posted on 28 Feb 2016

Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads by David Almond

David Almond is one of my favourite authors whose beautiful but economical prose always hits the spot. It feels effortless and easy to read - a skill  that is a definite advantage when writing for children. This one, published by Barrington Stoke who specialise in slim books that are dyslexia friendly, is a story based on a memory from the authors childhood which he recollects as being a significant rite of passage incident that helped him to understand the importance of  taking a principled stand.

The first triumph is the snappy comic book title and the cover image of the young rascals who are clearly excluding one boy  ( presumably Almond) in the corner which is brilliantly illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic. These excellent illustrations continue throughout the book and help alert the reader to the rather spivvy looking Joe Gillespie who is a year older than the group of excited thirteen year Tyneside boys, who regard him with some awe. From the first sentence ' We'd been together for years', we know that the author is defining himself as a proud member of this little gang of scamps who call themselves 'The Bad Lads'.

The atmosphere in the first two chapters is one of camaraderie dominated by playing football in the street and the usual associated fantasies of future fame and glory. Another remembered pleasure were naughty tricks like knocking on doors and running away, howling through letterboxes pretending to be ghosts etc. But the best ideas, increasingly malicious, came from Joe and were eagerly followed by the younger boys, despite growing misgivings. The overriding question is, when does mischief become anti social behaviour which potentially harms people? It is very easy to see how boredom coupled with the frisson of danger can combine and the gang and, encouraged by Joe, they agree to target one elderly man, 'Useless Eustace', who is clearly a loner. Almond is very uncomfortable about the plan to burn down his hedge, the only justification seeming to be that he was once a conscientious objector. Despite this, he is eventually persuaded to join in ' no matter what we thought inside, all shivered with the thrill of it'. 

The story then moves to the arrival at school of Klaus Vogel, a refugee from East Germany whose father is in prison and whose mother is rumoured to be dead. Initially he fits in very well with the other boys because he is a keen and talented footballer. The information that his father is an opera singer gives Joe the necessary ammunition to bully Klaus and then to try to turn his friends away from him by reminding them of his German nationality. Klaus is not at all intimidated but doesn't want to join the gang when invited, the implication being that he thinks their pranks are immature and pointless. When he is eventually invited by Joe to throw eggs at  Useless Eustace's windows he declines with a brave confrontation ' I do not like you...I do not like the things you make others do'. Almond takes his side and they both get a beating from Joe and this cements their friendship. 

The two boys go to apologise to Mr Eustace and discover that he is a poet, speaks German and is also an opera lover. The story concludes with the three sharing afternoon tea and listening happily to Mozart. What a fine and unusual ending to a children's book!

 This is an affectionate glimpse into the post war world where, sad to say, xenophobia and bullies still play their part. It works well as a story because it resonates with the difficult but familiar choices that older children have to make when deciding whether to follow a domineering peer, risk losing old friends or take risks by standing up for big ideas like freedom and justice. 

Karen Argent

28th February 2016