Gangsta Granny is the latest book by David Walliams, with illustrations by Quentin Blake. If you enjoyed the others, this is definitely a book you would like. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, this is the story about a boy and his grandmother, and how everything may not be as it seems, even the most boring of us may have a secret life
When the story begins Ben, our hero, is off to stay at his Granny's house as he does every Friday night. He hates it, hates playing Scrabble, hates the food and there is nothing to do. His secret dream is to be a plumber, he is fascinated by the pipework and how the whole water systems work together like a huge puzzle. His parents want him to fulfil the dreams they had of being champion ballroom dancers - but he hates dancing too. He phones home when he thinks his Granny is asleep to see if his parents will come and get him (they don't), but he has the awful feeling that Granny has overheard, and that he has hurt her feelings. But as Raj the shopkeeper points out, no-one is born old, and we all have secrets, and Ben should be more understanding. Even so, Ben is not prepared to find the biscuit tin full of stolen jewellery in Granny's kitchen.... she can't be a jewel thief can she? Not his old Granny?
Ben seems to be quite lonely boy, his Granny even more so. David Walliams story gives Ben the chance to rekindle his relationship with the grandmother he remembers from when he was very small. Quite sad in places but extremely funny in others (I like the bit where Granny abseils out of the hospital) and the illustrations by Quentin Blake are superb!
If you like the idea of growing old disgracefully, try the Granny Nothing stories by Catherine Macphail, or Harry and the Wrinklies by Alan Temperley. For another cameo appearance by Her Majesty, try The BFG by Roald Dahl.
