This is a great collection because it contains new Quentin Blake illustrations and contains stories like "The Minpins" that are harder to find. Robert McCrum of The Observer deemed it "a sumptuously illustrated anthology" and "a wonderful introduction" to Dahl's work for children.

Lavishly produced and illustrated in full-color, it features artwork by such prominent illustrators as Quentin Blake, Lane Smith, Ralph Steadman and Raymond Briggs. Reading this gave me the desire to go back and read more of his children’s work, but even more than that, his more auto-biographical works such as Boy and especially My Year. In 1999 he became the first ever Children's Laureate and in 2013 he was knighted for services to illustration. We honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' continuous connection to Country, waters, skies and communities. The book also includes an excerpt from an interview given by Dahl and many letters exchanged between Dahl and family members, including Ophelia Dahl.This splendidly illustrated treasury--which we discovered with unfettered glee--showcases excerpts from the above books, along with short stories, rhymes, memoirs, unpublished poetry and personal letters. By this time, I have read most of the novels/novellas featured in this book so I had a better handle on the extracts provided.

That can make you see how your stories enriched my relationships, particularly the one between my father and me. Lavishly produced and illustrated in full-color, it features artwork by such prominent illustrators as Quentin Blake, Lane Smith, and Raymond Briggs. Young Roald Dahl fans will devour this book eagerly, and those who have never met Charlie Bucket, Matilda or the Vermicious Knids will want to get their hands on everything he's ever written. Gorgeous collection of Roald Dahl shorts, including an intro by his daughter Ophelia, perfect for bedtime.Roald Dahl's growing success as an author led him to meet many famous people including Walt Disney, Franklin Roosevelt, and the movie star Patricia Neal.

Complete stories, extracts, rhymes and memoirs in four themed sections: Animals; Magic; Family, Friends and Foes; and Matters of Importance. More Hamburger icon An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. This extraordinary collection takes readers on a fascinating journey into Dahl's unique imagination.

This book did get a little tedious after a while (I don't think you're supposed to read it straight through), and I'm not a fan of extracts from full-lenght books, but all-in-all, this was a very enjoyable read. Everything is, of course, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, most of which are by Quentin Blake, some of which have been contributed by various other artists (including Ralph Steadman!

I only wish there had been a little more editorial narration/inserts, like the first couple of pieces by his editor and daughter, to better frame the sections of the book – like mini-introductions to each section.Of the Dahl books I read and thus reread the excerpts - I noticed that in particular the My Year and Boy: tales of childhood sections were well chosen and I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading them. Images Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape Donate Ellipses icon An illustration of text ellipses. He was also the author of Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG and many more brilliant stories. In fact, I would say it's not a good place to start with Roald Dahl as I believe the longer books are really his best work (thus the 3 stars here and not more).