Look at the labelled diagram of granny. Could you create a similar diagram for another character in the book, or from another story?

You may then choose to provide children with the ready-made word mats to help them to complete the planning sheets provided. From there, they should have all they need to write powerful and effective Gangsta Granny character descriptions. Mr Stink’ (2009) and ‘Gangsta Granny’ (2011) – both entertaining and amusing novels from the now very commercially successful pen of David Walliams. This was a read which both my children enjoyed. There were a few gross references, to breaking wind mostly, which are always a winner with children. It's a good book to read aloud, but be prepared to do some voices, because it works much better if you're willing to put some effort into it! How might granny be feeling when she hears Ben tell his parents that he doesn’t want to stay with her? Think of different words to describe her emotions. Draw a picture of how granny’s face might look at that time.

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Added to all this, David’s books have achieved unprecedented critical acclaim: Awful Auntie, Ratburger and Demon Dentist won the National Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year and in France David was awarded the popular Tamtam for Mr Stink and the prestigious Le Prix Du Livre De La Jeunesse for Ratburger, so it comes as no surprise that countless broadsheet reviewers have compared David to his all-time hero, Roald Dahl.

Due to his obnoxious parents’ desire to have the night to themselves once per week (so they can watch their celebrity dance shows on the telly) Ben is shipped off to his grandmother’s bungalow every Friday evening. Ben hates spending time with his granny; she’s boring and smells of cabbage. Things change, though, when Ben discovers his boring granny used to be an international jewel thief. Raj tries to sell some Cornettos with a Best Before date of 15th November 1996. Find out what might happen to food after their best-before dates. How do we keep different types of food fresh for as long as possible? I read this as a bedtime story over a few nights with my children, aged 5 and 8. Ben thinks his granny is a boring old lady, who only likes playing scrabble and eating cabbage but he's about to find out that he has under appreciated Granny. Could she possibly be a gangster? Or even a gangsta?! He goes home and now can't wait to see his grandma again to find out about these jewels. But when his dad rings Granny up, she says she's too busy that evening to have Ben sleep over.

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In Chapter 24, there is a list of famous prisoners who were kept at the Tower of London. Can you find out about them and their crimes? Little Britain’, which he co-created with Matt Lucas, started on Radio 4 and soon progressed to BBC1. The show has won numerous international awards including three BAFTAs, and now plays in over 100 countries. ‘Little Britain Live’ performed to a million people in the UK, Ireland and Australia. David and Matt followed ‘Little Britain’ with the hugely popular spoof airport documentary series 'Come Fly With Me'. Previously by David Walliams: The Boy in the Dress Mr Stink Billionaire Boy Gangsta Granny Ratburger Demon Dentist Awful Auntie Grandpa's Great Escape The World's Worst Children The Midnight Gang Also available in Picture Book: The Slightly Annoying Elephant The First Hippo on the Moon The Queen's Orang-utan The Bear Who Went Boo! There's a Snake in My School! •