Once, long ago, I made a
great literary discovery. I was in fourth grade and one of great highlights
of my life was the Scholastic book order catalog that the school sent home every
few months. I loved those things, especially because my mother always let me
choose one item. Sometimes, I’d pick the little bead bracelet kits on the
back of the catalog, but I always regretted them and wished I’d chosen a book
instead. Once, we decided to splurge on a whole set of paperback Roald Dahl
novels. When the books arrived, I read one at a time: Matilda, the
BFG, the Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…but there
was one that I avoided reading because it was an autobiography. Boy is an intriguing sort of title—it’s
not “The Boy” or “A Boy” and when I saw it I thought “WHAT BOY?!” in an annoyed mental voice. No the title's not the problem. But “autobiography”
is one of the most gruesome words that have ever been invented--right up there
with stroganoff and mulch. Eventually, however, I ran out of the
interesting-looking books and decided to give it a try. I loved it.
Roald Dahl's autobiography is great because he writes
with humor and is (as we know) a natural storyteller, but it is also fun because
we can trace where he got ideas for his stories from his own life. For
example, he worked as a chocolate taste- tester for Cadbury, and then years
later used those memories when writing "Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory". What a job, right? I especially loved reading about the pranks he plays on
his teacher, his sister's boyfriend, and any other unsuspecting victim. You are curious now. Time for the slam dunk...
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl is a great literary discovery BECAUSE at least
once in his or her young life, every kid is going to have to do a book report on an
autobiography and I can proudly say I've found the solution for both an A+ and
an interesting read.
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