Thursday Thoughts: Book Review of I'm Dougal Trump... and It's Not My Fault by Dougal Trump

Dougal Trump is worried about dying. You might be surprised that a young boy is already writing (and rewriting) his will, but that's because you haven't met his sister Sibble (it's Sybil! - sorry Sibble), the mysterious creature in the shed, or the even more mysterious person who left the creature there with a note saying "If it dies so will you." If you were in his circumstances, wouldn't you be worried about your life expectancy?

Thankfully, in between worrying about whether someone will kill him shortly, Dougal has found the time to write down an account of what exactly is going on, interspersed with his various wills, notes from his friends and family, and some wonderfully expressive scribbled illustrations. Jackie Marchant has then put these fragments together into a rather fantastic book which made me laugh out loud several times when reading it. Dougal himself has a really strong voice while the supporting characters are really entertaining, in particular Dougal's sister Sybil and a group of boys who switch between being Dougal's best friends and mortal enemies in the way young boys often do.

I also particularly liked the way the book was put together - the mixture of Dougal's narration, the notes and wills, and the illustrations is eye-catching and does a great job of drawing the reader in. Added to that, the plot is extremely well-worked - I was taken completely by surprise by the ending, but it makes perfect sense when you read the book again (which I've done already - the joys of having a short, quick, and fun read!) 

Definitely recommended to people looking for a light-hearted, quirky, and really enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the further adventures of Dougal Trump!