Awful Auntie

Twelve-year-old Stella Saxby lives in Saxby Hall, a sprawling English manor house in 1933. After losing her parents in a car accident, she finds herself at the mercy of her Aunt Alberta, who arrives to take care of her. Aunt Alberta proves to be a cruel guardian who schemes to steal Stella's inheritance of Saxby Hall. She keeps a massive owl named Wagner as her companion and terrorizes Stella through various means. Stella must defend herself against her aunt's machinations with help from unexpected allies, including Gibbon the butler and a mysterious ghost named Soot who haunts the manor's chimneys. The story explores themes of courage, friendship, and the true meaning of family through a dark yet whimsical tale that balances serious subject matter with moments of humor.

Readers describe this as an entertaining children's book that balances humor with darker themes. Parents note it works well as a read-aloud book for ages 8-12. Readers liked: - The detailed illustrations by Tony Ross - British humor and wordplay - The mix of scary and funny moments - Strong female protagonist - Short chapters that keep kids engaged Common criticisms: - Too frightening for sensitive children - Some toilet humor feels forced - Plot drags in the middle sections - Character names can be heavy-handed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (23,000+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.7/5 (8,900+ ratings) Amazon US: 4.7/5 (2,100+ ratings) Multiple reviewers mentioned it's not Walliams' strongest book compared to Gangsta Granny or Mr Stink. Parents frequently note checking if their child can handle darker themes before reading, with one reviewer stating "My 9-year-old loved it but my 7-year-old found it too scary."

The Twits by Roald Dahl A married couple plays cruel tricks on each other in a dark comedy about revenge and comeuppance.

Gangsta Granny by David Walliams A boy discovers his grandmother leads a secret life as a jewel thief and joins her quest to steal the crown jewels.

The Demon Dentist by David Walliams A child investigates mysterious happenings when a new dentist arrives in town and children's teeth begin disappearing.

The Witches by Roald Dahl A boy and his grandmother battle a society of child-hating witches who disguise themselves as normal women.

The Nothing to See Here Hotel by Steven Butler A young boy helps manage his family's hotel for magical creatures while dealing with troublesome guests and supernatural chaos.

🦉 The owl character Wagner was inspired by real owls that David Walliams encountered at the British Wildlife Centre during his research for the book. 👻 The ghostly character Soot was based on Victorian-era chimney sweeps, many of whom were young children forced to work in dangerous conditions. 🏰 Saxby Hall was partially inspired by Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, where Winston Churchill was born and which features similar grand architecture and secret passages. ✍️ David Walliams has been frequently compared to Roald Dahl, and like Dahl, he often writes about children triumphing over cruel adult authority figures. 📚 The book spent 30 weeks at #1 on the UK children's bestseller list and has been adapted into a successful stage play performed at various theaters across Britain.