There are certain iconic children\u2019s writers whose works truly speak to young children, no matter where they\u2019re from or where their interests lie. Roald Dahl<\/a> is one of those writers. Perhaps best known as the author of classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory <\/em><\/a>and Fantastic Mr. Fox<\/em><\/a>, Dahl, a former British fighter pilot, created a remarkable collection of books over his long career that kids have embraced for more than 70 years. So which Roald Dahl book is perfect for your kid? From the budding poet to the reluctant reader, here are some favorite Dahl titles suited to all kinds of little personalities.<\/p>\n yes no For the Ultimate Book Lover \u2026 9780425287675 Matilda<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n Matilda<\/i > is one of the best books about school ever written, largely because it presents children with both the good and the bad behind modern education in a surprisingly even-handed way. While Miss Trunchbull and her horrid school are definitely the bad guys, Matilda is practically a poster child for the benefits of intellectual curiosity and self-guided reading (and Miss Honey shows kids that not all teachers are bad).<\/p>\n yes no For the Budding Poet \u2026 9780142414828 Roald Dahl\u2019s Revolting Rhymes<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n Revolting Rhymes<\/i> is a fantastically funny poetry collection that shows aspiring young poets how to look at familiar things from a fresh and unique perspective. Dahl\u2019s verses skewer classic fairy tales and ask readers to ruminate on unfamiliar questions like, \u201cWhat if Cinderella didn\u2019t like her prince?\u201d or \u201cCan you believe what a rotten little kid Goldilocks was?\u201d If your young poet wants to learn how to question authority in the most lyrical way possible, this is the book for them.<\/p>\n yes no For the Prankster \u2026 9780593349670 The Twits<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n The Twits<\/i> is a classic that every kid should read, especially if they love pranks and quirky characters. Mr. and Mrs. Twit are awful people who hate everyone and everything \u2014 except for playing pranks on their pet monkeys. But when the monkeys get tired of the never-ending stream of not-so-funny pranks and cruel jokes, they devise a plan to get revenge on the Twits. Don\u2019t miss the animated film coming to Netflix in June 2025!<\/p>\n yes no For the Kid Who Adores Animals … 9780451480002 The Enormous Crocodile<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n In this short but no less wonderful Dahl tale, the Enormous Crocodile schemes to catch some delicious children to fill his belly. Thinking himself very clever, he brags about his plans to the other animals of the jungle, who then make it their mission to stop him. Featuring a menagerie of animals like Humpy-Rumpy the Hippo, Trunky the Elephant, and Muggle-Wump the Monkey, this story will delight little animal lovers as they observe the heroic creatures put a stop to the Crocodile\u2019s hilarious tricks. <\/p>\n yes no For the Movie Buff \u2026 9780142410387 The BFG<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n If your kid won\u2019t touch a book until they\u2019ve seen the movie adaptation, convince them that they should take a (short) leap and read Dahl\u2019s The BFG<\/i>. Not only is it a beautiful and funny tale of a young girl befriending the world\u2019s only kind giant, you can also enjoy Steven Spielberg\u2019s movie version<\/a>.<\/p>\n yes no For the Fantasy Reader \u2026 9780451480798 James and the Giant Peach<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n Named one of TIME Magazine<\/i>‘s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, this book is one of Dahl’s greatest. Young James is forced to live with his dreadful aunts after a rhino tragically kills his parents, but his bad luck turns around when he sets sail on a giant peach with an unlikely group of friends. It’s a most fantastically wonderful tale. <\/p>\n Fun fact: Dahl originally planned to write a story about a giant cherry, but changed it to James and the Giant Peach<\/i> because they’re “prettier, bigger and squishier than a cherry.”<\/p>\n yes no For the Aspiring MasterChef Junior \u2026 9780140378207 Roald Dahl\u2019s Revolting Recipes<\/i> by Roald Dahl, Felicity Dahl, and Josie Fison, illustrated by Quentin Blake, photographed by Jan Baldwin <\/p>\n Technically, Revolting Recipes<\/i> was compiled by Dahl\u2019s daughter, Felicity, after Dahl\u2019s death, but the author did help create most of the recipes and always wanted to publish a cookbook based on the wild concepts from his many food-related tales. (It also features art by longtime Dahl illustrator Quentin Blake.) If your kid loves to cook, how can they pass up trying to make The Twits\u2019 Bird Pie or Willy Wonka\u2019s Lickable Wallpaper?<\/p>\n yes no For the Kid Who Prefers Reality Over Fantasy \u2026 9780142413814 Boy<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n If your child has no patience for magical chocolate factories or flying glass elevators, they might enjoy some of Dahl\u2019s nonfiction works, especially his memoir Boy: Tales of Childhood<\/i>, a collection of truly fascinating, well-told anecdotes that follow Dahl from his youth to age 20. Or perhaps even the more obscure The Mildenhall Treasure<\/a><\/i>, in which Dahl reports on the true story of a British farmer who uncovered a million dollar cache of ancient Roman silver in his field one day.<\/p>\n yes no For the Reluctant Reader \u2026 9780140368376 The Vicar of Nibbleswicke<\/i> by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake <\/p>\n The Vicar of Nibbleswicke<\/i> was published after Dahl\u2019s death, but it truly speaks to Dahl\u2019s love for children, language, and reading. The title character is a clergyman suffering from Back-to-Front Dyslexia, a condition that makes him say certain words backwards (to hilarious effect). Dahl and his collaborator Quentin Blake both donated their profits from the book to the Dyslexia Institute in London.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2025.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Which Roald Dahl book is perfect for your kid? From the budding poet to the reluctant reader, here are a few Dahl titles suited to all kinds of little personalities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":115313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[60,279,954],"coauthors":[12],"class_list":["post-1445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-humor","tag-roald-dahl","tag-educators","ages_stages-growing-reader","ages_stages-tween"],"yoast_head":"\n
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