Spangles McNasty and the Fish of Gold

This is the start of a new series, featuring Spangles McNasty, one of the nastiest characters you could hope to meet in a book.  He likes to upset babies and old ladies, to let off wind loudly in libraries and to steal sparkly, spangly things from anywhere he can. He and his friend Sausage-face Pete set out to steal all the goldfish in Sandylands and Bitterly Bay, thinking they can wait until the goldfish grow to the size of whales and then melt them down to make gold.  And their best-ever plan is to steal the Mayor’s fabulous new Fish of Gold stored in a boat yard in Bitterly Bay. But they are thwarted by a young hero called Freddie Taylor, an ancient pink-haired candy floss seller, and a fortune-teller who can only tell you what’s happened in the past!

This partnership between Steve Webb and Chris Mould is brilliant.  The illustrations are just as hilarious as the laugh-out-loud text.  Spangles McNasty, with his dastardly moustache, and Sausage-face Pete with his range of false beards, are fabulously weird and wacky creations.  It’s a pacey read, packed full of jokes from beginning to end and it definitely leaves you wanting more.  I can’t wait to read the next in the series.