Roald Dahl a Phizz-whizzing Collection (Paperback)

By (author) Roald Dahl, Illustrated by Quentin Blake

We are delighted to have this wonderful boxed collection back in stock. Undoubtedly the country's best loved children's author, Roald Dahl's stories continue to delight, excite, shock, entertain and please generation after generation of children. We have gathered here the complete collection of his novels, including Matilda, The Twits and The BFG and each one has been repackaged to appeal to a whole new audience of children who will be sure to enjoy in Quentin Blake's timeless illustrations too. This set is an essential addition to your child's bookshelf.

Titles in this collection

• Fantastic Mr Fox - Roald Dahl -
• The Witches - Roald Dahl -
• The Twits - Roald Dahl -
• James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl -
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl -
• The BFG - Roald Dahl -
• The Magic Finger - Roald Dahl -
• The Giraffe and the Pelly and me - Roald Dahl -
• Esio Trot - Roald Dahl -
• Boy Tales of Childhood - Roald Dahl -
• Matilda - Roald Dahl -
• Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - Roald Dahl -
• Danny the Champion of the World - Roald Dahl -
• George's Marvellous Medicine - Roald Dahl -
• Going Solo - Roald Dahl -

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Fantastic Mr Fox - Roald Dahl

"Fantastic Mr Fox" is the legendary tale of the most cunning fox in the world by Roald Dahl. Every time Mr Fox steals a chicken from the farm, Farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean grow wild with rage! They're the nastiest crooks in the valley, and they've concocted a cunning plan to dig him out of his hole once and for all. But it never occurs to them that Mr Fox has a fantastic plan of his own..."A true genius...Roald Dahl is my hero" (David Walliams). With an exciting look into Roald Dahl's world. Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began to write after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II. Roald Dahl died in 1990. Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

The Witches - Roald Dahl

"The Witches" by Roald Dahl has made many a child quiver with fear and delight! Witches really are a detestable breed. They disguise themselves as lovely ladies, when secretly they want to squish and squelch all the wretched children they despise. Luckily one boy and his grandmother know how to recognize these vile creatures - but can they get rid of them for good? "A true genius...Roald Dahl is my hero." (David Walliams). Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began to write after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II. Roald Dahl died in 1990. Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

The Twits - Roald Dahl

"The Twits" are possibly the nastiest and most digusting of all Roald Dahl's characters. Frogs in beds; Eyeballs in drinks; Worms in spaghetti Mr and Mrs Twit are really disgusting. They smell because they never wash, they fight because they play tricks on each other, AND they hate children. But worst of all, they keep monkeys in their back garden. In cages. It's time for the monkeys to get their revenge on these two most revolting creatures...meet the Muggle-Wump monkeys and the Roly-Poly bird! with a great new cover by Quentin Blake, and a whole exciting section about Roald Dahl and his world. 'A true genius ...Roald Dahl is my hero' - David Walliams Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began to write after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II. Roald Dahl died in 1990. Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl

The hugely popular story of James and his journey to New York with the strangest group of insect friends. Great new Quentin Blake cover and new author biography. Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. His books continue to be bestsellers, despite his death in 1990, and worldwide sales are over 100 million! Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

The BFG - Roald Dahl

When Sophie is snatched from her bed in the middle of the night by a giant with a stride as long as a tennis court she is sure she's going to be eaten for breakfast. But luckily for Sophie, the BFG is far more jumbly than his disgusting neighbours, whose favourite pastime is guzzling up whoppsy-whiffling human beans. Sophie is determined to stop all this, and so she and the BFG cook up an ingenious plan to rid of the world of the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater and all their rotsome friends forever.

The Magic Finger - Roald Dahl

The story of a little girl with magical powers. When someone makes her angry she zaps a punishment on them with her magic flashing finger! This edition has a great new cover, with illustrations by Quentin Blake, and some new facts about Roald Dahl and his world. Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. His books continue to be bestsellers, despite his death in 1990, and total sales are over 100 million worldwide! Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

The Giraffe and the Pelly and me - Roald Dahl

Take a giraffe with a magic neck, a pelican with a retractable beak and a very agile monkey, and what do you have? The world's finest Ladderless Window-Cleaning Company, of course! Add in their friend Billy, the Duke and Duchess of Hampshire and the Cobra, the cleverest and most dangerous cat-burglar in the world, and you have all the ingredients for a deliciously funny tale - all in the pursuit of walnuts, salmon and the pink and purple flowers of the tinkle-tinkle tree, not to mention the Grand Opening of The Grubber...

Esio Trot - Roald Dahl

An ancient spell, 140 tortoises, and a little bit of magic... Mr. Hoppy is in love with his neighbor, Mrs. Silver; but she is in love with someone else--Alfie, her pet tortoise. With all her attention focused on Alfie, Mrs. Silver doesn't even know Mr. Hoppy is alive. And Mr. Hoppy is too shy to even ask Mrs. Silver over for tea. Then one day Mr. Hoppy comes up with a brilliant idea to get Mrs. Silver's attention. If Mr. Hoppy's plan works, Mrs. Silver will certainly fall in love with him. After all, everyone knows the way to a woman's heart is through her tortoise.

Boy Tales of Childhood - Roald Dahl

Boy, Roald Dahl's bestselling autobiography, is full of hilarious anecdotes about his childhood and school days. With fabulous new line drawings by Quentin Blake. "An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it is usually full of all sorts of boring details. This is not an autobiography". (Roald Dahl). This reissue includes 30 delightful new line drawings by the inimitable Quentin Blake. Throughout his young days at school and just afterwards, a number of things happened to Roald Dahl, which made such a tremendous impression he never forgot them. Boy is the remarkable story of Roald Dahl's childhood; tales of exciting and strange things - some funny, some frightening, all true. Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. His books continue to be bestsellers, despite his death in 1990, and worldwide sales are over 100 million! Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

Matilda - Roald Dahl

"The Trunchbull" is no match for Matilda! Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - Roald Dahl

"Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" is the superb sequel to the ever-popular Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Charlie Bucket has won Willy Wonka's chocolate factory and is on his way to take possession of it. In a great glass elevator! But when the elevator makes a fearful whooshing noise, Charlie and his family find themselves in splendid orbit around the Earth. A daring adventure has begun, with the one and only Mr Willy Wonka leading the way. "A true genius...Roald Dahl is my hero". David Walliams Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began to write after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II. Roald Dahl died in 1990. Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

Danny the Champion of the World - Roald Dahl

"Danny the Champion of the World" by Roald Dahl is the much-loved tale of how Danny and his father outwitted the mean Mr Victor Hazell. Danny thinks his dad is the most marvellous and exciting father a boy could wish for. Life is happy and peaceful in their gipsy caravan, until one day Danny discovers his dad has been breaking the law. What's more, soon Danny has to join his father as they attempt to pull off a daring and devilish plot against horrible, red-faced Mr Victor Hazell..."A true genius ...Roald Dahl is my hero". David Walliams Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began to write after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II. Roald Dahl died in 1990. Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

George's Marvellous Medicine - Roald Dahl

"George's Marvellous Medicine" is one of Roald Dahl's most brilliant tales of naughtiness. Most grandmas are kind and helpful ladies. Not George's grandma. She's a grumpy and grizzly old grouch and George wants to teach her a lesson. So when it's time for her medicine, George concocts a bubbling, frothing, marvelous mixture, which is guaranteed to send her through the roof..."A true genius ...Roald Dahl is my hero". David Walliams with an exciting look into Roald Dahl's world. Roald Dahl, the best-loved of children's writers, was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. After school in England he went to work for Shell in Africa. He began to write after "a monumental bash on the head", sustained as an RAF pilot in World War II. Roald Dahl died in 1990. Quentin Blake is one of the best-known and best-loved children's illustrators and it's impossible now to think of Roald Dahl's writings without imagining Quentin Blake's illustrations.

Going Solo - Roald Dahl

"Going Solo," the second part of Roald Dahl's compelling and colourful autobiography, creates a world as bizarre and unnerving as any you will find in his fiction. A marvellous evocation of his wartime exploits, it tells of African safaris and deadly snakes; of fighter planes and incredible air battles with the enemy during World War Two.

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About the Author

Roald Dahl was born in 1916 in Llandaff, Cardiff to Norwegian parents. Both his elder sister and his father died when he was three, and his mother bought up her other four children in South Wales and later in Kent. When World War Two broke out, he enlisted in the RAF and became a fighter pilot of the 80th squadron. You can read more about this time of his life in the books, Boy and Going Solo. It was after a serious crash over the Libyan desert, where he suffered terrible injuries, that he started writing. After the war, Roald Dahl moved to Washington DC and began writing short stories for adults.

His first children's book was published in 1944, The Gremlins. His second children's book came in 1961 - James and the Giant Peach - and it is still a bestseller today. After this, he wrote a string of bestsellers, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was voted the best children's book of all time.

Roald Dahl died in November 1990 aged 75. During his life, Roald Dahl came to be known as one of the greatest storytellers ever; he was a constant winner of 'Author of the Year' awards and his books are translated into 37 different languages.

About the Illustrator

Quentin Blake gained a reputation as a reliable and humorous illustrator of more than 300 children's books. As well as illustrating the books of others, including Joan Aiken, Roald Dahl, Elizabeth Bowen and Dr. Seuss, Blake has written numerous books of his own. As of 2006, he has participated in the writing and/or illustrating of 323 books (of which he wrote 35 himself, and 18 were by Dahl). He taught at the Royal College of Art for over twenty years, and was head of the Illustration department from 1978 to 1986. He recently illustrated David Walliams's debut book, The Boy in the Dress and his more recent book Mr Stink.

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This slipcased edition is a wonderful collection of his children's novels. Although each book is unique, this collected edition allows us to traverse through Dahl's writing over his 27 years of writing children's books to see how his style developed. We can also know more about the various connecting threads between the disparate stories. Interestingly this box doesn't include the poetry collections, The Minpins or The Vicar of Nibbleswicke.

Taking his children's works as a set you can get a better idea of how Dahl mixes the naughty and nice elements of his stories through constant running themes. The naughty elements of despicable characters and disgusting appearances are counterbalanced with the nice elements of fantasy, weird and wonderful characters, and meaningful relationships between children and grown-ups. I also find it interesting that Dahl touches on adult themes such as loneliness.

I like to think how the baddies are mostly cut from the same cloth. They are enormous and they look disgusting. The aunts from James and the Giant Peach, the farmers from Fantastic Mr. Fox, Miss Trunchbull, the witches and the nine child-eating giants are all drawn in a similar repulsive way, even with their unique characteristics in each book.

Beneath the facade of baddies and the fantastic settings of the stories, there are some interesting themes that run throughout the Dahl novels.

I am struck by the many positive relationships between child characters and grown-ups. We see it almost immediately in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Charlie and Grandpa Joe dote on each other, as do Mr. Fox and his family, Danny and his father, the boy-hero and his grandmother, Sophie and the BFG, and even Matilda and Miss Honey. Interestingly enough Dahl infuses his stories with the theme of meaningful personal relationships to make up for the loss of his father at an early age, and so he is using his stories to make up for this real-life deprivation. I find this aspect of Dahl's stories very touching, even when you read about George's relationship with his father in George's Marvellous Medicine. You could almost cry when you read about the relationship between Matilda and Miss Honey. The scene where Matilda tells Miss Honey that she used her eyes to spill water on Miss Trunchbull is very moving. Matilda is honest and Miss Honey does not condemn Matilda. She just calmly tries to help Matilda to find out why she acts in this way. The friendship between the BFG is very touching, as he acts like a father-figure to Sophie while still befriending her. Although he kidnapped Sophie from the orphanage, Sophie turns out to lead a better life with the BFG. And I defy you to not cry when reading The Witches because of the doting grandmother who stands by the boy hero even though the witches turn him into a mouse with their delayed action mouse maker.

I like to think how many Dahl stories have Cinderella-type elements in them. In James and the Giant Peach the two nasty aunts are like the ugly stepsisters. James's life would have been more miserable had he not been given the crocodile tongues, and the man who gives them to James is like a fairy godmother. I also like to think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a Cinderella story too. Mr. Willy Wonka is like the Fairy Godmother and the Prince. The Golden Ticket takes Charlie into the factory like the pumpkin coach that takes Cinderella to the palace. And the four nasty children are like the ugly sisters even though they don't bother Charlie. Matilda is like Cinderella too because Miss Honey manages to save Matilda from the nasty parents while Matilda saves Miss Honey from Miss Trunchbull's bullying.

It is wonderful to see these themes in the Dahl stories so that we know that the nice elements counterbalance the naughty elements.

Each book in this box set is a wonderful gem and has its own individual strengths and character. Admittedly, while I enjoyed the stories, I did sense that Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator was weak compared to the rest of the stories. It didn't have the same panache as the stand-alone stories and the disparate episodes seemed to hang together loosely.

It is wonderful to have Quentin Blake's drawings in this box set too. Interestingly, it would be good if we Dahl fans had the chance to view the earlier editions of the stories that originally had pictures by other artists. I'm not saying that we should replace the Blake drawings in this box because they are always excellent and capture the spirit of Dahl's stories. I am only saying that it would be good if people in this day and age could see the earlier illustrations that were done for the earlier Dahl stories, such as those done by Nancy Burkert, William Pene du Bois and Jill Bennett. Obviously these drawings might not fit in to an edition like this but if readers had the chance to view the older illustrations of Dahls earlier stories they can experience the different feel each illustrator brought to the stories. I am also aware that the first edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is so different from the one we know today. Dahl characterised the Oompa-Loompas as black African pygmies rather than hippie-type characters with golden hair. It would be interesting to know the differences between Charlie in its first edition and today's edition of the story.

All-in-all, this box set is a wonderful collection of stories and they might even qualify as modern, enduring classics.

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