Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

LoveReading4Kids Says

Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2020

Written by Humza Arshad, creator of the hit YouTube series Diary of a Bad Man, and comedy writer Henry White, Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties is fast- paced, funny and infused with a frenzy of madcap adventure. As such, it comes heartily recommended for 8+ year-olds who want to be wildly entertained by a cracking lead character, with sweetness coming courtesy of the theme of friendship, alongside the eponymous aunties’ sugary snacks.

Larger than life, the hero of this laugh-loud-out loud festival is a self-professed “big fish in a small pond. Like a shark in a fish bowl, or a pit bull in a hamster cage. Sooner or later, I’m gonna explode out of there and the world is gonna know my name. Humza Khan. But you can call me Little Badman.” Such is Little Badman’s gloriously entertaining voice, which drives this school-set mystery and goes up a few notches when he’s in rapping mode (there’s no question that his rhymes are sick). As for the mystery — why on earth have a crew of Asian aunties taken over his school, offering tasty auntie food and “painting with chocolate” art classes, among other things?

The magic of this book isn’t solely due to the comedy and madcap adventure – Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties is underpinned by a whole lot of heart, a relatable representation of friendship, and British Asian culture, with Aleksei Bitskoff’s illustrations adding to the energy.

The Branford Boase judges said :  ‘brilliant comedy’; ‘great fun, with a unique voice’; ‘full of heart – I’ve recommended it left, right and centre’; ‘the friendship between the two boys is so well drawn’.

Joanne Owen

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