A review by katykelly
Robodog by David Walliams

3.0

Madcap Walliams for dog lovers.

3.5 stars

Having just read World's Worst Pets last week, I suspect Walliams took the great section from that, the Diary of the Evil Supercat bit, as inspiration for this. Oh and snuck in a robot dog.

This will appeal to a slightly younger market that some of Walliams' others, I'll be reading it to my six-year-old this week. It's for the superhero crowd, and has all of the author's now trademark points in play.

In Gotham-like mayhem, Bedlam is a city in crisis, full of every over-the-top villain one could imagine. As one half of a same-sex couple (the author's new thing), the Chief of Police is hoping her Dog School will train up canine officers to help catch the criminals. But the Lost Patrol - of scared/silly/lazy doggies just can't get the basics. Yep, loveable heroes.

The chief's partner, the Professor, is persuaded by her wife to create a supercop, a Robodog to help in her crime fighting attempts. Which both horrifies the other trainee dogs - and the human's pet cat, Velma: the evillest cat in the world. Who of course LOATHES dogs. So the stage is set for ridiculous mayhem, lists, over-the-top set pieces and toilet humour in spades.

There are touches of Pinocchio/Short Circuit heart and soul-searching, but they are far fewer than in Walliams' first few books.

Pretty sure my son will think this is hilarious. A Rat called Ratty pretending to be a mouse, a robot dog made from washing machines, an evil brain in a jar? Course he will.

For ages 6-10.