Trouble in Ogreville by Vivian French, illustrated by Pauline Gregory – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: friendship, trust, family, reward, future.
Children’s book title: Trouble in Ogreville.
Children’s author: Vivian French.
Children’s illustrator: Pauline Gregory.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Walker Books.
ISBN: 9781406391398.
Recommended for children aged: 7-9.
First published: August 2026.
This children’s book is ideal for: younger children who like impossible tales and rising above adversity.
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Our review:
Did you know all ogres love chocolate cake? No? Well, they do, and in Upper Peddleton there is a bakery that makes the best ones ever!
Jimmy Pepper helps his dad at Samson Pepper’s Bakery. They make their chocolate cakes every day in the family bakery, or they did until a young ogre called Monstrosity Tunk, or Monny, pushed in at the front of the queue and demolished the entire building! Devastated by what he’s done, Monny tells the Peppers about the nearby kingdom of Ogreville, which is ruled by Good King Ogle who, Monny is sure, will help by giving them a new bakery, but only if they make him one of their delicious chocolate cakes.
Unfortunately, Good King Ogle has been having a few problems and is no longer ruling his own kingdom! Instead, his heir, Prince Pomlet, is in charge, but he is just a baby and so a recent arrival, Hogspittle Slumsit, has installed himself as prime minister and is preparing to take over the throne and turn Ogreville into the terrifying kingdom he thinks it should already be.
Arriving in the now chaotic kingdom, Jimmy, Maudie, Gran and Monny (Samson stayed at home) realise all is not well! Together they plan a course of action to free the King, restore him to the throne and get rid of Hogspittle for good, but then Gran is captured, Prince Pomlet loses it big time, and they still haven’t done any cooking! Can Jimmy, his sister Maudie and Monny save the day, bake the best chocolate cake ever and find a way to get themselves a new bakery, or is this the end for the Peppers and the peaceful kingdom of Ogreville?
Our verdict:
This joyful book has family feuds, a good King, a terrible baddie with a name to be revelled in and, most importantly, chocolate cake! The storyline shows that the author was having as much fun writing this as her audience will have reading it. There are friendly ogres, one a king, the other a put-upon youngest of five called Monstrosity! It’s no wonder he’s shortened it to Monny! After he destroys the bakery in his haste to buy a chocolate cake, he knows just how he can make amends and, as is right for this age group, his plan is simple. He is able to persuade the Peppers that King Ogle, who the Tunk family idolise, will be able to help, and his enthusiasm is both touchingly and innocently written.
The baddie, the wonderfully named Hogspittle Slumsit, is horrified that any ogres should live peacefully and his plans are shown to be outside of King Ogle’s kind-hearted experience. Unfortunately, he is soon dethroned and imprisoned, with a very reluctant heir due to be announced to the citizens not long after Monny and his friends arrive. By the time they are finally able to serve their beautiful cake, the situation has been sorted out and Monny’s faith in the King’s goodness has prevailed, meaning the Pepper family’s livelihood has been guaranteed.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- The Pepper family bakery is famous for their chocolate cake. Do you have special places which sell your favourite foods?
- After Monny demolishes the bakery, Gran tells Maudie about all the different jobs her dad had before finding something he was good at. What job do you think you would like to do when you’re older?
- The cook at King Ogle’s castle left and wasn’t coming back. Design a poster advertising the vacancy and stating what qualifications and skills candidates need to have.
- Why do you think the King was so trusting about Hogspittle?
- What type of king or queen would you be? Would you want your favourite foods served regularly?
- If you could look into the future, what do you think will happen next to the King of Ogreville, Monny and the Pepper family? What about Hogspittle?
Many thanks to Walker Books for the review copy.
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