Roald Dahl

A book to be read retrospectively, for linguistically much of it is beyond those children who are obsessive readers of Dalh's children's books. Consequently there was some disappointment as young readers spotted the name of their favourite author writ large on the cover. Put into the right hands there was some interest, especially in the origins of ideas for Dahl's stories. It is an interesting book, tracing Dahl's life from child in Wales to successful author in the inventing shed in the back garden. It is however difficult to place, too sketchy for anyone genuinely concerned with biography and moving too fast for a child who might like to ask more questions about a particular book or character. As a teacher I was most interested in the section which specifically answered children's questions and which discussed how children ought to be their own best critics of what they read.