Roald Dahl – The Dusty Jacket

The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl (J Fantasy)

The Magic Finger

Roald Dahl (J Fantasy)

There was once an eight-year-old girl who lived next to Mr. and Mrs. Gregg and their two boys. The little girl enjoyed playing with the little boys and the little boys enjoyed playing with her. Everything was fine and dandy UNTIL the little girl discovered that Mr. Gregg and his boys liked to hunt. No, not just liked to hunt, but LOVED to hunt. They loved hunting more than anything else in the world, and THIS the little girl didn’t like. In fact, she disliked it so much that it made her turn red and hot all over. One Saturday, she saw them carrying a young deer out of the woods. Red, red, red. The next Saturday they carried out sixteen birds. Red, red, red, hot, hot, hot. The little girl got so cross, that she started to tingle and then… Well, that’s when the story really gets interesting because when the little girl gets red and hot and tingly all over, who knows what her magic finger is capable of.

Narrated by a nameless girl, The Magic Finger tells the story of a principled protagonist who directs her indignation at her offenders resulting in certain body parts turning into animal features: whiskers, tails, wings, the sky’s the limit when you choose to insult or anger this little lady! Although their punishment might seem severe, it’s hard to argue that they didn’t have it coming.

This is a delightful, cautionary tale told as only Roald Dahl can. The Magic Finger is a quick read that introduces us to a girl doing a rather wrong thing for the right (at least in her mind) reason. While some people have been known to wear their heart on their sleeve, she holds her angst in her finger and when you become the object of her displeasure, you better run, duck, and cover! But fear not for a happy ending is just a sincere apology and a promise kept away to ensure that everyone has learned their lesson, and our little girl is happy once again. But, for how long?

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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Esio Trot by Roald Dahl (J Fiction)

Esio Trot

Roald Dahl (J Fiction)

Mr. Hoppy has two loves in his life: his flowers and the widowed Mrs. Silver. If only Mr. Hoppy was the object of Mrs. Silver’s affection, but that honor goes to Alfie, her pet tortoise. But, as luck would have it, something happens on a certain bright morning in May that would be the answer to Mr. Hoppy’s prayers. He would not only find a way to make Mrs. Silver’s wish come true, but his own wish as well. But to what lengths is Mr. Hoppy willing to go to make dreams come true?

As I’ve said countless times before, the hardest part about reviewing a children’s book as an adult is suppressing my own experiences and expectations and instead looking at the story through the untarnished and innocent eyes of a child—for whom it was written. Normally, I’m able to balance this fairly effectively…until now. No matter how I try to rationalize this story and understand whatever lesson it’s attempting to convey, Esio Trot is a disappointment on a moral, human, psychological, and ethical level. No matter how many ways you analyze this story and the behavior of the main character, dishonesty and betrayal are the underlying drivers in what is meant to be a funny and slapstick children’s story.

A stark contrast to most beloved Dahl protagonists, Mr. Hoppy has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He’s a lying, scheming, manipulative, and totally self-serving individual. At every turn, he puts his own wants and needs above everyone else under the delusion that he’s helping his beloved acquire her one true desire. His intentions are truly devious and there’s nothing charming or humorous about it. In the hands of a child, it might be viewed as Ha, ha! Boy, did he really trick Mrs. Silver! Wasn’t he smart? Hurray, Mr. Hoppy! But to the average reader who possesses the smallest understanding of right and wrong, the moment eventually comes when the hero’s motive is justifiably questioned and it’s decided that a line has not only been crossed, but absolutely eviscerated. I even held out hope that perhaps Mr. Hoppy would have an Ebenezer-Scrooge moment when he realizes the error of his ways and immediately seeks redemption. Sadly, this was not to be and all I took away from this book is that if you lie to the one you love, then all of your dreams will come true AND, if you’re super slick, you’ll manage to convince them that your dream is actually what they wanted for themselves all along, too.

Ironically, Roald Dahl once said, “Having power is not nearly as important as what you choose to do with it.” Too bad that he didn’t have his own Mr. Hoppy choose better for if he had, he would have realized that the greatest gift he could have given Mrs. Silver was simply his company, his friendship, and perhaps a lovely flower or two.

Rating: 1/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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The Witches by Roald Dahl (J)

The Witches

The Witches

Roald Dahl (Juvenile Fiction)

“In fairy-tales, witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks, and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy-tale. This is about REAL WITCHES.”

Our story is told through the eyes of a seven-year old boy. He’s quite ordinary really, but we soon find out that this rather ordinary boy is about to do some particularly extraordinary things. Before he is eight years old, he tells us that he has had not one, but TWO encounters with witches…and he has lived to tell about it through this book. I implore you to read this book so that you too will know how to spot a witch, for witches look just like ordinary women. Miss the signs and alas poor reader, you might as well count yourself squelched!

Told in true Roald-Dahl fashion, the author gives us yet another whimsical, comical, and delightful story. Dahl treats us to a young hero who shows courage, cleverness, and cunning in the most dangerous and dire of circumstances. Even when he is at his lowest (and I mean that quite literally), our protagonist always seems to find the bright spot and never resorts to self-pity or defeatism. His “can do” attitude and spunk will cast a wickedly delightful spell on your heart and is sure to entrance readers of all ages. A few gory details of the supreme witch’s appearance may leave younger readers a tad squeamish, but it’s all told in good fun.

Dahl presents us with two very different groups of people whose appearance hide who they truly are. When the narrator’s grandmother poses a question to him about identity and appearance, he responds, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like so long as somebody loves you.” And that, friends, is about as bewitching and magical a message as you can hope for.

Rating: 4/5

* Book cover image attributed to http://www.amazon.com