David O'Connell

David O'Connell is a writer and illustrator, although he's had several jobs in the past including mad scientist, cub reporter and robot wrangler. Living in south London, he takes inspiration from the eccentric and colourful citizens inhabiting the big city and fills sketchbooks with their faces and stories (real or dreamed up). He now has so many characters running around in his imagination he is considering charging them rent.

David's first book was 'Monster & Chips', the first of a series of funny (and revolting) adventures of 'hooman' Joe Shoe whilst working at the Monster Diner of friendly monster Fuzzby Bixington. He then collaborated with the brilliant Sarah McIntyre on the picture book 'Jampires', inspired by a comic they improvised together - a comic 'jam'!

Latest Publication:

The Dentist of Darkness (The Dundoodle Mysteries)(7th March 2019, Bloomsbury Children's Books)

Archie McBudge's lazy summer has just turned into a magical meltdown! The second adventure in this madcap magical mystery series is perfect for fans of How to Train Your Dragon, amateur detectives and anyone who loves SWEETS!

Archie McBudge was planning a sweet summer at Honeystone Hall. Picnics by the loch, watching the honeydragons flying around the hillsides, chasing ghosts through the shadowy castle hallways, and of course, testing out all the new sweets from the McBudge Confectionery Factory. But now the Wyrdie Tree, source of all the magic in the town of Dundoodle, is dying, and the guardian must save it before Dundoodle's magic is gone for good. And who's the guardian, you ask? That's right, Archie McBudge. With enemies on every side, puzzles to solve and secrets to uncover - not to mention a very scary dentist to avoid - Archie's summer's looking less like a strawberry marshmallow dream and more like a super-sour sherbet lemon with exploding bits that make your mouth go numb for a week!

The follow-up to David O'Connell's The Chocolate Factory Ghost, this is a must read for anyone who loves ghosts, monsters, toffee, marshmallows, and wants to explore more of the weird and wonderful town of Dundoodle.

The Naughtiest Unicorn (The Naughtiest Unicorn series)(2nd May 2019, Egmont)

Join the naughtiest unicorn for magic and mayhem in this hilarious series for 6+ fans of Pamela Butchart, Rabbit and Bear, The Worst Witch and UNICORNS!

Mira CAN’T WAIT to start Unicorn School. (Her big sister goes and won’t stop going on about it). But when Mira arrives on her first day all the unicorns are gone . . . except Dave!

Dave isn’t quite the sparkly unicorn Mira was expecting to find at the end of the rainbow – he’s more grumpy than glittery, more interested in lunch than magical Quests and he always runs off when Mira tries to ride him – but Mira’s not going to let that get her down. Along with her new friends and their (much more glittery) unicorns, she is determined to be the best at Quests and protect the special unicorn world!