Rex

Call me a prude if you like, but I'm just not a fan of this modern trend for parading naked baby bumps for all to see.

I have one of my own at this very minute (though it's currently clothed, you'll be glad to know) and I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would want to see it in all its pasty, stretch-mark-riddled glory. Admittedly it's probably a darn site less aesthetically-pleasing than the average A-lister's baby bump but still, what IS the obsession with getting yer bump out for anyone and everyone to ogle? *Shudder*

Model Lara Stone must get what it's all about though, because last week at the 55th Venice Biennale festival artist Marc Quinn unveiled a nude portrait of her, complete with baby bump on display. The unusual painting depicts the heavily pregnant Dutch model reclining on a bed of meat. Make of that what you will. (Personally it just made me wonder if my morning sickness had suddenly returned with a vengeance but that's another story.)

Stone and hubby David Walliams became parents for the first time last month. I think I'd prefer to open the newspaper to find a snap of their bouncing baby boy rather than a painting of her naked belly surrounded by raw lamb chops. If that makes me weird, well, so be it. What say you?

Well it seems as though the baby bump floodgates have been well and truly opened - David Walliams is the latest expectant father to announce his happy news.

An official statement was made last Thursday, which said: We're very excited to announce we are expecting our first child. We're both absolutely thrilled but ask you to please respect our privacy during this precious time.

And David took to his Twitter account, saying:

Some wonderful news. My beautiful wife Lara is pregnant. We are having a baby! It is due next year and we both couldn't be happier. Dx

It always makes me chuckle when people say, "we couldn't be happier," or "I'm over the moon!" I mean, no-one's going to say, "...and actually I'm not very happy about it at ALL!" are they!

David and his wife, Lara, have a Border Terrier called Bert,; he's often seen out and about with them and Lara has recently said, "A baby will ­probably never be as fun as Bert."

You know what, Lara?  You're right - puppies are much easier, they don't say 'NO!' and they don't grow up under the illusion that you're a one-woman taxi service and 24-hour cash machine.  I would advise you to stick with pooches...but it's a bit late for that now!

My youngest son has just had his sixth birthday and one of his friends gave him a copy of Billionaire Boy, by David Walliams, and it's caused a bit of a family 'issue'.

I haven't read any of it yet and neither has he; he's busy reading a different book at the moment but his dad has been so desperate to get started on Billionaire Boy that he's reading it in secret!

Amazon are selling paperback copies for £3.85 instead of £6.99 and the complete, unabridged, audio version for £6.99 instead of £9.99.

• Click HERE for Billionaire Boy in paperback
• Click HERE for Billionaire Boy on audiobook

Billionaire Boy is a tale about a boy called Joe; he's twelve years old and the richest boy in the land.  He has his own cinema, his own bowling alley, an orangutan - who also happens to be his butler too - and he wants for nothing...except a friend.

There are plenty of reviews to read through, from both parents and children, and the overwhelming theme is: it's very funny, has a few sad moments and an ultimate moral of the story to learn from.

Parents of reluctant readers can rejoice too - by all accounts, even the most reluctant of readers have devoured Billionaire Boy by David Walliams and gone on to read his other stories too.

Happy reading!