Madame Doubtfire

Wonderfully witty and confident writing with an eccentric plot and comedy which break through the cliches of separated parents and give some awful, sharp understanding. We sympathise (at first) with the father, an unemployed actor, whose attempts to have his visits from the children seem continually to be eroded by his dominant, executive wife. When business forces her to take on a housekeeper for the children despite his offers of help, he has to use his talents to create the marvellous lady of the title. Tom Sharpe would be proud of several of the scenes which follow and we can only laugh and admire the skill of writing which reveals truths and insights about the old and new battles of the sexes. And what a book for helping to satisfy the new attainment targets for English at about Key Stage 3!