The Boy in the Dress

David Williams' THE BOY IN THE DRESS provides the powerful story of Dennis, who lives in a boring down in a boring house and has a passion for soccer - and fashion. When his friend Lisa discovers his stash of Vogue magazines and convinces him to wear a dress to school, trouble begins. A compelling, unusual story offers black and white drawings by Quentin Blake throughout.

Williams, David. "The Boy in the Dress", Penguin Group, 2009. Acceptance Amos Lassen David Williams, the co-star of "Little Britain" gives us a poignant yet playful look at gaining acceptance in places where it is not expected. It is the story of Dennis who has a boring life--his father is depressed, his brother is a galoot and in his house there is a no hugging rule. All Dennis seems to have is soccer and he is the leading scorer on the team and therefore popular with his classmates. Then one day, Dennis bought a copy of Vogue Magazine and he discovers fashion and his world is changed. Lisa, his friend, convinces him to wear a dress to school. His schoolmates begin to address him as Denise and when the headmaster of the school discovers that Dennis is wearing a dress, he expels him from school and Dennis is no longer allowed to play soccer and his team was facing the final cup. This is a book written for the younger reader but Williams pushes things as far as they go. He reflects the real world and shows us the experiences one has and he does so in a light-hearted manner. The charm of the novel is that we watch the characters as they grow. It's a wonderful book with great illustrations by Quentin Blake that add so much to the plot. Williams tackles the question of gaining acceptance in a way that few others would and by doing so he gives us a wonderful story that is not only a good read but that teaches us something.