The book in one sentence: Mollycoddled Little Billy listens to the Devil’s whisper and naughtily enters the Forest of Sin against his mother’s warnings!
Who would you recommend it to: Little boys and girls with a taste for adventure.
OK bits: The Minpins and their houses.
Boring bits: The ending where Little Billy ventures into mysterious places high up in the sky.
Random review quote:
“Roald Dahl’s last picture book is as mind-bogglingly wonderful as all the others. This is classic Dahl: the charming stories with that disquieting edge of fear… Patrick Benson’s illustrations are vibrant and so full of life that there is water splashing off the page and leaves swirling among the treesm yet there’s a harmonious gentleness evident too. A superb book” — Books for Keeps
Verdict: The review quote is right in a way. It is a typical Dahl children story, but not quite as classic as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or The BFG. That said, it still makes a pretty good bedtime story and the illustration is a nice change from the usual Quentin Blake ones. (Not that Quentin Blake’s illustrations are boring, they’re wonderful!)
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Why this book is green: As the book cover above shows, The Minpins is a very ‘green’ book. The premise of the story is very nature-based, and this is reflected in both the story and illustrations. It’s a book based on nature that will interest children and nurture the spirit of environmental friendliness without being boring!
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Tch, I won a contest for this review and I’m now linking it myself to prove it.
Posted by lovelyloey on November 19, 2007 at 8:19 am
Reading Roald Dahl without Quentin Blake illustrations is just … strange. I suppose I will go get this book from the library after my exams!
nylusmilk: yeah, a bit lah. but it’s typical dahl with all his usual made-up words, so you can’t mistake this for another author’s book.
don’t expect too much, and explain to me the ending if you manage to get the book!
Posted by aloi on November 20, 2007 at 8:57 pm
never heard of this one. will put this in my list of books to buy for the little one
nylusmilk: that’s the reason why i bought it, actually.
if you do, i hope your child (children?) enjoys it!