Growing up, I read and loved Roald Dahl’s books, so it has been one of my greatest pleasures as a mother to see my kids enjoy the same beloved children’s books that I did when I was their age. My son, now 12, has read most of Dahl’s collection of children’s books, but my daughter, 9, had resisted until I presented her with the review copy of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” She was immediately drawn in by the cover illustration and after reading it, we discussed her favorite themes.
One thing that struck me was her connection to Charlie’s love of his grandparents. She told me how much she missed getting to know my parents (my father died when I was two, and my mother died when my daughter was three), and how much she appreciated Charlie’s relationship with his grandparents and his sweetness in the face of such greedy, selfish kids. My daughter loooooves chocolate, so she told me reading about the chocolate factory was “so much fun.”
I can’t wait until my youngest, 6, wants to read the book too. I keep debating making it a read-along or letting him discover it on his own like his siblings. Dahl is one of our family’s must-read authors, and we hope you’ll consider getting this 50th anniversary edition paperback for yourself or a kid you know and love.
This post was inspired by the classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To celebrate, Penguin Young Readers Group, in partnership with Dylan’s Candy Bar, the world-famous candy emporium, and First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides books for children from low-income families, is launching a year-long international celebration.
Head over to From Left to Write to learn how you and your child can have a chance to win the Golden Ticket Sweepstakes where the grand prize is a magical trip to New York City plus much more! For every entry submitted, Penguin Young Readers Group will make a donation to First Book. Then, join From Left to Write on July 24 as we discuss Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As a book club member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.
[…] Sandie at Teen Lit Rocks shares how much her nine-year-old daughter related to sweet Charlie from Roald Dahl’s Charlie … […]