picture of The Midnight Gang by David Walliams for a Childrens book review

The Midnight Gang by David Walliams – A Heartfelt and Hilarious Adventure

We’re big David Walliams fans in our house — Super Sleuth and The Beast of Buckingham Palace are among our favourites — so when it came to choosing our next bedtime read, The Midnight Gang was an easy choice.

My daughter had spotted the book in our local library and, with World Book Day just around the corner, was very keen to dress up as one of the characters (mainly because it meant she could wear her pyjamas to school!). But the deal was: she could only dress as a Midnight Gang member if we had actually read the book. Challenge accepted!

Not only did we enjoy it as a read-aloud together, but my daughter also asked me to record myself reading it for her Yoto app — and it’s now one of the stories she listens to most often as she falls asleep.

picture of pages from The Midnight Gang by David Walliams for a Childrens book review

What’s the Story About?

The book follows a boy called Tom, who finds himself in the children’s ward of Lord Funt Hospital after being knocked out by a cricket ball at his posh boarding school. While I won’t spoil too much of the plot, Tom soon becomes wrapped up in the mischief and magic of The Midnight Gang — a secret group of children who sneak out at night to make each other's dreams come true.

Along the way, you get to know and love each of the gang members, watch them dodge the ghastly matron, and find an unlikely ally who helps them on their missions. It’s a true story of kindness, imagination, and how — even when life gets really tough — there are still wonderful people out there who want to help make dreams happen.

picture of pages from The Midnight Gang by David Walliams for a Childrens book review

What We Loved

This book had both me and my daughter completely hooked. It’s full of the humour and heart that David Walliams is known for, with a brilliant balance of silly and sentimental.

The illustrations, as always, are just fantastic. They give just enough away to help kids follow along but still leave plenty of space for their imaginations to roam. My daughter also really loved how the text changes shape, size, and direction across the pages — it makes the whole reading experience feel fun and interactive.

Who We’d Recommend It For

If your child has a great imagination and loves getting lost in a story, they’ll adore this book. It’s perfect for fans of David Walliams (and I honestly think this is one of his best yet).

  • Read-aloud with an adult: Age 7+

  • Independent readers: Age 8+, depending on confidence — it’s a bit longer than some of his other titles

Final Thoughts

The Midnight Gang has firmly earned its place in our Top 5 David Walliams books — and that’s saying something! We’ve already lent it out to friends so they can enjoy it too.

It’s a story that makes you laugh, think, and feel all the feels — and one that shows how imagination, friendship and kindness can make even the toughest situations feel a little bit brighter.

picture of the back cover of The Midnight Gang by David Walliams for a Childrens book review

Product type

Age range

6+

Manufacturer

David Walliams
Home Ed Daily - The site for UK home educators
Lifestyle Daily - For all the latest lifestyle news
Your Pets Daily - Your pets, our passion - advert
Property Daily - Your daily property news - advert banner
Women's Sport Daily - The new home of women's sport in the UK