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A review by marthaos
Billy and the Minpins by Roald Dahl
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a re-read as I couldn’t remember much about the book since I read it quite a few years ago. This time I read it to my 4 year old son who loves stories and loves Roald Dahl. I’m taking part in @salboreads #CCC Summer of Dahl challenge and am really enjoying comparing notes with other readers of Roald Dahl.
It is about Billy, who wanders into The Forest of Sin one day, despite his mother’s instructions to “Be good”. Rumours of all sorts of despicable creatures circulated about this forest where, as the well-known rhyme went: “few come out but many go in”. Billy, bored at home and lured by the idea of adventure, encounters the Minpins on the magical trees in the forest whose bark seemed to transform and open into shutters the size of postage stamps which led to the Minpins’ houses. What a great concept, much like Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree, where this idea that other worlds exist alongside our own is explored. It is so enriching for children, world within worlds and where anything is possible. Can Billy’s plan to overcome the fearsome fire-breathing beast with the help of some birds work?
As always with Dahl the language was amazing and the idea wild and wonderful. It was very enjoyable, not my favourite Roald Dahl, but a very enjoyable and worthwhile short read.
It is about Billy, who wanders into The Forest of Sin one day, despite his mother’s instructions to “Be good”. Rumours of all sorts of despicable creatures circulated about this forest where, as the well-known rhyme went: “few come out but many go in”. Billy, bored at home and lured by the idea of adventure, encounters the Minpins on the magical trees in the forest whose bark seemed to transform and open into shutters the size of postage stamps which led to the Minpins’ houses. What a great concept, much like Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree, where this idea that other worlds exist alongside our own is explored. It is so enriching for children, world within worlds and where anything is possible. Can Billy’s plan to overcome the fearsome fire-breathing beast with the help of some birds work?
As always with Dahl the language was amazing and the idea wild and wonderful. It was very enjoyable, not my favourite Roald Dahl, but a very enjoyable and worthwhile short read.