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The Boy in the Dress

by David Walliams, Quentin Blake (illustrator)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 695 ratings · 159 reviews

The sparkling debut children's novel from David Walliams, co-creator and co-star of the multi-award-winning Little Britain. Dennis was different. Why was he different, you ask? Well, a small clue might be in the title of this book! Charming, surprising and hilarious -- The Boy in the Dress is everything you would expect from the co-creator of Little Britain. David Walliams...more

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published October 1st 2008 by HarperCollins Children's Books

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Sep 14, 2011 Liam Mernagh rated it 5 of 5 stars

‘The Boy in the Dress’ is a children’s book by David Walliams which details the adventures of twelve year old Dennis whose past times include cross-dressing and the reactions of his family and friends to this. When Dennis’ parents split up, he’s devastated and when forced to live with his father, the only comfort he finds is his mother’s left behind clothes. This sets off a series of comical transgender themes that allows the reader to light-heartedly enjoy his embarrassing explorations into the...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Kate Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars

it was such a FUNNY book! i loved the character denis! and i also loved raaj! and the descriptions of lisa was BRILLIANT i could see her in my head ! i love this book and i think- i know that David Williams is AWESOME! Cant wait to read his other books :D

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Apr 12, 2013 Kitty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Boy in the Dress' by David Walliams and illustrated the famous Quentin Blake which so funny that you will laugh out loud in spite of yourself. Sometimes you may be worried about why you are laughing and whether it is proper or not. You cannot help but root for Dennis (or is that Denise?)and it certainly is thought-provoking..why shouldn't boys have fun dressing up in skirts or heels? and I just loved how the football team all showed their support for him by donning dresses to play the cup fi...more

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Mar 25, 2013 LH Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tearjerker, funny, childrens-literature

When David Walliams first moved into writing children's literature I was, I'll admit, a frightful snob. I didn't really 'get' his television persona (and, as we all know, what we see on television is an exact truth), and so I stayed away from his books for a long time. I didn't really want to go there and frankly I had no inclination to.

And all that was a bit stupid of me, because it kept me away from some genuinely really good children's books. So if you're still harbouring similar sentiments -...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 21st-century-fiction, childrens

Having finished my very scholarly book on early Taoism at work I needed something to read on the bus home and found this for half price. When I first heard of this book it was described as a book about a boy who gains super powers when he puts on a dress. Which I thought sounded fantastic! Unfortunately the story wasn't quite like that. I was picturing a child's picture book but this was more of a "novel". It also highlights the problem with "age-banding" that has become a part of a lot of child...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Megan Wiffen rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Boy in the dress follows a young boy called John; he lives with his overweight dad and older brother who both like to tease him. His mum left a few years earlier and he finds comfort in the memories of his mother’s dresses. He also finds enjoyment looking at pretty dresses and models in magazines. All of which, he hides from his dad and brother.

John finds friendship with the popular girl at school, Lisa. He finds out she makes dresses. With her help and persuasion, he tries on one of her dr...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Simon Aldous rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was wary of reading a book by David Walliams, suspicious that it had been published because of his celebrity status rather than his literary abilities. But, not being a fan of Little Britain myself, I'd conclude that in writing children's books he has found his true calling. His stories combine the down-to-earth contemporary settings of Jacqueline Wilson novels with inventive plots and plenty of humour.

In "The Boy in the Dress" he tackles what might seem the slightly tricky subject of cross-dr...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Chris Mills rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ve read mixed reviews of David Walliams as an author so I thought I’d read one of his books and decide for myself. Although mildly sceptical before reading the book, mainly due to not really being a fan of Little Britain and his comedy television, I think (I’m not totally convinced yet) I quite liked The Boy in the Dress.

The story is about a twelve-year-old boy called Dennis, who lives with his father and his older brother. After his Mother leaves, Dennis develops a fascination with a dress t...more I’ve read mixed reviews of David Walliams as an author so I thought I’d read one of his books and decide for myself. Although mildly sceptical before reading the book, mainly due to not really being a fan of Little Britain and his comedy television, I think (I’m not totally convinced yet) I quite liked The Boy in the Dress.

The story is about a twelve-year-old boy called Dennis, who lives with his father and his older brother. After his Mother leaves, Dennis develops a fascination with a dress that reminds him of her, which instigates a new found love for fashion. Dennis’ need for a feminine role model leads him to an older girl at school who sympathises with him and enables his desire to wear dresses. The story contains a wider message about individuality, tolerance and understanding, which is very well portrayed by Walliams throughout the book.

One of the first things you notice about the story is that it is written in the third person narrative, allowing Walliams to convey more of his own stamp on the text and allowing his own humorous opinion to shine through in the characters and events. This is used to brilliant comic effect throughout the story. For instance, Walliams refers to the TV show ‘Trisha’ with humorous effect and uses his lack of knowledge regarding football to almost empower the child reading. He also uses some of the characters to promote the comedy in the story, such as Raj, the shop keeper with interesting selling techniques or Darvesh’s mum, the embarrassing proud mother.

The story does have negatives though in my opinion. Walliams seems to be on the verge of adopting certain stereotypes, for example an Asian shopkeeper or a fat lorry driver. Also during the book there is reference to one of Dads pornography magazines which doesn’t seem entirely appropriate for child readers or for a school.

I would conclude that this book is intended for year 4/5 and above and is accommodating for both boys and girls with equal parts based on fashion and football. The illustrations by Quentin Blake are a positive way of reinforcing the story to young readers. Boy in the Dress is probably a book more adept for independent reading time or on a class bookshelf.(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Marisabel Bonet-Cruz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I met this book in New Zealand, and read it on my flight back to Australia. I couldn't put it down. When I picked it up, I didn't know a famous person had written it. I simply saw the title, read the blurb, touched the pages, smiled at the illustrations... and fell in love.

You know that feeling you get every now and then because you've picked up a book you might truly, truly love? It's not a thing that happens every day. Some books you like, and few you adore. This is one of those, for me.
The st...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Eccentrika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children, comedy

"Campione in gonnella" è un libro per ragazzi simpaticissimo, che mostra come alcune piccole scelte personali possano fare le differenza davanti agli occhi degli altri e dare adito a spiacevoli pettegolezzi.
Il protagonista di questo libro si chiama Dennis e, anche se ha parecchi interessi in comune ai suoi coetanei, tipo giocare a calcio, o prendere le cotte per delle ragazze, in parte si sente anche un po' speciale. Gli piace guardare i vestiti e sfogliare le riviste di moda e in cuor suo sente...more "Campione in gonnella" è un libro per ragazzi simpaticissimo, che mostra come alcune piccole scelte personali possano fare le differenza davanti agli occhi degli altri e dare adito a spiacevoli pettegolezzi.
Il protagonista di questo libro si chiama Dennis e, anche se ha parecchi interessi in comune ai suoi coetanei, tipo giocare a calcio, o prendere le cotte per delle ragazze, in parte si sente anche un po' speciale. Gli piace guardare i vestiti e sfogliare le riviste di moda e in cuor suo sente che è una cosa che deve tenere nascosta. Ma l'amicizia con una ragazza della sua scuola lo porterà a confidarsi e a uscire allo scoperto. Ma non tutti saranno comprensivi con lui, anzi, dovrà subire parecchie ingiustizie, maldicenze e pregiudizi.
Non aspettatevi che in questo libro si parli di omosessualità, perché non è affatto questa la tematica della storia, ma dimostra come alcune scelte personali possano far facilmente propendere il giudizio collettivo verso una direzione univoca. E saranno soprattutto i personaggi adulti quelli che daranno il cattivo esempio (come al solito del resto) e saranno pronti a puntare subito il dito, mentre i coetanei di Dennis, soprattutto gli amici veri, non vedranno la diversità come un difetto, perchè, cito testualmente una frase del libro: "non credi che sarebbe una lagna, se fossimo tutti uguali?".
Un libro assolutamente delizioso, che alterna scene di svago e divertimento, con altre spassose e da ridere, e altre ancora più serie che offrono ottimi spunti di riflessione. Il tutto con un linguaggio scorrevolissimo, adatto a giovani lettori, ma che ha tanto da insegnare anche ai grandi. Il volume è corredato dalle illustrazioni del mitico Quentin Blake (lo stesso disegnatore associato spesso a Roal Dahl). A tal proposito volevo anche segnalare che l'autore di questo libro, David Walliams, giunto alla seconda pubblicazione in Italia, è stato paragonato dalla critica allo stile di Roal Dahl. Sicuramente da tenere d'occhio!!!!(less)

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May 14, 2012 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

Normally I am skeptical about celebrities writing books because, let's face it, they know the right people to promote their work and have the right connections to put out a half-decent product. Normally. Anyway, Walliams' 'The Boy in the Dress' was well written. It is an unusual story that might go out of the comfort zone for some parents/guardians, but it's funny and has a charm to it.

I cannot help but be jealous of Quentin Blake illustrating the work! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory it is no...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed David Walliams' The Boy in the Dress. It had a very nice, breezy English flavor, reminiscent of Dahl in its conversational tone. The Quentin Blake illustrations add to this quite a bit. However, I don't know to whom I would give this book. Dennis is a boy who likes to play soccer but isn't very happy at home because his mother left and his father is hands-off. When he sees a Vogue magazine, he is drawn to the fashions, and he meets a girl on whom he has a crush, and the two star...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Bistra Ivanova rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Както пише навсякъде, Дейвид Уалямс действително ужасно напомня на Роалд Дал дори без да имаме предвид илюстрациите на Куентин Блейк, които правят приликата още по-очевидна.

Историята за Денис (или Денийз, както ще започнем да го наричаме по-късно) е доста забавна и чак изненадващо нестандартна (както личи от заглавието, имаме си работа с кросдресинг). Момчето живее с брат си и баща си и сърдечно страда за напусналата ги майка. На единствената нейна снимка, която е спасил от ритуалното изгаряна...more Както пише навсякъде, Дейвид Уалямс действително ужасно напомня на Роалд Дал дори без да имаме предвид илюстрациите на Куентин Блейк, които правят приликата още по-очевидна.

Историята за Денис (или Денийз, както ще започнем да го наричаме по-късно) е доста забавна и чак изненадващо нестандартна (както личи от заглавието, имаме си работа с кросдресинг). Момчето живее с брат си и баща си и сърдечно страда за напусналата ги майка. На единствената нейна снимка, която е спасил от ритуалното изгаряна на всички фотографии в задния двор, извършено от баща му, тя носи прекрасна лятна жълта рокля. Денис е много добър футболист, голмайстор на училищния отбор, но твърде необичайно за момче - заради майка си започва да се интересува от рокли (без в цялата книга да става дума за нищо повече от това). Баща му е ужасЕн, когато под леглото му намира брой на Вог и го кара да обещае, че няма повече да се занимава с женски глупости.

Всичко е чудесно до деня, в който Денис не среща Лиса, момиче от горните класове, което ужасно си пада по модата, шие си дрехи и има огромна колекция модни списания. Двамата се сприятеляват и веднъж Лиса предлага на Денис да го облече в рокля. Засрамен, той си тръгва от дома й със силно биещо сърце, защото хем му се иска, хем го е страх. На следващия ден разговаря с единственото момче в училище, което носи чалма, опитвайки се да разбере какво е да си "различен". (Как какво, казва момчето с чалма, нормално е да си различен... с нещо; ами ако всички бяхме съвсем еднакви?) Скоро Денис се престрашава и позволява на Лиса не само да го облече в рокля, а и да го обуе във високи обувки и да му сложи грим. Дегизировката е толкова успешна, че двамата решават, че могат да заблудят всички, представяйки Денис за Денийз и макар в началото да е забавно, в крайна сметка Денис е изключен от училище, защото носи рокля.

Размишленията дали човек може да носи каквото си поиска и да се чувства свободен да бъде каквъвто си поиска (или какъвто Е), остават отворени. Фактът обаче е, че накрая бащата на Денис му признава колко го обича (въпреки че се е държал зле с него в тъгата си по напусналата ги майка), колко се гордее с него и как напълно го приема такъв, какъвто е. В крайна сметка Денис получава подкрепата и на съучениците си, които демонстративно се появяват всички с рокли, печелят важния футболен мач и деректорът се вижда принуден да го върне обратно на училище. Книгата завършва с обещаващо предложение от страна на учителката по френски, която предлага на Денис да играе главната роля в нейната пиеса за Жана д'Арк и всичко сякаш си идва на мястото - светът е шарен, защото ние сме различни!

Книгата е написана забавно, дори за мен (за деца със сигурност); става и за момичета, и за момчета. Повдигнатите теми са смели и провокативни. Чудя се само какво печели и какво губи Дейвид Уалямс от сравненията с Роалд Дал. Чудя се също дали тази книга би имала успех в България :-))

ПП: За жанра, в който се намира, оценявам с 4 звездички :-)) (less)

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Oct 25, 2011 Skyla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesomeness, biography, lgbt, real-life-issues, made-me-do-a-happy-dance, crossdressing, couldn-t-stop-smiling, quentin-blake

This book is all about a boy named Dennis. He lives in a boring house in a boring street in a boring town, and he doesn't have much to look forward to. But what he does have is dreams - and once he starts to follow them, things will never be the same again.

So I was hanging out at the Uni bookstore waiting for my Dad to give me a lift home and I come across this book. My eyes were instantly drawn to the purple cover and the tell tale sign of Quentin Blake's drawings. Then I saw that the author wa...more This book is all about a boy named Dennis. He lives in a boring house in a boring street in a boring town, and he doesn't have much to look forward to. But what he does have is dreams - and once he starts to follow them, things will never be the same again.

So I was hanging out at the Uni bookstore waiting for my Dad to give me a lift home and I come across this book. My eyes were instantly drawn to the purple cover and the tell tale sign of Quentin Blake's drawings. Then I saw that the author was David Walliams!

I flipped over the front cover and read the short plot summary you see above. Flipping the book over to the back I see the words:

Dennis was different.
Why was he different, I hear you ask?
Well, a small clue might be the title of this book...

I was intrigued not only was the book aimed at 9-12 year olds and dealt with tranvestiteism, but it was written by David Walliams, who I absolutely adore (to understand this watch a little bit of "Little Britain", he's the tall slim one) and illustarted by the great Quentin Blake who of course did the illustarations for almost all of Roald Dahl's books (Roald Dahl has always been one of my favorite writers and his works were a staple of my childhood, I can still recite his version of Cinderella almost all the way through from memory).

So the book wasn't the greatest literary work of this year, but it had charm, wit and a 12 year old boy in a sequined orange dress.

The basic plotline consists of the life of Dennis whose mother left his Dad a few years ago. Since then Dennis and his brother John have basically raised themselves because their father works for a lorry firm and is rarely home. Dennis misses his mother dreadfully and finds solice in the TV show "Trisha", looking at Vogue magazine and playing footie with his best mate Darvesh on the school team.

One day after getting detention he meets a girl from his older brother's class Lisa. Dennis and Lisa hit it off and she ends up being the catalyst for him wearing a dress to school and finally living his dream of not being boring anymore. When he tries on a dress for the first time Dennis thinks "I can be whoever I want to be now."

The book deals with Dennis' journey to find himself and acceptance from his peers and family.

I definitely suggest checking this book out as it is really very sweet, funny and has a little bit of David Walliam's signiture wit. I very much enjoyed it and at only 232 pages some of which consist of illustrations it is very light reading but well worth it. (less)

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Oct 04, 2010 Rita Meade rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-books, fiction

Goodreads really needs to start letting us give half stars. What's up with that? Anyway...conceptually, I found this book compellingly unique. There aren't many other children's novels that deal (humorously or otherwise) with the issue of cross-dressing. For any kid that might be dealing with these unfamiliar and “unusual” feelings, this book might serve as a valuable resource. It’s always comforting to know that others in the world feel the same way that you do.

However, something was lost in t...more

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Jun 19, 2010 Safa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 15, 2009 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 5th grade and up

Shelves: age-juvenile-fiction, age-middle-school

The boring and lonely life of 12-year-old Dennis, who still mourns his mom's leaving and his dad's depression, is lightened only by soccer playing and (a more recent discovery) a love of women's fashion. His dad forbids his reading of Vogue magazine, but new friend Lisa pushes him to play dress-up, and that is how Dennis ends up at school as "Denise," Lisa's French exchange student, in high heels, makeup, and a sequin dress. That is, until a passing soccer ball can't be resisted and his cover is...more The boring and lonely life of 12-year-old Dennis, who still mourns his mom's leaving and his dad's depression, is lightened only by soccer playing and (a more recent discovery) a love of women's fashion. His dad forbids his reading of Vogue magazine, but new friend Lisa pushes him to play dress-up, and that is how Dennis ends up at school as "Denise," Lisa's French exchange student, in high heels, makeup, and a sequin dress. That is, until a passing soccer ball can't be resisted and his cover is blown.

Okay, so I'm going to dissect this book far more than anyone should for such a quick read! As with Johnny in Debbie Harry sings in French, this book makes a clear point that cross-dressing doesn't equal gay. In fact, both Johnny's girlfriend and Dennis's love of soccer seem pushed heavy-handedly to the forefront for that very reason. Similarly, both boys' personal acceptance of their newfound love of cross-dressing occurs almost overnight, as do their gal pals' support and parent/guardians' journey from anger to acceptance. Do some girls just long for someone to dress up? Do some boys just long for a reprieve from boring men's clothes? (I gotta admit, if I were a guy, I too would feel stifled by my limited fashion choices.) And do some parents turn to whole-hearted acceptance after just a brief time to think about things?

In spite of some sugar-coating and simplifying, I do think both of these books are important for adding shades of gray to the view of gender roles and sexuality as seen through children's literature. The main problem I had with this book was trying to figure out the intended audience. Dennis is 12, but the book is written in a very juvenile style. This works during comic moments, of which there are many, but Dennis's thoughts and experiences are more those of a middle schooler. He's not just a free-spirited, creative-dressing child playing pretend; he's looking for acceptance from friends and family for taking a stand and staking out a bit of his own developing identity. But then there are the illustrations and cover by Quentin Blake, which add much personality and expression to the simple text, but further muddy the target age range. Still, it's a valuable book that I hope will be read.

Favorite quotes:

"She was so utterly gorgeous that probably even the hearts of squirrels missed a beat when she walked by."

"You look amazing. And it's all about confidence. If you believe it, everyone else will too."

Picture on p. 201 -- if you want to see a visual rendition of the expression "helpless with pride," it's here. Props to Quentin Blake.

(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Emily Dunne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: junior-fiction

The Boy in the Dress was an extremely enjoyable read, following an awkward yet ordinary boy called Dennis who always felt "different" and was struggling to find acceptance in the world when things were not going his way. I feel children may relate to this story as sometimes they may feel they do not fit in, and I believe this book teaches that in the end, you are accepted no matter who you are once you stay true to yourself. To be honest I was intrigued to find out that David Walliams is just as...more The Boy in the Dress was an extremely enjoyable read, following an awkward yet ordinary boy called Dennis who always felt "different" and was struggling to find acceptance in the world when things were not going his way. I feel children may relate to this story as sometimes they may feel they do not fit in, and I believe this book teaches that in the end, you are accepted no matter who you are once you stay true to yourself. To be honest I was intrigued to find out that David Walliams is just as excellent at writing childrens literature as he is performing on stage and he certainly lived up to my expectations.

The story focuses in on a 12 year old boy called Dennis, his brother John and his Dad. Emotions are not something to be shown in his home as Dennis's mother left the household when he was just a child, something which the dad never seems to accept. Dennis manages to find some escapism in Vogue magazines which he secretly reads and once he befriends Lisa, the prettiest most fashionable girl in school, his obsession with fashion and clothes aspires. In a funny turn of events, Dennis ends up attending school in Lisa's embellished dress , pretending to be her cousin from France, "Denise".

Through Walliam's witty storytelling, humorous description of events, emotions and characters, it is no wonder that the reader is sucked in to reading more about the awkward boy who found some solace in wearing a dress. Every chapter brings unforeseen and adventurous events which allows the reader to become absorbed in the amusing life of Dennis and the unfolding of a lovely uplifting ending.

I found this book to be extremely amusing, with some outlandish events occurring both in the classroom, local shop and football pitch. This would be an excellent book for the classroom, portraying a story of belief whilst also opening children's imagination. I believe that boys aged 9- 12 may benefit from reading this book as its shows how a boy can have such a diverse range of interests and whatever they may be it is Ok because it always works out in the end. The good humored and simplistic story line of "The Boy in the Dress" maintains the attention of even the most apprehensive reader and I will definitely be recommending this junior-fiction read while I am on placement this year.

Overall age range : 9-12(less)

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Apr 25, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, gender, school, young-adult

I found this in the YA section, but it reads more like a tween or even younger book to me. Perhaps slightly aided by the illustrations, which are reminiscent of Roald Dahl books.

Turns out there's a reason they're reminiscent of those! It's the same illustrator.

Dennis likes dresses and when a girl encourages him in this interest, he's soon dressing in one. He even passes quite well, until a mishap at school.

The ending is heartwarming, if not very realistic.

What gave me the most trouble with this...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 4th-7th grade

Recommended to Megan by: "Villainy and Virtue" Library Sparks February 2012

Shelves: contemporary, intermediate, rms, sports

Dennis is a typical 12-year-old. He lives for soccer and is secretly in love with a girl who's two years older than him. Yet ever since his mother left the family, he's longed for something that's missing from his life. He picks up an issue of Vogue magazine because he sees a dress that makes him think of his mother. He's intrigued by all the fashion pictures, and eventually his crush, Lisa, discovers his fashion sense and shows him the dresses she's been making. One thing leads to another, and...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gay-l-t-b

The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams is the story of Dennis Sims. An ordinary twelve year old, who lives an ordinary life, in an ordinary house, on an ordinary street in England. However, Dennis isn’t an ordinary boy. He is the star striker on his school soccer team. Dennis’ mother left and his father, the truck driver, suffers from depression. There are no outward signs of affection between Dad, Dennis, or older brother John. There is also the fact that Dennis likes to read Vogue. When Dad fi...more The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams is the story of Dennis Sims. An ordinary twelve year old, who lives an ordinary life, in an ordinary house, on an ordinary street in England. However, Dennis isn’t an ordinary boy. He is the star striker on his school soccer team. Dennis’ mother left and his father, the truck driver, suffers from depression. There are no outward signs of affection between Dad, Dennis, or older brother John. There is also the fact that Dennis likes to read Vogue. When Dad finds out, he throws a fit. Eventually Dennis connects with Lisa, an older classmate from school. Together they discuss Vogue magazine and fashion. Then one day, Lisa convinces Dennis to try on one of her dresses, then the heels, then makeup. Finally, Lisa convinces Dennis to go to school as Denise. When the Headmaster finds out, Dennis is expelled. Then the craziness begins. The soccer team will go to any length to get Dennis back. Dennis and Lisa get the dirt on the Headmaster and blackmail Dennis back into school. Through it all, Dennis learns that it is ok to be who he is and that everyone eventually accepts him.

If I was looking for a window book for middle school students to read, that introduced the topic of testing gender stereotypes, this would qualify. It has an easy going and light hearted take on the subject. It is comical. While reading it, and because of the British terminology, I kept thinking of an English farce. It wasn’t until later, that I read about the author and his career as a British TV comedy writer. It kept my interest, even though it was completely illogical by the end. I loved the illustrations and immediately recognized the illustrator’s work.

However, if I was looking for a mirror book to recommend to a student that was dealing with gender issues or was curious, this would most definitely not be the book I would recommend. It gives students who need support or are looking for books with characters they can connect with, the wrong impression. It makes the idea of challenging gender issues a joke. It is unrealistic to believe that everyone you deal with, would suddenly be ok with a boy wearing a dress or that the entire soccer team supports Dennis so much that they would play the championship in dresses. It would have been more realistic if Darvesh’s mother didn’t want her son to associate with Dennis, rather than giving him advice about what colors best suit him. Having Dad and John suddenly become ok with Dennis wearing dresses, just because he won the big game, really avoids the issue that children who are questioning may have to face. Its sugary ending does a disservice to children who are looking for a book about themselves, because they most likely won’t see themselves in this scenario.

While a 4th or 5th grader would have no problem reading this book, I would recommend it for older students. I am sure there will be some objections from parents, as to the topic. However, Dennis only wears dresses. There is no mention of sexual orientation specifically. The issue of sexuality and terms such as cross-dressing or transvestite are not used. The familiar style of the illustrations is likely to attract students who might not normally pick this book up. This would certainly lead to discussions in areas of gender issues, accepting others, or being yourself. I would recommend reading 10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert,with this book.

Stonewall Honor Books in Children & Young Adult Literature 2011
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Mar 25, 2010 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, glbtq, 2010

Grades 3+ ("hell," a brief mention of a nudie magazine)

12 year old Dennis' life just hasn't been the same since Mum left. He lives in England with his dad, an overweight truck driver, and his brother, a fourteen year old boy who would rather fart on your face than hug you. He pines for dresses in Vogue magazine his dad discovered and tossed in the dustbin, but is also the best soccer player (not football here, though the rest of the Brit-speak remains intact) at his school. Oh, and did I mentio...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Smaragda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was very happy to see this as a children's book. It's positive, accepting, and funny. The main character likes both dressing up as a girl and playing football, and there's no question of it being "normal" or contradicting. I would give it 5 stars, but (view spoiler)...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Nina rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Boy in the Dress is a wonderful novel that sparked my interest with one look at the title.

Dennis is a 12 year old boy who has to deal with the fact that his mother left the family. He thinks he’s different than other boys and girls of his age and when he dresses up he feels on top of the world. He feels more like Dennis. I liked this character a lot. He has such a passion about football and at the same time also with fashion. This reminded me of the movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ where … rea...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids, fic, 2010-reads

Charming and sweet and funny. The narrator's voice is wonderful and just a touch wry; I love the brief asides to the reader. The story is filled out with a fantastic portrait of family, some wonderful ideas about diversity and acceptance, and gentle, almost silly, humor. I'm not doing a very good job summing up why this appealed to me so strongly, but it's a quick read and it left me with warm fuzzies. Pick it up! It's totally worth your time.

Also, if you've read The Dark Remains The Last Rune 3 ...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Dakota rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this is David Walliams first book and i really enjoyed it although this is a children's book it deals with really hard topics really well explaining adult life in a way the intended audience of the book will understand and he manages to do it with out the story feeling dumbed down

the adult characters feel very much like caricatures fairly simple which works for the books intended audience because the book is really about the children in the story and how one boys preference which is di...more

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Jan 23, 2011 Lea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 12 and up

Dennis lives in an "ordinary house on an ordinary street in an ordinary town." His mother has deserted the family, leaving Dennis with only Dad, his truck-driving father, and John, his older brother. Dennis misses his mother, her hugs and her pretty clothes, and the only really joy in his life is playing soccer. His other interest is fashion, but how is a twelve-year-old boy to express that interest in his blue-collar town with his repressed family?

I loved this book. It was laugh out loud funny...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Viktoria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, children

cute little story about a boy who feels that something is missing in his life. his mum left the familiy and since this time his dad is miserable. there is no hugging in this family anymore, no kissing. dennis discovers an interest in colorful dresses and a girl from his school shares his interest...
although the story is quite simple it's funny and touching, and a fast read.
on the cover of the book some critics compare him with roald dahl or they say that walliams has a dahlian touch. i agree a...more

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May 08, 2012 Ben Perry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved reading this book! It is written by famous comedian David Walliams. This book is all about a 12 year old boy called Dennis. Dennis loves his football. He is also in love with a girl two years his senior. Unfortunately his mother has left and his father suffers from depression. Picking up a Vogue magazine, he is drawn towards a dress because it reminds him of his mother. The girl Dennis fancies discovers his fashion likes and she shows him a dress she has made. She actually persuades Dennis...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Jordan Wharmsby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-ebook

The Boy in the Dress is Walliams' second venture into the children's market and may I say I was quite pleasantly surprised.

Known as one half of the Little Britain duo, expectations are high for his comedic prowess and despite being extremely short in length, the book is not short on fun.

It is by no means a 'joke' book, instead it is a touching story of the teenage of a boy, and feeling different to one's friends and family. It isn't head over heels funny but it is surprisingly very well writte...more

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About David Walliams

DAVID WALLIAMS is an actor and writer best known for his work with Matt Lucas in the multi-award-winning sketch show Little Britain. His debut children's novel, The Boy in the Dress, was published in 2008 to unanimous critical acclaim and he has since developed a reputation as a natural successor to Roald Dahl.

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Quotes from The Boy in the Dress

“No more watching that show Small England or whatever it's called where those two idiots dress up as 'laydees'. It's a bad influence.” — 5 people liked it

“I think all those rules are boring. About what people can and can't wear. Surely everyone should be able to wear whatever they like?” — 1 person liked it

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