Most Popular Books by Roald Dahl

Funny, irreverent and sometimes sad, here is the story of the early life of one of the world''s best-loved authors. From the evocation of an enchanted boyhood spent in Wales and Norway to his unhappy experiences at an English public school, these sparkling memoirs are filled with wit, high spirits and more than a touch of the macabre. "A shimmering fabric of his yesterdays, the magic and the hurt" --Observer. "Brilliantly coloured, sometimes grotesque and sometimes magical" --Sunday Times. "As frightening and funny as his fiction" --The New York Times Book Review. "Superbly written ... a glimpse of a brilliant eccentric" --New Statesman.

How would you get rid of a murder weapon without causing suspicion? Where would you hide a diamond where no one else would think of looking? What if you found out that the tattoo on your back was worth over a million dollars? You will discover that just about anything is possible in a Roald Dahl story, and here are eleven of his very best.

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! "Rich in humor, acutely observant, Dahl lets his imagination rip in fairyland." —The New York Times

Seven superb short stories from the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG! The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is a Netflix Original film! Meet the boy who can talk to animals and the man who can see with his eyes closed. And find out about the treasure buried deep underground. A clever mix of fact and fiction, this collection also includes how master storyteller Roald Dahl became a writer. With Roald Dahl, you can never be sure where reality ends and fantasy begins. "All the tales are entrancing inventions." —Publishers Weekly

Five children find entry tickets to Willy Wonka''s mysterious chocolate factory. The tour brings out the best and worst in them.

Wondering what happened to the other children who toured the chocolate factory with Charlie? Find out in this reader featuring a mini story perfect for Dahl fans. While Charlie went on to win the chocolate factory, Augustus, Violet, Veruca, and Mike were still stuck inside, having lost the competition at various points in dramatic ways. From the Chocolate Room to the Nut Room to eventually making it out, discover how the other four competitors spent their day in the factory and see if they learned any lessons along the way.

The classic story from Roald Dahl, about an exceptional young girl with extraordinary powers. Adapted into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical and a Netflix film! 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 menacing, kid-hating 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! Here is Roald Dahl''s original novel of a little girl with extraordinary powers. This much-loved story has recently been made into a wonderful new musical, adapted by Dennis Kelly with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin.

Is it really possible to invent a machine that does the job of a writer? What is it about the landlady''s house that makes it so hard for her guests to leave? Does Sir Basil Turton value most his wife or one of his priceless sculptures? These compelling tales are a perfect introduction to the adult writing of a storytelling genius.

Master storyteller Roald Dahl adds his own darkly comic twists to six favorite tales in this irreverent and hilarious collection! Did you think Cinderella married the prince and lived happily ever after, or that the three little pigs outsmarted the wolf? Think again! Complete with rambunctious rhymes and a must-read surprise ending. Featured stories: Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood and the WOlf, and The Three Little Pigs

In Going Solo, the world''s favourite storyteller, Roald Dahl, tells of life as a fighter pilot in Africa. ''They did not think for one moment that they would find anything but a burnt-out fuselage and a charred skeleton, and they were astounded when they came upon my still-breathing body lying in the sand nearby.'' In 1938 Roald Dahl was fresh out of school and bound for his first job in Africa, hoping to find adventure far from home. However, he got far more excitement than he bargained for when the outbreak of the Second World War led him to join the RAF. His account of his experiences in Africa, crashing a plane in the Western Desert, rescue and recovery from his horrific injuries in Alexandria, flying a Hurricane as Greece fell to the Germans, and many other daring deeds, recreates a world as bizarre and unnerving as any he wrote about in his fiction. ''Very nearly as grotesque as his fiction. The same compulsive blend of wide-eyed innocence and fascination with danger and horror'' Evening Standard ''A non-stop demonstration of expert raconteurship'' The New York Times Book Review Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl''s Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl''s stories continue to make readers shiver today.

From the World''s No. 1 Storyteller, The Witches is a children''s classic that has captured young reader''s imaginations for generations. This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches. Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There''s nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma''s stories—but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself!

From the World''s No. 1 Storyteller, James and the Giant Peach is a children''s classic that has captured young reader''s imaginations for generations. One of TIME MAGAZINE’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time After James Henry Trotter''s parents are tragically eaten by a rhinoceros, he goes to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Life there is no fun, until James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree and strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it''s as big as a house. Inside, James meets a bunch of oversized friends—Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, and more. With a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away, and the great adventure begins! Roald Dahl is the author of numerous classic children’s stories including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, and many more! “James and the Giant Peach remains a favorite among kids and parents alike nearly 60 years after it was first published, thanks to its vivid imagery, vibrant characters and forthright exploration of mature themes like death and hope.” —TIME Magazine

This collection brings together Dahl''s finest work, illustrating his genius for the horrific and grotesque which is unparalleled. " Dahl has the mastery of plot and characters possessed by great writers of the past, along with a wildness and wryness of his own. One of his trademarks is writing beautifully about the ugly, even the horrible." --"Los Angeles Times" " An ingenious imagination, a fascination with odd and ordinary detail, and a lust for its thorough exploitation are the...strengths of Dahl''s storytelling." --"New York Times Book Review"

Roald Dahl''s beloved novel hit the big screen in July 2016 in a major motion picture adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg from Amblin Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures. When Sophie is snatched from her orphanage bed by the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), she fears she will be eaten. But instead the two join forces to vanquish the nine other far less gentle giants who threaten to consume earth’s children. This beautiful edition of Dahl''s classic features the original illustrations by Quentin Blake.

The misadventures of two terrible old people who enjoy playing nasty tricks and are finally outwitted by a family of monkeys.

Presents humorous retellings of six well-known fairy tales featuring surprise endings in place of the traditional happily-ever-after.

Originally published: [New York]: Alfred A. Knopf, 1982.

Includes the story "Poison," now a short film from Wes Anderson on Netflix In this collection of stories, Dahl tantalizes, amuses, and sometimes terrifies readers about what lurks beneath the ordinary. • “With the inventive power of a Thomas Edison and the imagination of a Lewis Carroll . . . Roald Dahl is a wizard of comedy and the grotesque, an artist with a marvelously topsy-turvy sense of the ridiculous in life.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer Included in this collection are such notorious gems of the bizarre as “The Second Machine,” “Lamb to the Slaughter,” “Neck,” and “The Landlady.” Other stories explore: A wine connoisseur with an infallible palate and a sinister taste in wagers. A decrepit old man with a masterpiece tattooed on his back. A voracious adventuress, a gentle cuckold, and a garden sculpture that becomes an instrument of sadistic vengeance. Social climbers who climb a bit too quickly. Philanderers whose deceptions are a trifle too ornate. Impeccable servants whose bland masks slip for one vertiginous instant.

The Landlady is a brilliant gem of a short story from Roald Dahl, the master of the sting in the tail. In The Landlady, Roald Dahl, one of the world''s favourite authors, tells a sinister story about the darker side of human nature. Here, a young man in need of room meets a most accommodating landlady . . . The Landlady is taken from the short story collection Kiss Kiss, which includes ten other devious and shocking stories, featuring the wife who pawns the mink coat from her lover with unexpected results; the priceless piece of furniture that is the subject of a deceitful bargain; a wronged woman taking revenge on her dead husband, and others. ''Unnerving bedtime stories, subtle, proficient, hair-raising and done to a turn.'' (San Francisco Chronicle ) This story is also available as a Penguin digital audio download read by Tamsin Greig. Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl''s Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl''s stories continue to make readers shiver today.

A revealing collection of personal letters written by the iconic author to his mother details his early childhood milestones, travels to Africa, Royal Air Force service, work in Washington D.C., literary achievements, and rise in Hollywood.

From the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG! Someone''s been stealing from the three meanest farmers around, and they know the identity of the thief--it''s Fantastic Mr. Fox! Working alone they could never catch him, but now Boggis, Bunce, and Bean have joined forces, and they''ve concocted a cunning plan to dig him out of his hole once and for all. What they don''t know is they''re not dealing with just any fox. Mr. Fox would rather die than surrender, and he just happens to have a fantastic plan of his own . . . This special edition of Roald Dahl''s beloved story has a beautiful full-color interior and large trim to feature Quentin Blake''s iconic art.

Dahl is a master at introducing readers to a new sense of what lurks beneath the ordinary.

Based on the beloved novel from the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matlida! In these short plays, step into the shoes of the boy, the grandmother, or even the Grand High Witch of all the world! These dramatizations of Roald Dahl’s beloved book can be performed in school and at summer camp, acted out at home, or simply read together by a group of friends. With useful tips on staging, props, and costumes, the plays are easy to perform, have plenty of parts, and are sure to be great fun for everyone!

What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted? To the Gregg family, hunting is just plain fun. To the girl who lives next door, it''s just plain horrible. She tries to be polite. She tries to talk them out of it, but the Greggs only laugh at her. Then one day the Greggs go too far, and the little girl turns her Magic Finger on them. When she''s very, very angry, the little girl''s Magic Finger takes over. She really can’t control it, and now it''s turned the Greggs into birds! Before they know it, the Greggs are living in a nest, and that''s just the beginning of their problems….

Fourteen terrifying ghost stories chosen by the master of the macabre, Roald Dahl. ''Spookiness is the real purpose of the ghost story. It should give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts . . .'' Who better to choose the ultimate in spine-chillers than Roald Dahl, whose own sinister stories have teased and twisted the imagination of millions? Here are fourteen of his favourite ghost stories, including Sheridan Le Fanu''s The Ghost of a Hand, Edith Wharton''s Afterward, Cynthia Asquith''s The Corner Shop and Mary Treadgold''s The Telephone. Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl''s Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl''s stories continue to make readers shiver today.

From the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda! Billy''s mum says he must never go out through the garden gate and explore the dark forest beyond. So, one day, he does exactly that! There Billy meets the amazing Minpins, tiny people who live inside the hollow trees. But the Minpins are in danger. The terrible, galloping Gruncher stalks the forest, and the Minpins are disappearing in their thousands. Can Billy find a way to destroy the hungry beast, once and for all--or will it gobble him up too?

Dahl''s classic tale for young readers is now available in this gorgeous gift edition, featuring the lively, spirited artwork of Quentin Blake. When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by an old peach tree, the tree grows a giant fruit, and James meets some wonderful new friends who call the peach tree home.

Who but Roald Dahl could think up such mouthwatering and deliciously disgusting foods as Lickable Wallpaper, Stink Bugs Eggs, and Eatable Pillows? Now theres a practical guide to making these and other delicacies featured in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Roald Dahl''s other books, with easy, step-by-step recipes that range from the delectable to the truly revolting. Quentin Blake''s illustrations combine with full-color photographs of the luscious results to perfectly capture Roald Dahls wicked sense of fun. "Dahl, one suspects, would have been tickled . . . deliciously playful." --Publishers Weekly

A young English boy describes his relationship with his father and the special adventure they share together.