Fungus the Bogeyman

Fungus the Bogeyman is an absolute classic, part surreal and funny field guide, part existential crisis. I loved it when I read it as a child and when I realised my husband had never read it, I bought him this copy to fill the yawning gap in his education.He spent a happy couple of hours chuckling over it.

I bought this book for my daughter when it came out in the 80s.She had no interest in reading but couldn’t put this down in the shop.She learnt to read with this book ,full of giggles most kids love,I bought 2 copies of it this year for my two grandsons aged 7and 8.They absolutely love it.It appeals to kids with all the snot and mess and fun,

Having bought this for my other half, whom I was shocked to realise had reached the age of 38 without even having heard of it, I couldn't resist a few minutes refreshing my memory of it before wrapping!! The way the book is written and laid out is very quirky but this doesn't at all make it difficult or annoying to read, that said it is definitely aimed at competent readers (I actually snorted tea out my nose reading the earlier review by the parent giving it a poor rating for not being suitable for a 4 year old) I remember discovering and loving it at ten but having just looked at it again I'm pretty sure it is going to be swiftly claimed by my 7 year old daughter after my other half has read it as it's something I think she'll like, everyone's different.

I remember reading this as a child and thinking what a great read it would be for my 7 year old. I hadn't opened the front cover for 25 years so it was a suprise that when I did it was fairly different to how I remember. The book is full of incredibly descriptive, advanced wording that my daughter really struggled with. However learning a whole new "bogey language" and all that comes with it was fun, and we found there was lots of depth to everything on each page.A really good book, will live in the memory

I still have my original first edition of Fungus from 1978, a book which was a firm favourite then and remains so to this day. I read Raymond Briggs' book so many times that I can still quote from it ("Nothing is permanent but woe" as seen on a bogey sandwich board; "Fungus inspects his trousers which have been marinading overnight 'mmmm! these really stink!'")and I find the book enduringly funny yet poignant. Fungus is a decent hard-working bogey but asks himself what is is all for? why do bogeymen exist? why do they have to pester and frighten the Drycleaners? (as we who live on the surface are known.) It seems as if no one has the answer, not even his beloved wife Mildew "the ugliest woman in Bogeydom."Children (and doubtless many adults) will love this brilliantly illustrated book, and all the detail so lovingly described within - it is funny, rude, tender, thoughtful and even moving. I cannot recommend it enough.