Find out where the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG got all his wonderful story ideas in this autobiographical account of his childhood! From his own life, of course! As full of excitement and the unexpected as his world-famous, best-selling books, Roald Dahl's tales of his own childhood are completely fascinating and fiendishly funny. Did you know that Roald Dahl nearly lost his nose in a car accident? Or that he was once a chocolate candy tester for Cadbury's? Have you heard about his involvement in the Great Mouse Plot of 1924? If not, you don't yet know all there is to know about Roald Dahl. Sure to captivate and delight you, the boyhood antics of this master storyteller are not to be missed! Editorial Reviews Gr 4-7-Fans of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda will be entranced by actor Derek Jacobi's amusing and captivating narration of the formative years of Dahl's life. Listening to the boyhood antics of this world famous and best-selling author provides a glimpse into where he got some of the plot ideas and inspirations for his most popular books. Dahl's upbringing was, by any standard, eccentric. In Boy (FS&G, 1984), the first of his two autobiographical titles (the second is Going Solo), he details many of his more unusual boyhood adventures, such as almost losing his nose in a car accident, the "Great Mouse Plot" of 1924, and boarding school antics in prose that will leave listeners laughing out loud. Jacobi's wry delivery is completely unselfconscious, and his pacing is perfect. This audio treat will appeal to Dahl fanatics of all ages.-Cindy Lombardo, Orrville Public Library, OH Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. - School Library Journal Dan Stevens reads Roald Dahl's autobiography of his childhood beautifully. His tone and tenor resonate with the emotions of childhood, whether it be a boy's lust for speed on his first tricycle or the agony of homesickness in his first semester of boarding school. Likewise, Stevens's pacing modulates with each moment, reveling in the glee of pulling pranks, or surviving the pain of corporal punishment. In every detail this performance succeeds, especially with the cast of supporting characters, from deranged doctors to maniacal matrons and smarmy headmasters. Their various accents and speech patterns are exaggerated, giving them a looming largeness that is appropriate for a story told through the eyes of a boy. A.M.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine - FEBRUARY 2014 - AudioFile