Fing

Product Information

But as an experienced reader and librarian, it's pretty weak I'm afraid. This is the author's first novel with no hero/heroine. As Myrtle is a World's Worst Child in all but book title, she's actually also a minor character for most of the book. Spoiled by her librarian parents (oh what a terrible example they set for my profession!), she's a stereotype of an indulged brat with no personality anyway - nobody will be dressing up as her next World Book Day. Stretchable jaws allow the green anaconda snake to swallow its prey whole, no matter the size. It eats wild pigs, deer and even jaguars. David has proved himself as a dramatic actor in BBC2's 'Capturing Mary' with Dame Maggie Smith, in BBC1's Agatha Christie series 'Partners In Crime', as Frankie Howerd in the biopic ‘Rather You Than Me’ for BBC4, and on the stage in Harold Pinter’s 'No Man’s Land' starring alongside Sir Michael Gambon. He received the Comedy Award at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his performance as Bottom in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ directed by Michael Grandage.

Myrthe is een verwend kind. Een echt monster. Ze behandelt haar ouders als vuil, scheldt ze uit, en eist alleen maar meer en meer. Op een dag weet ze niet meer wat ze nog kan vragen, ze heeft alles al. En dus eist ze een DINGES, en wel zo snel mogelijk. Haar ouders, meneer en Mevrouw Mak, weten niet wat een dinges is. Gelukkig werken ze in de bibliotheek en daar staat het dinges in een boek: de Monsterpedie. Een dinges is het meest destructieve en slechtste huisdier ter wereld. Toch gaat Papa Mak het oerwoud in om een dinges te vangen. Onderweg komt hij allerlei akelige monsters tegen. But what can a child ask for, when they already have everything they could possibly need, and more? Well, a Fing, of course. Ham slicer. Even though she hated ham. Ice skates made for an elephant. Four of them. Jar containing one of scientist Albert Einstein’s burps.* The front cover of the books says: “ Fing is an explosively funny tale” - something the children agreed with unanimously. RATTLE! Books would fly off the shelves. W H O O S H ! BONK! Pictures would fall off the walls. DUNK! SHATTER! Plaster would shower down from the ceiling. C R U M B L E ! DUNK! Poor Mr and Mrs Meek would be hurled out of bed. DOOF! DOOF! They would scramble to their feet, and immediately run around doing their daughter’s bidding. They gave Myrtle everything. But everything was never, ever enough. Oh no. The girl wanted one more “FING”.Meet the Meeks. They are funny and people who don’t give up to please their daughter, however dangerous, impossible or an “ARE YOU CRAZY?!!!” situation they are in. Who is this daughter? Her name is Myrtle and she is an absolute HORROR! David Walliams is fast becoming a global phenomenon in the world of children’s literature – his ability to wow fans is unprecedented with global sales over 14.1 million. Myrtle is the HORROR of all HORROR in the history of HORROR. She demands everything. But when she demands a fing it changes everyfing. Everyfing goes completely wrong. And I love the part when they go into the library then went to the jungle to find a Fing. But the best part is when they tell us about the stuff Myrtle got all ready because that stuff is very weird, like underpants for worms and a jar containing an Albert Einstein burp. The story itself is ridiculously simple: brat wants 'Fing' as pet. Parents acquiesce. Parents find said potentially destructive pet. (SPOILER!!) Destruction occurs. A World's Worst Children-like 'serves-you-right ending for spoilt brat' also occurs.

Compared with other books by David Wallliams, this one is shorter and was a fairly easy read for most of my Year 4 children. They absolutely loved the toilet humour - there are lots of poo jokes - and they enjoyed the weird and wonderful names given to the monsters featured in the Monsterpedia. Poison dart frogs secrete a powerful poison through their skin – some contain enough to kill 10 people! And Mr and Mrs Meek themselves are spineless simpering cliches, calling each other 'Mother' and 'Father'. There's nothing to them and they don't grow or do anything of note throughout the entire book. And so begins an adventure so bizarre and hilarious that the kids will not be able to read this book quietly, or put it down until it is finished! zebra dung. It was the only thing she could think of that began with a “z”. One thing Myrtle didn’t have any of was books. Despite her parents being librarians, she DETESTED books and thought they were B-O-O-O-R-R-R-I- I-I-N-N-N-G-G-G!* The girl had all this stuff, a universe of junk, but still she wanted something more. The funny thing was that she just didn’t know what.

In this most secret and forbidden place they stumble across The Monsterpedia, a terrifying book of long extinct and mythical creatures that are revolting, disgusting and horrifying. In this most unlikely of places, they discover the dreadful truth of a Fing. But surely, they could never find a REAL one, could they? I wanna teddy bear!” I wanna pony!” I wanna suitcase full of money!” The girl would make such a din that the little Meek family house would actually shake.

The story centres on the Meek family. Mr and Mrs Meek, who are quiet, sensible librarians, and their daughter Myrtle.I think it was very good because nobody knew what would happen next. My favourite character was Fing and Myrtle Meek because Myrtle is always stroppy and gets her own way, like my sister. BESTEST BETTER THAN BEST!” appealed Father. Once again, Myrtle reached into her lunchbox. “Oh dear,” muttered Father, closing his eyes as he was sure something was about to be lobbed in his direction. He was right. This follows on from the success of Grandpa’s Great Escape, Awful Auntie, Demon Dentist, Ratburger and Gangsta Granny. All went straight to Children’s number one on release with Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy selling over a million copies to date.

As a brand, The World of David Walliams continues to grow: export sales have increased by 77% year on year with growth in every single market and David’s books are published in over 49 languages. It tells the simple tale of Mr and Mrs Meek, and Myrtle, their perfectly monstrous daughter. Myrtle is thoroughly spoilt and has everything she could possibly want. But everything isn’t enough. She wants more, more, more! This story is about Myrtle, who wants a Fing and how her parents, Mr and Mrs Meek, try to find one for her. Added to all this, David’s books have achieved unprecedented critical acclaim: Awful Auntie, Ratburger and Demon Dentist won the National Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year and in France David was awarded the popular Tamtam for Mr Stink and the prestigious Le Prix Du Livre De La Jeunesse for Ratburger, so it comes as no surprise that countless broadsheet reviewers have compared David to his all-time hero, Roald Dahl. Chapter 15: Trap! Chapter 16: Suspicious Droppings Chapter 17: Wiggled, Waggled and Woggled Chapter 18: Double Trouble Chapter 19: Flying Sausage Chapter 20: Furry Finger-Warmer Chapter 21: Hot-Air Fing-Ing Chapter 22: Beard Down to his Belly Button Part 4: Big Fing and Little Fing Chapter 23: How We Laughed Chapter 24: Being British Chapter 25: Wart Chapter 26: A Volcanic Explosion of Tears, Snot and Dribble Chapter 27: Custard-Cream-Induced Frenzy Chapter 28: Gobble! Chapter 29: Big Fing, Meet Little Fing Part 5: Kaboom! Chapter 30: Instant Replay Chapter 31: Pong Chapter 32: Fizzling Fur Chapter 33: Nightmare Chapter 34: Escaped Burp Chapter 35: Behind You Chapter 36: A Ginormous Boot Up the Bottom Chapter 37: Silence Epilogue Footnotes More from the World of David Walliams Also by David Walliams About the PublisherMy favourite characters in the book are Myrtle and Fing. I like Myrtle because she is funny and I like Fing, because he bit Mr Meek’s finger. This is a really amazing book. On their hands and knees under the kitchen table, Mr Meek whispered to his wife, “What are we to do? Our beloved offspring wants a ‘FING’. But I don’t think a ‘FING’ is a real thing. I worry a ‘FING’ is a made-up thing.” “We’ll have to think of SOMEFING – I mean, something,” replied Mrs Meek just before she felt a boot up her bottom. BOOF! “OUCH!” she cried. “SHUT UP DOWN THERE!” came the voice from above. “I can barely hear myself blow off!” “That’s better.” Mr and Mrs Meek were in a panic. If they didn’t come up with some “FING”, there was going to be TROUBLE. BIG TROUBLE. As well as his Children’s fiction, David has also published four number one bestselling picture books, his latest, The Bear Who went Boo! was published in November 2015 and has had total sales of over 85,000 to date. The Queen’s Orang-utan, David’s third picture book was written exclusively for Comic Relief with David giving all of his proceeds from the book to the charity. So this review is not from his perspective - an 8 year old will love this: bum/poo jokes, lots of noises and silly creatures, things being destroyed, lists. It's also half the length of most of Walliams' recent novels, but still with regular Tony Ross sketches, so does speed along. No, it's great for the target market. One of the characters in this story is Myrtle. You might think she’s cute, but she is a real nightmare. The story is about Myrtle who gets anything she wants from her parents. Her father, Mr Meek, goes to the deepest, darkest, jungliest jungle to get her a…fing! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes comedy and adventure.