The Midnight Gang
Common Sense says
- David Walliams
- Friendship
- 2018
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Midnight Gang is a wild, Dahl-esque tale of a 12-year-old boy who lands in a London hospital following a cricket mishap and soon gets sucked into wild, authority-defying, joy-inducing adventures. Author David Walliams and illustrator Tony Ross' storytelling involves a good deal of crude and gross-out humor (to say nothing of artificial leg gags). Still more alarming, the kids drug the cruel Matron by repurposing one kid's sleeping pills, and one of them injects her in the butt with a strong sedative. All of which definitely calls for a heads-up. However, the story is packed with effective messages about kindness, empathy, creative problem-solving, friendship, not judging by appearances, and above all not letting bad people drag you down to their level. Also it's pretty funny.
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Inspiring Friendship
What's the story?
As THE MIDNIGHT GANG opens, 12-year-old Tom Charpers regains consciousness only to be terrified by a misshapen face peering into his and assuring him that everything's going to be all right. Turns out young Tom has been hit on the head with a cricket ball at his posh but horrible school, and now finds himself stuck in the children's ward at Lord Funt Hospital, an ancient and creaky London institution. Already in the ward are Amber (smart, snarky, both arms and both legs in casts), Robin (eyes bandaged due to recent surgery), George (pudgy cockney lad recovering from tonsil surgery), and Sally (who's a lot sicker than the rest of them, has lost all her hair, and spends a lot of time sleeping). In charge of it all is an outwardly beautiful, inwardly vicious Matron who delights in making them as miserable as she can. But as long as anyone can remember, the Midnight Gang has been subverting her rule with wild, secret nighttime antics and making kids happy. And the Porter (the ugly face who first terrified Tom) turns out to be a big part of it.
Is it any good?
British author David Walliams is in top form with this imaginative, poignant, often crude, and frequently hilarious tale of kids stuck in a London hospital. Some of the antics -- drugging oppressive adults and having secret expeditions to walk-in freezers -- are definitely not suited to real life. But it's a heartstring-tugging, thought-provoking tale with unforgettable characters, relatable issues, and a determination to do better than the bad people in your life.
"'That lady has darkness in her heart. She enjoys making the children in her care suffer.'
"'Why?' asked Tom.
"'Matron loves being cruel. It must make her feel powerful. This is why she made you wear that nightdress.'
"I hate her,' said the boy through gritted teeth.
'"Don't. That must be what she wants. If you hate her, she's won. And your heart will turn dark too. I know it's hard, but please try not to let her get to you.'
"'I'll try.'
"'Good,' said the Porter."
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about stories like The Midnight Gang that involve kids in hospitals. Have you read any others? Were the stories scary, or funny, or inspiring?
Do you know any people who seem to be really, really good at saying the meanest, most upsetting thing possible to people? Why do you think they act this way? How do you deal with them?
The Porter has been shunned his whole life because of his physical deformities, and no one but the kids get to know the real person. Do you know people who say mean things or treat others badly because of the way they look? What happens?
Book details
- Author: David Walliams
- Illustrator: Tony Ross
- Genre: Friendship
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship, Misfits and Underdogs
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harper
- Publication date: February 27, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 480
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 30, 2019
Themes & Topics
For kids who love humor and friendship
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