
The Demon Dentist
by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+
Published by HarperCollins Children's Books, 2015
About this book
Strange things are happening in the dead of night. Children who put a tooth under the pillow for the tooth fairy wake to find... a dead slug; a live spider; or hundreds of earwigs creeping beneath their pillow. Evil is at work, but who is behind it? Could it be the Demon Dentist?
This delightfully dark offering from comedian-turned-bestselling author David Walliams is certain to entertain young readers. Tony Ross's illustrations work brilliantly with Walliams's text; there's plenty of fast-paced action; and the jokes are gleefully ghoulish (and often gross). The characters are well-drawn, in particular hero Alife, who is also a carer for his disabled dad, and the terrible villain really is truly demonic.
The dentist is a common phobia amongst children, and the more sensitive might find some of the more nightmarish scenes difficult to take, most notably when Alfie gets all his teeth removed without anaesthetic, his arms and legs held in place with metal cuffs. Yet whilst this book is unlikely to dispel any dentist fears, there's enough humour in the mix to prevent it becoming too terrifying for the majority of young readers.
About the author

What to read next
We know that children can get hooked on a favourite book series or author and struggle to find something they love as much, but we’re here to help.
-
David Walliams has become a hugely popular author for children, but if you know young readers who have torn through all his stories and need some more inspiration, we have plenty of suggestions!
More books like this
-
Billionaire Boy
by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross
9 to 12 years
-
Gangsta Granny
by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross
9 to 12 years
-
Mr Stink
by David Walliams, illustrated by Quentin Blake
9 to 12 years
-
The Boy in the Dress
by David Walliams, illustrated by Quentin Blake
9 to 12 years