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Roald Dahl is perhaps one of the world's most famous writers for children;
indeed, his stories have been charming readers young and old alike for decades.
Here in England his books are a national institution, and the numerous
television and film adaptations (including my favourite, Danny: the Champion of
the World starring Jimmy Nail) stand testament to the timeless quality,
quirkiness and charm of his stories.
As a child I loved reading (I still do) and I can safely say I read every one of
Dahl's books - or at least, I could until I discovered this one; Boy. Boy is
a semi-autobiographical narrative containing Dahl's memoirs from his childhood.
Considering the limitless imagination of the man who created Willy Wonka's
chocolate factory, I was intrigued by the idea of it; and upon reading it, I was
not disappointed.
The tales are all written in Dahl's signature style - easy for children to
understand and yet entertaining for adults also. They range from the hilarious
to the sombre and the exciting to the utterly painful. When reading, you almost
feel that the young Dahl is sitting beside you, telling you about his life as if
the events described happened only yesterday.
The writing is full of detail and utterly candid, portraying life as a Norwegian
boy growing up in pre-WW1 Britain with intensity and light-hearted honesty. One
of the reasons I decided to read this book was to learn where Dahl's fantastic
ideas came from, and indeed glimmers of inspiration are dotted around the
narrative for eagle-eyed readers to discover. An early fixation with sweets and
chocolates is not surprising; but the stories of high-speed car journeys that
almost ended in disaster and what an 8 year old Dahl did with a dead rat are
unusual and fascinating enough to make you believe this is fiction.
Unbelievingly, every word is true.
This book is a sheer delight for Dahl fans and a fascinating insight into the
early life and times of one of the most imaginative children's writers of the
20th century. I would recommend this book to slightly older children, perhaps 9
and up, as the content is a little advanced for the younger child.
Publisher: Puffin
Price: £3.50 GBP/ $4.99 USD
No. of volumes: 1
Information
Very informative, especially about the writer himself and life as a young boy in
pre-war Britain.
Imagination
Dahl puts an imaginative spin on even the most mundane events described.
Excitement/Suspense
A moderate amount which increases when the reader is younger.
Humour
Plenty of humour for readers of any age. I found this book highly amusing.
Illustration
A front cover illustration by Quentin Blake (ever present in Roald Dahl books)
and further varied illustrations, excerpts from Dahl's boyhood letters and
photographs. Again, suited to older children.
Overall
A wonderfully detailed, funny and entertaining book which will appeal to
older children and their parents alike.
Who should buy this book?
Roald Dahl fans and anyone who is even slightly interested in his books would
find this book enlightening and enjoyable.
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