The Blunders by David Walliams. Illus. by Adam Stower

Blunder: a stupid or careless mistake or to make one.

That pretty much sums up the family in this new release from one of the most popular authors for young readers. "The Blunders are the most blundersome family in the blundering history of blunderdom. They live in a crumbling country house named Blunder Hall. It has been in the family for hundreds of years in the heart of the English countryside."

And like so many stately homes of its ilk, it is slowly crumbling and the family is constantly and desperately seeking ways to raise funds to maintain it. For Lord Bertie Blunder ("a classic upper class twit"), this means inventing something that will make the family a fortune but sadly, his inventions tend to be so silly and impractical that they cost more than they raise. But if he is to keep his family together and his home his castle, he needs to do something before The Man from the Bank who has his own plan to seize Blunder Hall can close everything down.

Fans of David Walliams will appreciate finding this either in their Christmas stocking or on the school library shelves, as will those who are just embarking on their independent reading journey because of its easy-to-read text liberally illustrated with line drawings that not only support the story but are also LOL in themselves. The characters are caricatures, the humour is slapstick, and the whole read one that will support the young reader in their belief that they can read, even thick books like this one.

Themes: Upper classes, Houses.

Barbara Braxton