Roald Dahl: How to Have a Frightful Halloween

by Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

Overview

A Halloween gift book that will delight and frighten Roald Dahl fans!

Learn how to trick the trickiest of tricksters, how a witch's mind is filled with whizzing, phizzing, frightful thoughts, and how to get the most out of your tastiest treats with this ghoulishly great gift book!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593886809
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/13/2024
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 7.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. He spent his childhood in England and, at age eighteen, went to work for the Shell Oil Company in Africa. When World War II broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. At the age of twenty-six he moved to Washington, D.C., and it was there he began to write. His first short story, which recounted his adventures in the war, was bought by The Saturday Evening Post, and so began a long and illustrious career. After establishing himself as a writer for adults, Roald Dahl began writing children's stories in 1960 while living in England with his family. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated. Roald Dahl is now considered one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Although he passed away in 1990, his popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.

Quentin Blake is a well-known artist whose work has made him popular on both sides of the Atlantic. He has illustrated most of Roald Dahl's children's books as well as many others. He lives in London, where he teaches illustration at the Royal College of Art.

Date of Birth:

September 13, 1916

Date of Death:

November 23, 1990

Place of Birth:

Llandaff, Wales, England

Place of Death:

Oxford, England

Editorial Reviews

04/05/2024

K-Gr 2—Characters from Dahl's beloved children's stories are brought to life through Blake's iconic artwork. While the inclusion of familiar faces, such as those from The Twits and The Witches, alongside the ever-popular Willy Wonka, promises a delightful romp, the execution falls short, emphasizing the tricks over the treats in this Halloween book. The narrative reads disjointed, veering away from the whimsical charm toward the unsettling. Instead of evoking a sense of fun and wonder, some passages may leave readers feeling uncomfortable, such as the portrayal of witches with minds "plotting scheming churning burning whizzing and phizzing with horrible thoughts." The text itself is brief and words are often bolded, capitalized, and colored for emphasis. The illustrations, while nostalgic, lack depth and detail, resembling more a series of posters than scenes from a picture book. Characters sometimes appear jumbled, as if copied and pasted onto the pages, detracting from the overall visual experience. VERDICT The tone and content may not be entirely suitable for this book's intended audience, and the execution leaves much to be desired and misses the mark in delivering a delightful holiday read.—Ellen Williams

School Library Journal