Danny Champion of the World

“I loved the relationship between Danny and his dad, and I love the fact that Danny’s dad had to be sparky and interesting and that was what made Danny’s dad so much more amazing than any of Roald Dahl’s other adults, really. If you compare him to Matilda’s parents, Danny’s dad is on another level. And, again, it was the rural, pastoral themes that I knew about that attracted me. I had lots of pheasants around me. And I love the idea of two underdogs tricking really nasty evil people. And there’s so much great imagery in the book.” Read more...

The Best Roald Dahl Books

Tilly Burn, Children's Author

“It’s glorious. It’s softer and gentler than the other Roald Dahl books. Victor Hazell…comes in to this community and he doesn’t understand how things are done and he tries to bring in abrupt changes, mostly to line his own pockets. Danny and his dad aren’t going to let him get away with this – and they do so in increasingly imaginative and hilarious ways. I knew people who were like the characters in this book. I recognised them. It was such a good story. It felt like my world and it connected with me as a little kid because I grew up in a forest and it’s all about the woods and going into the woods—these things were just completely familiar to me. Danny seemed plausible to me…Honestly, I have never quite trusted people who say, ‘My favourite Roald Dahl is Matilda.’ I tend to think, ‘you just don’t understand, you have to read Danny Champion of the World!‘ It’s one of those books that I’ll read and reread.” Read more...

The best books on Outsiders

Sarah Franklin