Children's Book review

Manfred The Baddie

By John Fardell

Published by Quercus

Manfred the Baddie is really bad. He and his gang kidnap brilliant inventors and force them to create outrageous machines for fiendish raids, audacious robberies and piracy on the high seas. Manfred is also an unpleasant, bullying boss.

So when Manfred gets a cold and no-one brings him soup, mops his brow or reads to him, it dawns on him that no-one actually wants him to get better. Manfred realises that being a goodie makes him much more popular and he becomes a reformed character, most of the time...

Cartoon-style illustrations complement this funny story of the triumph of good over evil, with a satisfyingly impish final twist.

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Reading age: 7+
Interest level: 3+