Children's Writer, Book Reviewer, Teacher, Artist
Welcome to Villains Academy - the most prestigious villain school in the ENTIRE land...
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Wickedly funny, pacy and full of dastardly characters, the first in 'The Villains Academy' (out Feb 2023) is an absolute blast. Ryan Hammond has created a fantastic new series with crisp, engaging illustrations, which feels like an animated series in the waiting. Perfect for fans of Dogman and Loki. I can't wait to share this one with my class.
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It's werewolf Bram's first day at Villains Academy. He really doesn't feel like a villain at all, but the coveted Villain of the Week trophy is up for grabs, and Bram knows he'll have to dig deep. Can he become the villain he's always dreamed of being?
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'Villains Academy' is instantly engaging from the first page. Children will find it a lot of fun with the academy's expectations being the opposite of schools we know: being naughty, being villainous, getting detentions is a good thing! Except, Bram struggles to be all that bad - as much as he tries. There are hilarious set pieces that ultimately go wrong for Bram and, try as he might, he's just not that bad. What I loved most about this was the message that even when you're trying to be your worst most villainous self, you still need your allies, your friends. I particularly loved Bryan the lion, who can't stop farting. for reasons that become apparent as the story progresses! Mona the elf-witch is also a great character who makes life initially more difficult for Bram until she too softens. Can anyone truly be all that bad? Will goodness always come through whether you like it or not? Children will surely ask these questions when they've finished this fab book, but they will also be eager to get the hands on the next instalment. I can see children in my class queuing to get their hands on this!
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'Villains Academy' promises to be a brilliant new series to engage a whole new legion of readers who love funny, highly illustrated books with a wicked, though ultimately uplifting, twist!
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Thank you to Simon & Schuster Ltd for my copy to review.
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https://www.waterstones.com/book/villains-academy/ryan-hammond/9781398514614
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