David Walliams to release The World's Worst Children sequel

David Walliams new children's book has been revealed as The World’s Worst Children 2.

The title will be published in hardback by HarperCollins Children’s Books on 25th May featuring illustrations by Tony Ross. The World’s Worst Children “stormed the market” when it was published in May last year and held the number one slot for three weeks and the children’s chart number 1 for 10 weeks.

The sequel title of cautionary tales welcomes another line-up of “disgraceful children even more deliciously wicked than before”. It will be published in the UK and across key international territories including Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as simultaneously in ebook and audio formats voiced by the author himself.

Walliams said: “I wrote the first collection of short stories with the reluctant reader in mind. I wanted to create a book that would be very friendly for children whatever their reading ability, full of surreal humour and colourful illustrations from the great Tony Ross. This new book has all new characters and stories and I am thrilled to be unleashing these horrible children on the world.”

Ann-Janine Murtagh, executive publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, said: “David promised his readers in the first volume of The World’s Worst Children that he was working on volume 2 – well, here it is and it is more wild, more surreal, more epic than ever, but just as wonderfully Walliams. Tony Ross partners with deliciously witty illustration in another beautiful edition. David has taken the tradition of the cautionary tale, made it his own and redefined it for the children of today. He is a genius storyteller.”

Walliams’ latest book Blob (HarperCollins Children’s) held the number one spot in the UK Official Top 50 number for four weeks earlier this year which made it the longest running World Book Day Title number one. It has sold 224,016 copies according to Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market and was his 23rd overall top spot. 

Since his children's fiction debut in 2008, Walliams' has sold more than 17 million copies globally and his work has been translated into more than 53 languages according to HarperCollins.