Apparantly, my brother was given Dodger for his birthday. He rang me last week saying, and I quote "I've finished it. You'd think it was written for Children, wouldn't you?" (coughs in an embarrased fashion at having a 62 year old brother who thinks Sir T is a waste of ink). However, he has now read a Pratchett, so at least he is starting to act like a human being again!
As for the slang. Growing up in the fifties/ sixties in London E17, we were using Cove to mean anyone who was over 15. There were certainly some dodgy Coves where I grew up!