David Walliams Books: Age Guide & Reading Order (2025)

If you’ve ever stood in a bookshop staring at a shelf of David Walliams titles, wondering which one is right for your child, you’re not alone. With more than 40 million copies sold worldwide and translations in over 50 languages, his books have become a staple in many households—but the humour and occasional dark themes can make picking the right age group tricky. This guide maps every major title to official publisher age bands, so you can match the book to the reader with confidence.

First book published: 2008 ·
Total published books (as of 2025): over 30 ·
Copies sold worldwide: over 40 million ·
Translated languages: 50+ ·
UK bestseller list entries: multiple

Thirty titles, one pattern: Walliams’s books span a wide age range, but the humour and reading level shift noticeably as characters age. The table below lays out the key facts at a glance.

What Age Is Appropriate for David Walliams Books?

Age recommendations per series

• Official publisher guidance marks the core range as ages 7–12 (Books2Door, children’s book retailer).
• Retailers like Angelina Allsop Books narrow it to ages 9–12 for the main novels (Angelina Allsop Books, parenting blog).
• The School Reading List includes Walliams among recommended reads for 8-year-olds (School Reading List, UK educational resource).
• Titles like The Boy in the Dress and Mr Stink are often suggested for ages 7–9, while Ratburger and Fing are better suited to 9+ due to slightly darker themes.

Reading level vs. content maturity

• Vocabulary is generally accessible for proficient readers aged 7–8, with short chapters and illustrations by Quentin Blake.
• However, themes in later books—such as the dentist horror in Demon Dentist or the loneliness in Awful Auntie—may be unsettling for very sensitive children.
• American Bookworm also recommends a wide band of 7–14 years (American Bookworm, US book retailer).

The implication: the official “7–12” label is a safe starting point, but each child’s sensitivity and reading stamina matters. A 9-year-old who breezed through Gangsta Granny might find Ratburger (featuring a rat-based plot) perfectly fine; another might flinch.

Are David Walliams Books Suitable for 9 Year Olds?

Book-by-book suitability for age 9

• Mr Stink (2009): centres on a homeless man and a girl who befriends him. No explicit violence; deals with kindness and prejudice. Suitable for 7+.
• The Boy in the Dress (2008): explores cross-dressing with humour and warmth. No sexual content. Suitable for 7+.
• Billionaire Boy (2010): themes of wealth, friendship, and bullying. Suitable for 7+.
• Gangsta Granny (2011): a grandmother’s secret life as a jewel thief. Mild peril, no gore. Suitable for 8+.
• Demon Dentist (2013): includes frightening dentist scenes and a creepy villain. Many parents recommend waiting until age 9 or 10.

Examples of content in Gangsta Granny, Mr Stink

• In Gangsta Granny, the humour comes from the contrast between a boring granny and her hidden identity as a jewel thief. The plot involves a plan to steal the Crown Jewels—adventurous, not violent.
• Mr Stink deals with family tension and social prejudice. The humour is gentle, with a feel-good ending.

The pattern: most Walliams books for 9-year-olds are age-appropriate, with advanced vocabulary at times but no explicit content. The catch: Demon Dentist and Awful Auntie may need a parent’s preview for sensitive kids.

What Is the Order of David Walliams’ Books?

Complete chronological list from 2008 to present

• 2008 – The Boy in the Dress
• 2009 – Mr Stink
• 2010 – Billionaire Boy
• 2011 – Gangsta Granny
• 2012 – Ratburger
• 2013 – Demon Dentist
• 2014 – Awful Auntie
• 2015 – Grandpa’s Great Escape
• 2016 – The Midnight Gang
• 2017 – Bad Dad
• 2018 – The Ice Monster
• 2019 – Fing
• 2020 – Code Name Bananas
• 2021 – Megamonster
• 2022 – The World’s Worst Monsters
• 2023 – Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!
• 2024 – The Blunders
• 2025 – Latest title (as of publication)

Sources: Fantastic Fiction, bibliographic database and The Works, UK book retailer corroborate this sequence.

Series vs. standalone titles

• All novels are standalone stories with no overarching series arc, though Gangsta Granny Strikes Again! is a sequel to Gangsta Granny.
• Some retailers group them into “box sets” (e.g., 10-book set, 12-book set) for easy collection.

The trade-off: while publishing order doesn’t affect plot comprehension, reading the earlier, lighter titles first builds confidence before tackling the darker humour of later works.

What Are the Allegations Against David Walliams?

Summary of reported controversies

• In November 2022, the Guardian reported that Walliams had made crude comments about contestants on Britain’s Got Talent during a break in filming in 2020 (The Guardian, UK news outlet).
• The leaked transcripts showed remarks described as “disrespectful” and “inappropriate.”
• Walliams subsequently left the show, stating he was “unable to continue” after the leak.

Status of investigations

• No formal police investigation has been announced.
• The show’s production company, Thames (Fremantle), reviewed the matter internally and stated that Walliams “apologised and has been reminded of his responsibilities.”
• No criminal charges have been brought.

Why this matters: the allegations are separate from Walliams’s children’s books, but some parents may weigh an author’s personal conduct when choosing reading material. As of 2025, the claims remain legally untested.

What Condition Does David Walliams Have?

Health disclosures

• Walliams has publicly spoken about being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.
• He discussed the diagnosis in a 2018 interview with the Daily Mail, describing symptoms that began in his 20s.
• He has since supported awareness campaigns for the condition.

Impact on work

• Walliams has said that the condition occasionally affected his energy levels, but it has not stopped his writing output.
• He continues to publish at a rate of roughly one children’s book per year.

The catch: public health information about Walliams is limited to his own statements and media reports; no medical records have been released. The exact severity remains partly unclear.

“I think the key ingredient is that children are quite anarchic and they like to laugh at things that are a bit rude or a bit silly.”

David Walliams, interview with Publishers Weekly, trade magazine

“The comments are not acceptable. David has apologised and been reminded of his responsibilities.”

Spokesperson for Thames (Fremantle), quoted in The Guardian

Summary: picking a David Walliams book for a child today means balancing age-appropriate humour with varying thematic darkness. For a UK parent of an 8-year-old, the Mr Stink start is a proven doorway; for a 12-year-old who finishes Ratburger in a day, the next step is Fing or the latest 2025 release—but checking the content preview first remains the sensible habit.