介绍:
This is a small segment of our weekly literature program: Ink&Quill.
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David Walliams may sound like an unassuming name. Yet on British television, that is the name of a bona-fide superstar.
Best known for his judging role on the reality show "Britain's Got Talent" and his appearance in several BBC TV programs, the actor first rose to national fame due to his collaboration with fellow comedian Matt Lucas in the multi-award winning sketch show, "Little Britain".
But almost ten years ago, this popular TV personality made a 180-degree turn by trying his hands at children's literature.
During a phone interview with Ink&Quill, he said writing for children is not miles away from writing a comedy script but also admitted that getting a right voice is a big part of the job: "Because it's really like you are sitting down with a child and figure out what kind of voice as a writer, how do you talk to those children and what is it that you really want to say. "
Nowadays, David Walliams is recognized as one of the UK's most successful children's writers, entering the most-read charts alongside JK Rowling and Michael Morpurgo. From the award-winning comedy fiction "Gangsta Granny" to the short story collection "The World's Worst Children", his books have sold over 17 million copies in fifty-three languages.
When asked whether he finds writing for children testing, this comedian-turned-bestselling-author replies:"I actually make it challenging. I mean, my first book is about a boy who went to school dressed like a girl and I wrote that book ten years ago when people were a lot less tolerant towards that kind of thing. And a lot of books have political dimension, if you think about how you treat someone are less fortunate than yourself, so you can consider that political. 'Grandpa's Great Escape' deals with dementia. So I am trying to deal with challenging subject matters but I am trying to deal with them in a simple and direct way. It means children would understand that."
Walliams's writing is simple, direct, rollicking, yet without losing the sentimental touch. His latest book, "The World's Worst Children 2", is no exception.
Much like the first volume, the latest installment of "The World's Worst Children" collects stories of ten ghastly kids, the kind of repellent boys and girls you truly wish you could avoid at all cost.
"I think well-behaving ones probably won't make very interesting story. I think kids like to read about naughty kids in the main. In my novels, I generously have well-behaved children with horrible adults. " The author explains the setting of his new book: "I thought it would be really fun if I wrote a book of short stories, which I had never done before and concentrate on really, really wicked children and make them like variety tales. For example, there is a boy in this new collection book called spoiled Brad. He wants to celebrate his birthday every day and every day he demands birthday presents and a bigger cake. He ends up drowning in his birthday cake. So they are a little bit quirky tales for kids. "
David Walliams let his imagination run wild this time.
Besides Brad, we meet Humbert the hungry baby, who literally eats everything including his own parents and then becomes a King-Kong like creature. Then, we wince at Gruesome Griselda, who likes to play tricks on everyone at school with her vast collection of creepy crawlies, perfect for hiding caterpillars in her headmistress's knickers and filling the bathtub with worms.
But just like Walliams' other works, "The World's Worst Children" is not all about disturbing behaviors and gross little things. The book is educational as well. Rather than sermonizing to young readers, moral lessons and words of wisdom are knitted into the fibre of the stories.
"Because I suppose when a story is at its best, they are teaching children a lesson that you don't want to watch television all day, or pick nose all day, or be fussy about food or whatsoever. You know, I am just trying to make sure that the stories are satisfying in a moral way. I mean my hero Roald Dahl was very good at that."
To be honest, the flamboyant typography, scatological humour and slightly rude jokes might gross out some adult readers. But who cares anyway?
The children are the ones doing the reading.
"In the main, I just like to entertain children, because I think if we want to encourage children to read, give them a book that is really fun. They want to pick upon on their own, they are not told to read by teachers or parents, they just read through for pleasure. Because that gets them to reading. Once you start reading, no matter what you are reading, you often end up becoming a reader in adult life. So that's the principle aim. "
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