Following on from last month’s article about crime writer Michael Connelly, this month we are looking at a rather unusual children’s author.
Julian Clary is better known as a controversial stand-up comedian and pantomime performer, but he is also the author of a very popular series of children’s books.

His main characters are The Bolds, a family of hyenas who live in Teddington disguised as humans. They have learned to talk like humans, wear clothes and walk on their hind legs. Mr Bold works writing jokes for Christmas crackers (and the stories are interspersed with cracker jokes) and Mrs Bold makes hats from discarded rubbish which she sells in Teddington Market. They have twin children, Bobby and Betty who get up to all sorts of mischief.
The Bolds are suitable reads for 7- to 11-year-olds but are great books for parents and grandparents to read to their children and have a chuckle along the way. Although written by Clary they are also illustrated by David Roberts.
The titles of the current series are:
- The Bolds
- The Bolds to the Rescue
- The Bolds on Holiday
- The Bolds in Trouble
- The Bolds go Wild
- The Bolds go Green
The latest story, The Bolds go Green, despite being very funny, has a serious message about climate change.
Our planet is special – Earth has the right combination of water, atmosphere and climate but suffering – global warming climate change pollution rising sea levels.

Bobby and Betty are appointed green monitors at their school – responsible for No rubbish on floor, dripping taps, lights left on, and espouse the theme Reduce Reuse Recycle.
Whilst trying to take some unwanted clothes to a charity shop, they meet a homeless person who turns out to be an aardvark. They end up building an eco-home for her in Bushey Park disguised as a fox’s hole.
These books are great fun for children and carry some interesting messages. Ans adults will probably enjoy reading them to their children too.