David Walliams makes surprise visit to Áslandsskóli School

“Do you have any stories about teachers at the school that could be included in my next book about the worst teachers in the world?” asked British author and comedian David Walliams when he made a surprise visit to Áslandsskóli School in Hafnarfjörður yesterday and spoke to students and teachers. Yesterday was the first day at the school after a temporary teachers’ strike.

This will be the first school that Walliams has visited in Iceland, but he has been in Iceland for the Iceland Noir Book Festival. There was no shortage in responses to Walliams’ question, who communicated well with the children and delivered his speech in English without an interpreter. About 300 children from grades 4-10 listened to the author and enjoyed it.

Jónas Sigurgeirsson of Bókafélagið Publishing, the publisher of Walliams’s works in Iceland, says that only the principal and one teacher knew about the visit. He also chatted with the teachers in the staff room and looked around the school library.

Students were quick to raise their hands when Walliams asked for stories about teachers that could be included in his book about the worst teachers in the world. Morgunblaðið/Eggert

There was great excitement in the auditorium at Áslandsskóli School as students listened to David Walliams. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson

Those who came up with a good story about teachers received a signed book from Walliams. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson