About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is transitioning toward more sophisticated literature and craves stories that blend the magical with the grounded. Unlike Roald Dahl's more whimsical works for younger children, this collection of short stories offers a fascinating mix of semi-biographical tales and fantastical fiction that explores the rewards of patience, the nature of luck, and the ethics of wealth. It is a perfect choice for a pre-teen who is beginning to appreciate irony and complex character motivations. The collection spans from a wealthy idler who learns the grueling discipline of meditation to win at cards, only to find his perspective on money changed, to a boy who risks everything to save a giant sea turtle. These stories emphasize the power of focus and the unexpected ways that kindness can be rewarded. Parents will appreciate the rich vocabulary and the way Dahl encourages readers to look beneath the surface of everyday life to find the extraordinary.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
1. DISTRESS: 'The Swan' contains a sequence of intense psychological and physical bullying where two older boys tie a younger boy to railroad tracks as a train approaches, and later force him to climb a tree after killing a swan. It is far more visceral than typical Dahl slapstick. 2. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the ethics of 'finders keepers' in 'The Mildenhall Treasure,' as the laborer is cheated out of his legal rights to the treasure he found.
Ideal Reader
A 12-year-old who feels they have outgrown 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' but still loves Dahl's dark wit and wants a story about mastering a secret, impossible skill.
Parent Prep
Read 'The Swan' beforehand; it is the most tonally different and potentially upsetting story in the book. While the other stories contain Dahl's signature dark wit and moments of tension, they lack the sustained physical peril found in 'The Swan.' A child asking, 'Is it okay to cheat at cards if you give the money to charity?' or expressing fear after reading the bullying scenes in 'The Swan.'
Age Experience
Younger readers (10) will be captivated by the 'magic' of seeing through cards. Older readers (13-14) will better appreciate the autobiographical elements and the critiques of class and greed.
What Makes It Special
This is Dahl at his most versatile, bridging the gap between his children's fiction and his adult short stories. It treats the reader with a high degree of intellectual respect.
Read plot summary
This is a collection of seven short stories. The title story follows Henry Sugar, a wealthy man who discovers a yogi's method for seeing without eyes. He masters the skill to win at casinos but eventually uses his winnings to build orphanages. Other stories include 'The Mildenhall Treasure' (a true account of a laborer finding Roman silver), 'The Swan' (a harrowing tale of bullying), and 'The Boy Who Talked with Animals.'
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Henry Sugar spends years of hard work to learn how to cheat at cards. Why do you think he loses interest in the money once he actually gets it?
2
In 'The Mildenhall Treasure,' Gordon Butcher is a very honest man. Do you think the world treated his honesty fairly? Why or why not?
3
Roald Dahl includes a story about how he became a writer. How did his experience as a pilot change the way he saw the world?
4
If you had the power to see through objects like Imhrat Khan, would you use it for personal gain or to help others?
