Have your kids read The Magic Finger?
2016 will see the hundredth anniversary since Roald Dahl’s birth and despite most of his books for children being well over 20 years old, the magic is still alive today.
No childhood is complete without stepping inside Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory or meeting the Twits, so here’s why you should introduce Roald Dahl to your kids.
Morality
Like most kids’ books, Dahl’s masterpieces teach children about certain moral codes.
Whether it’s appreciating the value of family in comparison to wealth from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or the danger of eavesdropping from The Witches, Dahl’s books can educate as well as entertain.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which will turn 40 next year, also gives your kids examples of what not to turn into.
Augustus Gloop warns against obesity, Verruca Salt warns against being spoilt, Violet Beauregarde warns against chewing gum and disobedience and Mike Teavee warns against watching too much television – concerns which still affect our younger generation today.
Confidence boost
A lot of Dahl’s stories deal with empowered children making their life better for themselves. Stories like Matilda and James and the Giant Peach show children that no matter how helpless or alone they are, they will always have power.
Whilst adults are often portrayed negatively, your kids will definitely feel the confidence boost of seeing their favourite characters win out against all the odds.
Encourages the imagination
What makes Roald Dahl’s books so readable is their sheer imagination.
Reading encourages the imagination anyway, but with Dahl’s knack for inventing heroic children, talking animals and nasty adults alike, you can let your kids’ imaginations run wild. They may even be inspired to take up a pen themselves.
Entertainment
Reading is all about having fun, and there’s no end of that in Dahl’s books. His novels will make your kids laugh and cry and Dahl simply cannot be beaten when it comes to writing books for children. Not only that but you’re sure to be entertained too.
by Julia Molloy
Tagged in Parenting News