Danny the Champion of the World

"Danny the Champion of the World" is a masterpiece. For my money it is Dahl's best book, (though "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Fantastic Mister Fox" come close.) I think that although the intended audience of kids is sure to enjoy it, adults too would appreciate the tale. It is not only a ripping good adventure story, about a boy and his father who attempt to poach pheasants from a wicked landowner, but an atmospheric one as well - we can feel the palpable thrills in the early fall air as the characters plot the fine art of poaching for the pure private pleasure of it, like any great artists. As with all of Dahl, this book has moments of great comedy as well as a love for food and freedom, all of which appeal to its audience. There is also the subtly tender relationship between Danny and his father that add depth to the story. Well, we could go on. All I can say is that anyone who can read, adult or child, will thank themselves for reading this one.

When I was a kid, I found this book in a pile in my house and started reading it. Very quickly, I found that I was unable to put it down and have since read it three or four times.

Recently, I had the opportunity to read this book to my daughter, and it was a true thrill for for me to see the excitement on her face at each new twist and turn in the story. This is most certainly not a suspense thriller, but there are almost no other children's books out that can make the things we experience every day sound so magical and incredible.

If I had to select the greatest children's story of all time, this would be one of the top contenders for sure.

This is a wonderful book, and represents the artful storyteller Dahl at his best. It contains his usual wit, suspense, and masterfully-crafted characters.
In particular, the special relationship between the father and the son is described more richly than in any other story I can think of. It's a warm relationship, and keeps a delicate balance between their being best buddies and maintaining the distinct father/son roles.
There is one difficult point, however. Throughout the story, the main characters freely trespass and steal, and they plot humilation for the wealthy landowner nearby. These things are justified in the dialog in that 1) everyone does it, 2) it makes you "feel alive" with the thrill of possibly being caught, and 3) the landowner is mean, anyway. Not exactly the sorts of messages you want your kids to pick up from a book. You may want to be prepared to discuss this with them before reading it.

This is probably one of Roald Dahl's most atypical books...here you'll find no fantastical elements, unless you count William's BFG story to Danny (which inspired Dahl's full-length novel about the Big Friendly Giant). No humorously exaggerated characters here...of course there's humor, but the characters are all people we've met. Even the baddies don't have the usual Dahl-ish quality of over-the-top nastiness for the sake of nastiness. The villains, too, are believable...the schoolroom Little Caesar who acquired a taste for power in the Army and continues to exercise it in his class, the noveau riche snob who puts on flamboyant airs in a desperate attempt to fit in with the old-money aristocrats.The very uniqueness of this book is what makes it so human and so appealing. This was originally a short story by Dahl (not for kids) that featured two roguish friends instead of a father and son. I'm glad he re-thought things, because William is one of the most beautifully and sensitively drawn fathers I've ever seen in children's literature, with his boundless fascination for the natural world, his inventiveness and creativity, and his ability to be both gentle and strong, devoting both strength and gentleness to his son (he's ready to thrash the aforementioned tyrant teacher for whipping Danny). Some have said that this book glorifies theft and dishonesty. Maybe I'm being a bit of a hypocrite, but in a way I see it as justified...William and Danny are poor (not really starving, but if anything ever happened to business they might be), and the rest of the village is not exactly rolling in money. No doubt they've known times when they wondered where their next meal was coming from. Yet rich, pretentious Victor Hazel has woods teeming with wild game...being fattened up for the sole purpose of being shot in a no-contest pheasant shoot. Can we wonder at it?Because of its warmly human perspective and beautiful father-son relationship, this would make a superb birthday gift from fathers to sons, or a Father's Day gift from sons to fathers.One note...in 1989 Jeremy Irons and his son Sam starred in a film version. The original illustrations (pre-Quentin Blake) for this book depict a William who looked so much like Jeremy Irons it was eerie...remember, these were done years before the film was made!

This is Roald Dahl's second-best and most underrated book. It ranks second only to Matilda. Yet when you hear people speak of Dahl, you only hear them speak of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach. This is unlike anything Roald Dahl wrote, because the people are so ordianry. They're just regular people, caught up in one extremely wild plot involving pheasant theft and raisins with sleeping pills. The descriptions of Danny and his father are lovely, and you wish you had a dad like that. Should be read by one and all.

I really can't add much more than that! It really is one of his best! The love story between the father and son is truly wonderful. And, since there is a question of "to steal" or "not to steal" , it is great for springboarding family discussions.

I love this book so much. It is a well-written novel that has a simple premise but is very touching (and a genuine delight to read). Danny the Champion of the World tells the story of a young boy who lives with his loving father in a Gypsy caravan. They have a great relationship with one another, and their bond is strengthened when Danny, the boy, learns about one of his father's private habits. You will have to read the book to find out what exactly it is, but it is guaranteed to be a delightful occasion. Other noteworthy books by Roald Dahl are the Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. If you enjoyed any of these stories, this book is for you. Highly recommended.

This marvelous story about a boy and his admiration and love for his father is a true masterpiece!
I fell in love with both Danny and his father, and both characters were so compelling I could almost overlook his father's deep, dark secret. (I won't ruin the surprise for you.)
Danny has a rather unconventional upbringing. His father, a mechanic, keeps him out of school until he is seven, because he feels it's important that the boy be able to completely take apart & put back together an automobile motor by the time he enters school. Danny's home education is by no means limited to automobiles; his father is a true naturalist, and shares his knowledge of birds, plants and animals with Danny.
Not only does Danny adore his father, but it is clear that Danny is his father's best friend.
The story really gets going after Danny is in school -- and discovers his father's secret. That's where the fun begins!
This tale was alternately heart-rending and hilarious. I absolutely love this one and expect that our copy will become very tattered in a few years' time.

I loved the reasonable cost of this book for the completion of a class set for my students

I am a huge fan of Roald Dahl. This book is a quick read and action packed and sweet all at the same time. I think that this book would make a great gift for any adult or child. The story of a boy and his relationship with his father, the stories his father tells him and the adventures that they share. I highly recommend this book.