A Box of Stories for Six Year Olds
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Cover Story
This issue’s cover is from the gift edition of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory illustrated by Quentin Blake and with design and typography by Peter Campbell. The successful collaboration between Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake has played an important part in the popularity of Dahl’s work over the last fifteen years. Blake’s unmistakable artwork truly complements Dahl’s writing. His economical, amiable, illustrative style balances out Dahl’s often expansive language. And the liveliness, humour and pathos of the drawings offer a softer side to Dahl’s sometimes gloriously grotesque, sometimes cruel descriptions of his characters.
Thanks to Penguin Children’s Books for their help in producing this July cover which commemorates the thirty years anniversary of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s first UK publication.
A Box of Stories for Six Year Olds
Pat Thomson
This anthology of ten stories illustrated with line drawings does not break new ground, relying instead on steady 'safe bets', penned by authors like Dorothy Edwards (of 'My Naughty Little Sister' fame), Nicholas Fisk, and Joan Aiken. Alison Uttley is represented with a supernatural farmyard yarn and from Jamila Gavin there is the tale of a Diwali party from Kamla and Kate. The most recent extract, and possibly the best, is taken from Stan Cullimore's Henrietta and the Tooth Fairy but heavy-handed editing detracts from the original story. The unfortunate title will undoubtedly alienate 7-and 8-year-olds for whom this book is eminently suitable.