Roald Dahl Day: What We’re Reading

It's going to be a busy Roald Dahl Day for us here at The Reader as we have quite a few exciting special events on the cards but of course we'll be making time to read some of the great man's works too!

Here at our Calderstones HQ in Liverpool, we're embracing all things Roald Dahl with special Storybarn adventures exploring Dahl's exciting stories for little ones and scrumptious treats for the whole family at The Reader Ice Cream Parlour as we launch a special Matilda inspired flavour - Bruce Bogtrotter's Chocolate Fudge Cake!

And to continue the fun, we'll be showing favourite Roald Dahl films at 4pm everyday in The Reader Ice Cream Parlour from today until Friday 21 September.

We're also bringing the magic of Dahl's adult fiction on the road in Cheshire where The Reader is working in partnership with Storyhouse, Cheshire West and Chester, NHS West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Brightlife Cheshire and the Voluntary Arts and Age UK Age of Creativity festival. Find out how you can join us for An Afternoon with Roald Dahl across Cheshire in October.

But just in case you can't join any of our Roald Dahl celebrations in person, perhaps you'd like a few recommended Roald Dahl reads to enjoy in the comfort of our own home, library or reading group! We asked a few of The Reader team to share some thoughts and memories of their favourite Roald Dahl reads:

Emma is reading Vengeance is Mine Inc.

 Georgina is reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Georgie and Auntie Annie – Wissant, France Circa 2004

"I've heard tell that what you imagine sometimes comes true." 

Zoe is reading The Twits

I discovered The Twits aged about 7, when my Mum read it to me over a week or so, as a bedtime story. The thing I loved most about it was Mr Twit’s beard. Roald Dahl’s description of Mr Twit’s beard with all those bits of food stuck in it repulsed me and stayed with me every time I saw a man with a beard.  It was one of those books that we read and enjoyed together many, many times, as did my younger brother and sister. I held on to our copy of the The Twits over the years, and when I had my own children I was delighted when they were old enough for us to read and enjoy it together.  The reading of the ‘beard bits’ this time round amused me even more. Given the current fashion for beards, both my brother, their Uncle, and my partner, are both very proud beard owners/wearers.  It gave us a lot of laughs.  It seems only fit that I should share with you then, this quote from the very first chapter ‘Hairy Faces’.

"When a man grows hair all over his face it is impossible to tell what he really looks like. Perhaps that’s why he does it. He’d rather you didn’t know…..

So what I want to know is this. How often do all these hairy-faced men was their faces?  Is it only once a week, like us, on Sunday nights?  Do they shampoo it?  Do they use a hair dyer?  Do the rub hair-tonic into it to stop their faces going bald?...

I don’t know. But next time you see a man with a hairy face (which will probably be as soon as you step out on to the street) maybe you will look at him more closely and start wondering about some of these things.