Naughty Nicky

by Tony Ross, Author (Illustrator)

Naughty Nicky always pretends to misunderstand as an excuse to do dreadful things.

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony Ross is a British illustrator and author of children's picture books. He was a student at the Liverpool School of Art and Design. Ross has had quite a few occupations, such as cartoonist, graphic designer, art director at an advertising agency, senior lecturer in art and head of the illustration course at Manchester Polytechnic.
Ross won the 1986 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, picture books category, for Ich komm dich holen!, (I'm coming to get you! - Andersen, 1984. He was runner-up for the 1990 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject, for Dr. Xargle's book of Earth Tiggers.

Meet the illustrator
What is your favourite animal?
A cat
What is your favourite boy’s name?
Bill
What is your favourite girl’s name?
Roxanne
What is your favourite food?
Lobster
What is your favourite music?
Irish
What is your favourite hobby?
Sailing

Reviews

[Little Champs]

Big 65

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naughty Nigel constantly outsmarts his parents by pretending he is hard of hearing. When asked to wash the dishes, instead, he washes the fishes! Nigel has all sorts of fun playing similar tricks; he paints the cat and busts the bears! One day Nigel meets a strange little man who offers to grant him three wishes. Nigel, naturally, jumps at the opportunity. However, the little man seems to have a problem similar to Nigel’s resulting in disastrous consequences.

I adored this book as a child; I believe the appeal was the idea of Naughty Nigel getting away with his behaviour. Doesn’t every child want to out think their parents and do whatever they like?! However, Tony Ross does provide a witty ending to teach Nigel a lesson he will never forget. Therefore, this book could be used in the classroom to discuss morals and right and wrong in PSHE. This book is suitable for children aged 4-7 years old.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, my version of this book is called "Naughty Nigel" but I think it is the same book because it is by Tony Ross. Anyway, it is about a boy who wants to be naughty so he pretends he can't hear well. So when his father asks him to "wash the dishes", he "washes the fishes." Finally he stays out late (he was supposed to be home by seven but hears "eleven") and meets a strange old man who grants him wishes. Nigel asks for a golden rose, but gets a golden nose. And so on.
But it was all just a dream....Or was it?

Anyway, Nigel learns his lesson.

[Ste Bristolco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is funny ha ha, and funny peculiar. It's a cautionary tale about Nigel who pretends to be deaf and mishear stuff, so he can play pranks on his mum and dad. Then he encounters a strange character who does the same to him resulting in him developing a massive scary nose amongst other problems. Luckily it's all a dream. It's a bit extreme in a sort of "Do as you're told or else!" way.

[Sue Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony Ross is one of my favourite authors for year children and this book didn't disappointed. Lots of big ideas and concepts make it suitable for Philosophy for Children - dreaming and reality; naughtiness; pretending and moral issues all packed into this great picture book for 4-8 years old.