performance experiences I’ve ever had” with Frank Skinner in Unplanned. Although the start and part of the end might not be as fun to read, the rest of it couldn't be better. This funny fantasy adventure has a sweet little moral about self-belief and standing out from the crowd.

In a nutshell: four-legged comedy capers| The starting point for David Baddiel’s new children’s book is a zany ‘what if’ scenario that sets up a very funny story of self-discovery. David Baddiel has written and performed in a series of highly successful TV comedy shows, including The Mary Whitehouse Experience and Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned.

Interview: David Baddiel on the stage adaptation of his

In 1988, he was introduced to Rob Newman, a comic impressionist, and the two became a writing partnership. And I’ve noticed, as I’ve grown older, that I’m not entirely happy unless there’s an animal, particularly a cat, in the house.Most of the book take place on the farm, and we see Malcolm make friends, transform in another animal, find out about what happened to him, and also has a jolly good time as he discovers that being an animal can be quite fun and delightful. Throughout the book you also see him change as he understands more and more about animals, as he makes friends with them, as he hears their stories, as he sees just what they do for him.

AniMalcolm by David Baddiel and Jim Field - The Bookbag AniMalcolm by David Baddiel and Jim Field - The Bookbag

A light and amusing read, Baddiel gives us an imaginative look at how cats climb and tortoises talk to each other - how Malcolm communicates cross-species is also cleverly done. Later on the book gets even more excited as a race against time starts and Malcolm has to ask all his friends to help him out. He has written four novels: Time for Bed, Whatever Love Means, The Secret Purposes and The Death of Eli Gold. There are a number of footnotes which include funny anecdotes or explanations, and it makes for somewhat stilted reading. We cover cultural events, family days out, and eating out in Newcastle, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, Teesside, as well as travel, short-breaks and holidays further afield.

This is quite a meaty book to hold so there will be a sense of achievement in completing this book, however it's incredibly manageable for an average/confident reader.

AniMalcolm | Summer Reading Challenge AniMalcolm | Summer Reading Challenge

He has his reasons, and I was nodding along, I could totally understand he may not be all that happy with animals. The language and words used also targets its audience brilliantly making it an easy read for 8 – 11-year-olds. Malcolm is the only member of his family not to love animals (possibly due to an unpleasant experience with a monkey and its poo on a day out at the zoo), until a meeting with a mystic goat on the year six trip turns him into a series of different creatures, including tortoise, cat and pig. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. I’ve adapted my own work a couple of times, and I’ve also given my novels to other people to adapt, and I do find that quite difficult,” says Baddiel.

Almost all of the book is from Malcolm's POV, but we also see his Mum and the teacher's POV, I quite liked that those POVs were also added. As he lives in an animal-loving house, he feels somewhat of an outcast - he doesn't quite fit in and belong. The book has many wonderful illustrations, by the fantastic Jim Field, which have their own sense of fun to them and will definitely sprinkle added enjoyment on the story. Very funny, from the short-sighted teacher to the poor tortoises running after everyone else in mad dashes. Like a lot of parents I am always on the look out for new books that will ignite a love of reading in my children.