The Demon Headmaster (Puffin Books)

First published in 1982, this book reads a bit like a cross between Enid Blyton's secret seven and the My parents are aliens TV series, except that here the very odd characters are at school rather than at home. Dinah has just moved to a new foster home where the incumbent boys (particularly older brother Lloyd) are very suspicious of her. Perhaps with good reason, as from the very first day at her new school, Dinah can see that something is horribly wrong. All the schoolchildren are just too perfectly behaved, and her free-thinking step-brothers are being excluded and treated as trouble-makers. And before long, the Headmaster asks to see Dinah.... My son (10) is really enjoying me reading this book to him at bedtime (at 160 pages it is taking a while). We started off with the Puffin edition and then bought this edition when the library recalled it. We were disappointed that, unlike the Puffin version, this book has no illustrations (and the front cover is a bit bland compared to the traditional cover image of the Demon Headmasters face - but then in a way the old cover gave away a lot of the plot). But the story reads well enough without line drawings, and we have now bought all the other five books in this series : The Demon Headmaster and the Prime Minister's Brain, The revenge of the Demon Headmaster, The Demon Headmaster takes over, The Demon Headmaster strikes again, and Facing the Demon Headmaster. Some of the language seems dated, mainly Lloyd's food related exclamations, which make it read very much like a 1950s Enid Blyton book (no bad thing). But it's a well crafted story that kept my son's attention throughout, and, although tense in places, it's surprisingly non-scary considering the plot-line. Unlike his favourite AstroSaurs and Captain Underpants books, this book is probably more girl friendly as well. I would think the book would suite American youngsters, once they know that the school Principal is called Headmaster in the UK, and prefects are older kids given special policing powers by the Headmaster, not unlike Hall Monitors. Otherwise the plotline is fairly international. Just a shame the excellent British TV series isn't available on DVD at the moment to compliment this very good book (aimed at 7-12s I would say). It just loses a star as we missed the illustrations of the Puffin version.

The Demon Headmaster is a very gripping book. The T.V series has also brought a little bit of life into theseries of books by Gillian Cross. Overall, the epic tales of the Demon Headmaster and his plots and trickery to get hold of Dinah Hunter dipict a whole world of imaginative text in a sort of realistic realism. The book is a great oppurtunity for children of all ages to establish a truly great reading experience. I would recommend this book to all ages, especially the older teenage readers who like to get into a bit of sci-fi/adventure genre. By Ravindran Uthayakumar

I really like the book from Gillian Cross. It sound scary when the demond hemaster is speaking. I like the part when he kept taking Deaina's blood with a neadle. And I also like the bit when Deaina got to school late and when the demond headmaster hyipnotize the children taking off his glasses. And when Havey likes Diana & Lloyd. And Havey lies and said he's going to the toilets but he looks in the hall and Ian saw him. I like the older children take diana to the headmasters office and she kept asking qustions.

The book is good and you should buy it people. The deamond head master is bad when he hipnotisses the children, but I like it alot so buy it people out there and I like the bit when the deamond head master digs the pin into her finger.And I like the bit when the boys take their combs and brush their hair at the same time. And it is sad when the girl go's to soshoul services. And it is sad when her mum died.