It would have have been Roald Dahl's 100th birthday this
month. A familiar story writer if you grew up reading his books.
In the eyes of many, Roald Dahl is one great storyteller since
history. His stories have been fancifully imagined and ever captivating to the
little readers out there. If your kids are between the ages of 6 to 12, his
books are likely to work through the heart of theirs. It's a shame that not all
his books made it into my childhood reading list. I am however, very much glad
that Jazz is taking pleasure in reading almost of all his books.
Jazz may be an avid reader, but she is also one picky reader
who selects her books with an interesting synopsis. Once she gets hold of a
good read, she is likely to dive into it repeatedly. I find it amusing at how
she can read and re-read a book more than once. I guess, good things are meant
to be savoured over and over again.
In midst of her huge Roald Dahl collection, I asked her for
4 best titles that will delight any child in devouring from one page to
another. Here's what she recommended:
We know right! This has got to top the list.
Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at
last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. Mr Wonka devises a plan to hide 5 golden tickets beneath the wrappers of his famous chocolate bars. Charlie Bucket
can't believe his luck when he finds the very last of Mr Willy Wonka's
Golden Tickets inside his chocolate bar. He wins a magical tour around Willy
Wonka's famous chocolate factory and sees the most amazing creations. One by one, the other
four children on the tour cause some major trouble and are carried away. Charlie is the only child who doesn't cause trouble, and Willy Wonka tells him he won! What did he win? The whole chocolate factory. Mr Wonka wants someone to take over for him when he gets old.
It's a very sweet and heart-warming book to devour.
After reading this book, you may want to hunt down its
movie. There are two adaptions of it, we caught the 2005 released, directed by
Tim Burton. A nice and heart-warming watch. So good, that we caught it more
than once.
Matilda Wormwood is only five years old, but she is an exceptional
genius. Unfortunately her parents failed to notice that. During her toddlerhood, Matilda asks her Dad for a book and is pressured to watch television instead. She discovers the library and reads the classics, not simple children's books. She is however, chastised by her parents for her intelligence. Worse, her horrible
headmistress Miss Trunchbull is a bully who makes life difficult for Matilda's
teacher, Miss Honey, and her friends. But what Miss Trunchbull doesn't know is
that Matilda has a trick or two up her sleeve, she has supernatural powers that can manipulate objects. Matilda uses this to her full advantage both with her parents and Miss Trunchbull. Just as her parents are caught in a cheating business scheme, and about to move, Matilda moves in with Miss Honey, where the two live happily and smartly together.
You will be very amazed at the wits Matilda possesses, as you read along. Matilda won the Children's Book
Award shortly after it was published in 1988, and it has continued to delight
audiences ever since.
Again, do hunt down its movie after reading. A lovely watch
that our family enjoyed tremendously. Released in 1996 and driected by Danny
DeVito. There's a musical on it too! We haven't got an opportunity to catch
it.
The Big Friendly Giant is unlike other giants. For a start,
he doesn't like to eat people and it's not long before he becomes orphan
Sophie's very best friend. He is one giant who captured dreams and kept them in
bottles for children to enjoy while they were asleep. The dream-hunting giant takes orphan Sophie
back to his cave in Giant Country, where he lives surrounded by nine other
fearsome giants who spend every night guzzling down humans. Sophie learns that the giant is called the Big Friendly Giant (The BFG) because he does not eat humans. Sophie isn't able to go back to the orphanage because the BFG is afraid she'll tell others about the existence of giants and he'll be forced to live in a zoo.
The two devise a plan to mix up a nightmare for the Queen of England so that they can stop the giants from ever eating another human being. Or, as the giants
call them, human beans. The BFG speaks in quite a turned-around way, but we
always understand him. He tells Sophie, "Words...is oh such a twitch-tickling problem to me all
my life. So you must simply try to be patient and stop squibbling. As I am telling
you before, I know exactly what words I am wanting to say, but somehow or other
they is always getting squiff-squiddled around."
The name, Sophie was inspired by Roald Dahl's granddaughter, Sophie Dahl. And as you can read, speaking in proper language is not BFG's
forte. So if you are one fussy parent about reading perfect English, this may
be a book you want to delay or avoid. Just in case, he begins speaking and writing like
one. But it really is one great story!
And yes, the movie adaption is in the cinemas! Oh wait, is it still showing?
The witches is an award-winning story by Roald Dahl about a boy, his grandmother and a hotel full of witches. It's not a fairy tale, but about real witches.
This is a book about 'real witches', the ones that
absolutely loathe children and are always plotting to get rid of them. The
Grand High Witch of all the World has gathered together the witches of Inkland
for an annual conference at the Hotel Magnificent in Bournemouth. Their agenda
is the elimination of all the children in the country and the prospects for
their young victims look bleak. But the Grand High Witch and her cronies have reckoned without the spark and
ingenuity of a young guest at the hotel and his rather brilliant grandmother.
It does sound a tad creepy, but if my not so brave girl can
handle, I'm sure it would delight any child. At least we know, Roald Dahl's
stories are always with a beautiful end. "Read how the witches schemed to
turn the children into mice, but failed" said Jazz.
Once your child gets onto these books, read on to these other titles by Roald Dahl.
Highly recommended by Jazz too.
Are any of these your child's favourite too?
A good storybook helps encompass reading as part of a lifestyle, and a good book is any book your child likes. Reading is probably the best tutor for any child.
If your child has not started on chapter books, read a chapter a day to your child nightly. It will send your child sweet into dreams. And of course, use that animated voice when reading the BFG. It will be fun!
GIVEAWAY
Books are gifts that you can open again and again. Here's the dessert - We love that children read, we love that children visit the library and we want to advocate the love for reading. We don't have the riches of the World, but we would like to bless 2 little readers with the titles "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory" and "The BFG" with our pocket money. Not from Jazz's collection, as she really treasures them.
To join the giveaway, we will be happy and
appreciative that you:
1. Like Mum's calling on Facebook
2. Leave a comment on this Facebook post to tell us which title your child will like, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory OR The BFG
That's it! And of course, we
wouldn't mind that you share this post with your friends, because reading is
for everyone, and sharing is caring!
Giveaway ends on 10 October, 2359hrs.
This giveaway has ended, Congrats Chong Swee S. and Jessie L!
