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Children's Book of the Month

Fantastic Mr Dahl by Michael Rosen
Published by Puffin, 2012.

From its clever title to the all too quick end, this is a treasure for Roald Dahl’s millions of fans. Michael Rosen, the former children’s laureate, interviews the legendary children’s author to find out what made his writing so fantastic. When asked about the ingredients of a good story, Roald Dahl said, above all, “it must be funny.”
Rosen’s book tells how a young boy from a small town in Wales grew up to be one of the world’s greatest storytellers. His extraordinary life is mirrored in his extraordinary books full of extraordinary characters.

Fantastic Mr Dahl makes one of the most famous writers of all time more accessible. We get a picture of his days at boarding school, his time in the RAF and his love of chocolate. All this and an insight into his school days and family life go some way in explaining the birth of his renowned and unforgettable characters.

Michael Rosen uses his words sparingly and chooses them carefully to give young readers a glimpse into how Roald Dahl came up with his ideas and how he turned them into books. It is an excellent read, first of all, for fans of the great man and also for slightly reluctant readers, reassuring them that you don’t have to be the world’s best at spelling, reading or writing during your schooldays to achieve worldwide fame as a writer!