Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

This book is on the life of a boy charlie who lives with his two grandfather and two grand mother , along with his father and mother. The books taught us lesson for life along with humor and desires of our own childhood days. The book is of great joy and fun.

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As Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl was in syllabus of my 7 class and I have read it it was too much fun reading this book because it is thrilling novel.

And it is a story of a little child who goes to the factory of chocolate and he gets the golden ticket from 1 chocolate and then he goes to the factory with his gardfather and then the adventure of charlie begins from here and charlie is very poor child.

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Recently I had to buy a gift for my 6 year old niece, a real head-scratching kind of moment for me.

Because 6 year olds don't hesitate to voice their feelings, if she doesn't like the gift she will definitely let me know that she didn't like it, so I was extra careful and considering all the options. That is when I knew I was going to gift her a Roald Dahl book.

Very few gifted writers have written classic, timeless stories like Dahl has. Most of us have enjoyed his storytelling either by reading his book or watching the movies based on his books. Movies like Matilda, Willy Wonka & the chocolate factory, The Witches, to name a few.

Dahl wrote this timeless story in 1964 and till date it has been adapted into 2 commercially successful Hollywood movies. The story is of a poor boy, Charlie Bucket, who lives with his family and unlike other kids belonging to well-off families, he gets to eat a chocolate bar only once a year on his birthday. Charlie wins the golden ticket and goes to the Chocolate factory with his grandfather Joe. Charlie gets to visit the mysterious factory, a dream come true for any child and displays the characteristics that the crazy entrepreneur had been looking for his heir. All the chapters are written so beautifully that it would ignite interest in anyone's mind. Great characters, such beautiful stories, plenty of reasons to read this book.And yes my niece too enjoyed it and called it the best gift ever.

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This book is been with me for a while I have read atleast 3 times and it's the same fun everytime the writing style of Dahl is good I read this book because my son had a test of this book so I had to buy it but after I truly read it its just awesome I have many more Roald Dahl books and my son has an addiction to it well better than the television I guess pretty but the thing is its too much fictional good as a midnight story just so so good and I prefer to buy it instad of some other books for my child .

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Well, this is one of the book which I read at an early age of 10 and. I absolutely loved it.

This is a book which should be regarded as "Children's classic"..If you do not manage to read this book at right age, It may be possible that you may not like thisridiculously imaginative delicious brain-child of Roald Dahl. Charlie, our main hero is a poor boy who gets a big chance to visit a chocolate factory and this seemingly simple story follows his adventure in  the factory.What follows is an adventurous ride which isthoroughly entertaining, easy on the eyes but predictable in it's simplistic storyline.When I read the book for the first time(at that age), I thought that "Wow! what a great book this is, and nothing can be better than this".but now, when are think about it, it looks as if I was just lucky to read this great children's masterpiece at right age.

From a child's point of view, The story is very good and you yearn to eat every chocolate described in the book.What I loved most about the book was that the book never goes bland or flat in it's play.the songs by'Oompa-Loompas' were catchy  and very simple in vocabulary plus, the pacing of the book by the author, just right.For a children's book, it is just the right length edging just above170 pages.

The lead character, Charlie is very lovable and someone you can easily relate to. His unprecedented love for his elders makes you envy him. His grandpa is funny and when the other arrogant kids get a stick in the factory by the Oompa-Loompas, there's inner feeling of victory and satisfaction in your heart.

Overall, if read at right age, this bookimproves your vocabulary, enhances your interests in reading books and makes you laugh out loud .If you are a kid, a father or a going-to-be father then make sure you or your child reads this timeless classic.

(The second part of the book, although not of the same league, scores more on maturity and thrillness.)

You can also read my reviews of books: Da vinci code, 2 states, The god-father, One night at the call centre, The alchemist etc.

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Let me be blatant and say that despite the book turning out to be better than expected (I already had high expectations from it and had heard many a good thing about it from avid readers and literature-crazy online bloggers), the climax disappointed me. The book grows on you with every page and every chapter, reaches a pinnacle but reaches a sudden end. That, to me, was underwhelming. And now let me clarify - that is the only flaw in the book, unless you're the sort who can get offended by black humour in children's books.

Aah yes, how can you read a Roald Dahl book and not expect disturbing humour even if it's meant to evoke peals of laughter from children? How can they not roll laughing out loud at instances where an obstinate obese kid splashes in a chocolate river and is then sucked into narrow glass tubes? How can they not cheer when a perpetual gum-chewing brat ends up being an oversized purple balloon? The author is uninhibited and completely over-the-top, and while the book had its share of scathing remarks from reviewers at the time who believed the jokes were tasteless and rude, the book was widely regarded as a children's classic.

Storyline: For those urban kids who've not been fed on Dahl's extraordinary fable, it's about a little boy named Charlie who belongs to a family of very limited means. There are seven people in his household (Four grandparents, parents and he) and they barely manage to eat regular meals. There is a chocolate factory near to where he lives and he longs to see what actually goes in there. But no one knows how the factory operates to come up with the world's finest chocolates and candies. One day, Mr. Willy Wonka, the factory owner declares that he has five golden tickets in five chocolate bars prepared and packaged from within his factory. The five lucky finders of these bars would get a chance to go around the factory to see how chocolate is prepared, along with getting lifetime supplies of free chocolate, candies and goodies for them and their families! Will Charlie, who only gets to eat only one chocolate bar a year, be lucky enough to get what he has always dreamt of?

Analysis: Dahl's product of wild imagination is hard not to fall in love with, if creativity in fiction writing is what you admire and appreciate. But that's not all there to like in the book. Along the way, the book presents some wildly fascinating and interesting characters (The Chcocolate factory owner's name instantly flashes across your mind) along with some lucid storytelling. There are no fillers and no portion in the book that can be deemed unnecessary or lackluster. It is unabashedly non-stop and unputdownable from its first page.

There are also some moral science lessons that can come across as slightly preachy to teenagers and adults, but the author presents them in such entertaining and over-the-top manner that you just cannot help but relish them like a bar of RICH CARAMEL CHOCOLATE. Jokes are aplenty (rude and inoffensive both). Reading it, you might feel so too - Dahl is completely uninhibited in creating absurd situations and his writing rims with a childlike enthusiasm. Its awfully difficult to come up with a piece of fiction that appeals to children if the writer is someone who has faced hardships as a child and seen enough of world around during his later years (having been Wing Commander and an Intelligence Agent). But with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dahl proves why he is often regarded as one of the best storytellers for children.

The descriptions of rooms and chocolates are sure to make one drool, whether a lover or chocolates or otherwise. It teases your imagination, makes you visualize pictures and sequences, and hurls you amid the proceedings. You imagine being amid the chocolate rivers and meadows, the sugar room, nut room, and also the extraordinary glass lift that moves across blazingly from one room to another :-) It's a wildly fantastic journey that is sure to leave an impression on your senses.

As talked about initially, the sudden end comes across as a disappointment. Not because it was poorly conceptualized and written but it gives the impression the writer was in a hurry to pack things up because of pressure from publishers to meet deadlines sooner. In comparison with the rest of the wacky, razor-sharp storytelling, it stands apart as a sore thumb. A minor blemish though it was, its effect could have been less severe had something like this had nothappened in the climax.

Rest said, it's an eternal classic which is sure to win your hearts, whether your age lies below 10 years or above 60. It's a book for all - an enchanting classic read with universal appeal. Those who've read it - they might just want to give it another read. A book for all seasons, a book for all age-groups, a book that .. well.. leaves an effect hardly like any other book does.

Two thumbs-up for Dahl's extraordinary story-tellng.

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I read this book as a kid, the sole reason why my little fingers picked it off the shelf of a huge library was the word in the title that caught my eye -'Chocolate'. yes, Charlie and the Chocolate factory is a like a dream for any chocolate lover. Doesn't matter if you are a small kid or a grown up adult, the story captivates you and moves you with its wonderful narration. You move with the flow as you follow Charlie's life, his tryst with destiny, and then the world of Willy Wonka's factory, and ofcourse the entire gamut of events that unfurl thereafter.

The movie made on the same title where Johny Depp does a great job as Willy Wonka is interesting to watch, but if you read the book first, you will see the power of the narration. Each page of the book draws its own imagery in your head as you imagine the great chocolate waterfalls, the sugar sweets, and the garden where bubble gum and different edibles grow off trees.

If your child loves to read, give them a chance to enjoy this book before watching the movie. If you yourself are a chocolate lover, dive into this book and let your imagination take you through the wonderful world of Wonka.

In short - a must read!

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Do you like chocolate ? I'm sure there's not many who don't, but could you imagine only being able to buy one tiny bar of chocolate a year and then making it last as long as you could ? Of course not, in fact I'm not sure if I could make one giant bar last longer than 5 minutes, gannet that I am !!!! Well the hero of Roald Dahl's best childrens fantasy (as far as I'm concerned) had to do just that !!

Charlie Bucket lives with his two, elderly, frail, sets of grandparents and his Mum and Dad in a tiny, wooden shack on the outskirts of a large town. They are extremely poor, they live on mainly boiled potatoes and cabbage...yeeuk..so probably pens and inks a little in there !! Charlie longs for chocolate every day, this is made worse for him as he lives very close to an enormous chocolate factory. This must be torture for the little boy as he can smell chocolate every day, all day.....would be torture for me too, as would be living next to a 'Chinese takeaway ( I love peking Duck) !

You immediately warm to the Bucket family, as they struggle to make ends meet, they don't complain but are full of love for little Charlie and you know that, if they could, they would give him anything he wanted. Roald Dahl's descriptions of each family member is fabulous, and you can picture each and every one of them in your minds as real people, in particular the frail, bony, skeletal grandparents ! Grandpa Joe thrills Charlie with his wonderful stories, and in turn, Grandpa is thrilled to see the little boy's eyes alight when he hears his stories, none more so when he tells him the story behind the strange man, Willy Wonka, who is the reclusive owner of the chocolate factory, noone ever sees the workers or Mr Wonka himself.

Then, a week before Charlie's birthday, an announcement in the local paper states that the factory is going to reopen, and that 5 lucky children will have the opportunity to have a magical tour of the factory, however, they first have to find the special golden tickets hidden in special bars of Wonka's chocolate !!!!

Of course, if Charlie didn't find a ticket, then there wouldn't be a story, and the only time Charlie can ever afford a bar of chocolate is on his birthday. Well he does find a ticket, not quite in the way that you would think, however you will have to read the book to find out how. Charlie presents his ticket to his family and it is decided that Grandpa Joe should be the one to accompany him on the tour, I am glad about this, as I have warmed to the gentle old man, and, caught up in the story, (as you will be too) I know he will have the time of his life.

And that is where the story really begins....Charlie and Grandpa Joe, along with the other four children, embark on a truly magical and fascinating mystery tour. Dahl's description of the children and Willy Wonka are amazing. Each of the four other children have their own individual , and somewhat detestable, traits and Mr Wonka really is the strangest, most extraordinary little man.

Roald Dahl has excelled in choosing the children's names, you will meet, Augustus Gloop (greedy), Veruca Salt (spoiled), Violet Beauregarde (Loves chewing gum..allday) and Mike Teavee (watches TV constantly).You will also meet the strange workers of the factory..the OOmpa Loompas, who I personally think are hilarious, they are always making up songs about the children and the various mishaps that befall them throughout the tour.

You will, as I was, be totally caught up in the strange and fascinating workings of the factory, which is really a glorified theme park, but the theme , here, is chocolate, Wonka has invented some amazing sweets with magical properties ( so you will also, like me, I'm sure, be salivating at the mouth), it would be a good idea to have a stock of choccies on hand whilst reading this.

The book is fabulously illustrated, thoughout , by Quentin Blake, with scrawling, cartoon like , pen drawings, totally in keeping with the theme.The print is large and easily readable and the whole book is not overly long (190 pages in all).

I will leave you to make your own mind up about this, however I loved it when I was a child and I love it now. I would say this would appeal to anyone from the age of 7 to 99, although the actual age group it is aimed at is 7 to 14. My son has now read this four times and he is 9.

It is said that Roald Dahl found this to be the most difficult story to write, indeed, he presented his first draft to his nephew, Nicholas, to read. Nicholas declared it to be 'rotten and boring', so Dahl had to completely re-write it.

I am jolly glad he did.

Published by Penguin books

available from most book shops incl WHSmiths

For a closer look at Roald Dahl's world https://roaldahl.com

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After seeing Johnny Depp play the character of Willie Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory many asked who played him better. I love Gene Wilder as the zany chocolatier in the 1971 version of the film, but Depp is also a favourite actor. I enjoyed both films, but it made me curious; which film was closest to the original Roald Dahl tale?

At only 189 pages and aimed at the young or the young at heart the book made for fun, light reading. I found myself giggling often, in particular at the expense of adults or at a typical gross-out moment only kids remember to enjoy.

I was surprised to find most of the story carried over into both films, but for some reason each director felt it necessary to add more story. Perhaps they felt there wasn't quite enough already there. Perhaps they were right. The film could've felt less than satisfying without the additional scenes.

Still, the book itself made for compelling reading. It was easy to carry around with me and quick to read. I particularly enjoyed the nonsense names for the many sweets and chocolates.

While I haven't read any other of Dahl's books Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has given me a taste for his style and I want more. His other titles are on my TBR (To Be Read) list right now.

I also found the answer to my question. Although, Johnny Depp is a talented actor, in my opinion, Gene Wilder caught the quirkiness and fun of Willie Wonka the way Roald Dahl originally presented him in this sweet and entertaining book.

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Okay... here I go... I have a confession to make.... before the news of the much-hyped Johnny Depp starring movie of the same name, I never really had an interest in reading Roald Dahl. I had once mentioned before in one of my mundane self-absorbed reviews that I had not read him before and I saw no reason why I should. But one of my favourite actor made me think again. And am I not glad that I did?

THE BOOK...

THE BUCKETS

Charlie Bucket lives with his parents and grandparents in a dilapidated house on the edge of a big city. Mr. Bucket(charlie's dad) works in a toothpaste factory and screws on the caps on the tubes.

''but a toothpaste cap-screwer is never paid very much money, and poor Mr Bucket, however hard he worked, and however fast he screwed on the caps, was never able to buy one half of the things that so large a family needed.''

they were poor... VERY POOR! so poor that they could hardly eat stomachful.

But while the rest of the family somehow accepted this life of hardship they all agreed that Charlie, the young boy, who was so good at heart deserved a lot more and a lot better than this life.Charlie definitely deserved a lot better than to live right outside the largest and the most wonderful chocolate factory in the world and yet get to eat chocolate only once a year (on his birthday).

WILLIE WONKA

Willie wonke, willie wonka

Mr. Wonka owns the best chocolate factory in the world and he has created chocolates that are just out of this world! he's thought up of every kind of sweet imaginable in his amazing chocolate factory like

wriggle sweets,

a bubblegum that never looses its taste ... the list could go on and on...but no one has ever ever been inside the factory and no one has ever met Mr Wonka!

THE GOLDEN TICKET

Mr. Bucket thought it was just a ''dotty '' marketing strategy. Mr Willie Wonka had decided to let five lucky children who could manage to find the five golden tickets that he had put into five everyday chocolate bars (so the bars could be anywhere and anyone) to come inside and see the magic of the wonka factory.but when miraculously Charlie Bucket finds one of the golden tickets and wins a trip of a lifetime he could have never dreamed what surprises were in store!

WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK...

Obviously children by age and the children at heart would find the book simply unputdownable. Same would be the fate of the chocolate lovers.. ardent or remote. This book is sure to give you hunger pangs...the cravings obviously towards some rich creamy sugar loaded delights.

Jokes apart this book is a must read for all those of you who like me, never found a reason to read Dahl once you have skipped him in your childhood. This is because even though its very subtle the way dahl brings out the faults and insecurities of modern life and parenthood is absolutely mind boggling . Also all of you who have read Matilda its a must read for you too, and if you like this book as much as I did I'm sure you would follow it up with ''CHARLIE AND THE GLASS ELEVATOR''... why elevator you'd know once you read ''the chocolate factory''.

WARNING

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO READ THIS BOOK OR EVEN PICK IT UP IF YOU ARE ON A DIET... THE BOOK, THE AUTHOR AND THIS HUMBLE RECOMMENDER (I am sure there is no such word... but i'm taking a cue from dahl's tradition of gobblefunking) DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY IF THERE IS AN INCREASE IN YOUR WAISTLINE AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED READING THE BOOK.

For all of you who are still wondering what is gobblefunking (the art of making up words) or any other such things check out the official website;

http://www.roalddahl.com

Happy reading! and a Very Happy New Year to all of you!

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