Such a delight! Reminiscent of Roald Dahl, _The Bolds_ shares what ensues when a hyena couple assumes the identities of two (human) British tourists eaten on their safari honeymoon. Splendid illustrations and puns!

I saw this book and the cover immediately pulled me in (I am a cover lover after all), after checking the blurb, I knew I just had to get this book, and I did.

And I am so happy I did, because this book was amazing, it was funny, it was a bit sad at times, at times I was frustrated with a certain character, but generally I just laughed my butt off at the silliness, the bad jokes, the whole family (especially the dad).

I won't tell you their secret, though I guess, you could guess from just looking at the cover. What other creature laughs so much, what other creature is so hairy with spots, what else has such big teeth and snouts?
Still I will let people find it out themselves, it is a secret that is quickly told (in the first few pages), but I still don't want to tell anything.

I loved The Bolds, I love what they build up, and I had a laugh when they had to tell their kids about their secret and what to do with it. The kids had finally reached the age were they could be told about it, and to know what they are.
The kids were really fantastic, and I really liked them.
The parents were fun, and I especially liked the dad. He really cared about his wife and kids, he tried to cheer them up during times that weren't easy (though of course, them being these kind of critters, they always were always laughing).
Though he was also the most wild out of the Bolds. He did all sorts of things that could endanger their stay there.

There is also the typical trope of old, grumpy, bleh, dude next door. I really don't like that trope, it was the one thing that I didn't like throughout the book. Only at the ending (with the revelation) did I start to like him a bit. I still didn't like that he acted the way he did. I found it rude, bad, and I just wanted him out of the story.

I did love that little girl who was friends with the kids. I was worried about how the story would go when certain things came to light, but she really surprised me. I hope she will get a bigger role in the next one.

What happens around the middle of the book and which continues to the end? I loved it, I am sure I could have loved a story about The Bolds all the book long, but this brought some extra excitement and fun to the story. I can't wait to see these new characters in the next book, I am curious as to what happens in that one.

There are also illustrations and boy oh boy I loved them! They fit the hilarious family, the crazy antics that happened in their lives. It captured The Bolds perfectly, while I was reading I could just picture them like the way the artist did. :D

All in all this is one great, hilarious book, and I would highly recommend it. As for me? I already pre-ordered the next book and can't wait for it to come out.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/

The story and the illustrations work so well together. I love the dad's jokes!

Read with my nephew at bedtime. Highly enjoyable for young & old. A very endearing story which captures the imagination.

the storyline is soooo fresh. full of jokes and hyenas' thingy, love it! I will read the next series asap

I didn't care for the narrative voice or the choices that led to for telling the story, but I did enjoy the story itself, the humor, the illustrations, and the underlying themes. I think young readers will have a lot of fun with it.

3.5

Heeeeeee hee hee! That's a hyena laughing, in case you were wondering. I loved this. Clary is a natural children's story-writer, and doesn't try too hard to make himself funny, instead putting the humour directly into the situation and characters, making it an entertaining read.

I've had lots of requests for this since mentioning it to library customers, and my book group (ages 7-10) think it's a winner. I'm included to agree.

A pair of hyenas hijack a human couple's passports and clothes (after an unfortunate incident with a crocodile) and take over their lives back in England. Money, mortgages, jobs and shopping at first confuse them, but the new Fred and Amelia Bold manage to fit in and even raise a family.

But what would happen if their true selves were ever known? And what if they feel homesick for Africa?

This is marvellously readable, and very funny. From the first pages, seeing hyenas dress as humans, I was sold. Riotously silly as it is, Clary makes the Bolds a very endearing family just trying to live their lives in the suburbs.

We have a nefarious neighbour who suspects, but most of the story focuses o the family's adventures at overcoming their instincts and trying to be seen as human and accepted.

I loved all the Bold family members, as well as Roberts' cheeky illustrations of them (and Mr Bold's regular cracker jokes - part of his job). The ending leaves the way open for further adventures (one of which is already published), and I can see Clary becoming a huge name in children's publishing.

I can only hope he has more ideas for stories up his sleeve!

This could be read with a child of 5 and above, and read solo from around 7.

British comedian and TV personality Julian Clary's debut kids' book is an amiable and silly elementary grade fantasy about a hyena family, the Bolds, who live as humans, which subtly takes on fitting in, tolerance, and difference. See my full review here.