1998
Weight: 2 oz
Method of disposal: leaving somewhere children congregate
This story is one of the least captivating of Dahl’s many wondrous works. It is action-packed with creative and fun-loving animals that have all sorts of unique characteristics and strengths—not to mention appetites. The leading boy, and there is usually a leading boy in Dahl’s children’s stories, is lacking in character development. He has little to offer the Giraffe, the Pelly (Pelican), or the Monkey. He does, however, have a lot to gain. In this case, that means an exciting and vastly stocked candy shop called The Grubber.
It is probably a decent story for a brand new reader (which is who it is made for), but it surely would not captivate an adult audience like many of Dahl’s other books have. The artwork by Quentin Blake is fun, as always.
In the interest of being overly nitpicky (though not all that serious), the moment of violence where Pelly is shot in the mouth is deeply underplayed and after it happens life goes on. It is never acknowledged again. The Pelly has a painless (I presume) bullet hole in his beak that leaks water until it is fixed up like a tire. It might be cringe-worthy or it might be creative.
In the end, I will always love me some Roald Dahl. I think I will leave this particular book somewhere for children to enjoy. It will not have a link to this blog, as some of the others do, lest a child find it who has access to the internet. I am not always child-friendly here, in case you haven’t noticed.
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