Bad Dad by David Walliams
Published by HarperCollins on March 19th 2019
ISBN: 0062561103
Pages: 448
Goodreads

“Bad Dad” by bestselling author David Walliams is actually about a dad who is a good guy, but makes bad decisions and ends up working for a crime boss to make money. Frank, son of “Bad Dad,” loves his dad a lot. His dad’s car accident leads to money troubles and a bunch of bad situations. Frank goes along with the chaos to try and keep his dad out of trouble, but it doesn’t work.

The book reminds me of Roald Dahl’s outrageous situations and stories, and is illustrated by Quentin Blake. The female characters are a bit one-note (Auntie Flip who loooves poetry, Reverend Judith who just wants people to go to church, etc.), but the story is funny and exciting and features an LGBTQ wedding at the end. The illustrations are hilarious and the various sizes and styles of fonts will catch kids’ eyes. This middle grade novel is not a must-buy, unless Walliams’ books are very popular with your library or child.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.