Look closely at the cover.
David is emptying his Mum's purse all over the street.
This style of bush fence is often a feature of art by Craig Smith
I first read Dreadful David in 1984 in my first school library and decades later the words still resonate with me.
Dreadful David went to stay
With Granny for a while
His mum was glad to leave him there
For David was a trial
...
David
Made a box into a boat and
Sailed it on the trough
The box was Granny's biscuit box
The biscuits went all soft!
He watered Granny's kitten because it seemed so small
He used up Grandad's shaving cream and overflowed the shower
He found a big new toilet roll and flushed it down the loo
Oh there was nothing horrible that David didn't do
Maybe now the text is not politically correct because Granny does eventually give David a smack on his bottom (but it didn't really hurt) but that part doesn't bother me, after all by this stage he has watered the letters in the letter box; watered the kitten; put flour and shaving cream all over the bathroom floor; and finally he's used the hose on Granny herself. I am sure most kids will just laugh over this final scene and grandparents will nod in recognition.
Sally Odgers was born in Tasmania in 195. She began writing as a child, and her first book was published in 1977. Since then, she has published more than 400 titles, making her one of Australia's most prolific authors. Sally lives in North-West Tasmania with her husband, dogs, and a cockatoo, and she enjoys activities like walking, reading, and gardening. Sally Odgers was awarded an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) in the 2026 Australia Day honours. ABC Hobart talked to Sally Odgers [listen from 2.07.35] - [2.17.50]
If you have worked in school libraries for a while you might recognise some of Sally Odger's older titles. I own an original illustration from Drummond. Notice some of the very famous names on these book covers - Kym Gamble; and Kilmeny Niland. I also remember reading Wicked Rose to groups of Grade 5 students when we were exploring Bushrangers.
Sally Odgers also writes the Jack Russell: Dog Detective and Pet Vet series. Trove list 395 book titles here.
Sally's favourites among her own books include the Bandinangi Books (which continue to generate enthusiastic mail from primary school readers), Amy Amaryllis, Shadowdancers, Aurora and Trinity Street. Other books she particularly enjoyed writing include Timedetectors, Theft in Time, CD and the Giant Cat and Tasmania: A Guide (all co-written with Darrel), a picture book called Bunyips Don't and two romances for adults, both published under the pseudonym Tegan James. Shadowdancers and Aurora were both shortlisted for the 3M Talking Book Awards, Looking Out for Sam was commended in the Christian Children's Book of the Year Awards and both Amy Amaryllis and The Follow Dog have been Children's Book Council Notable Books.
The illustrations in this book showcase the work of Craig Smith and they are fabulous. If you cannot find Dreadful David look at the pages in The Wobbly Bike which have a similar setting and feel.
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