From his years as a prankster at boarding school to his envious position as a chocolate tester for Cadbury's, Roald Dahl's boyhood was as full of excitement and the unexpected as are his world-famous, best-selling books. Also check out the continuation, 'Going Solo'.

I enjoyed reading this book about Roald Dahl's childhood. I didn't like reading the parts where he endured caning at school: it was bothersome and would probably upset young children.

W 8 - 12Y : 720L : 224 pages

I remember having read this years ago, and I think I enjoyed it more then. It was still a very interesting autobiography and I'd like to read more of his life from where it ended.

I like this book
my faveroite charcter was roald
and I liked the bit where he put the mouse in the jar

Most of the book is sad because of the abusive nature of English public schools of his time. But his mother was a strong woman. I was surprised she kept her son in the public school at Repton, but maybe he never told her what was happening.

I am in 5th grade and had to read this for a book report. It was a really good book, much better than I expected.

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) is the quintessential children?s author. From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to The BFG to James and the Giant Peach (not to mention Dirty Beasts, The Twits, and Esio Trot), this perpetually popular author has the unique ability to tell a fantastic story. The man clearly had a wildly creative imagination, but he also lived a wildly creative life. He relates that life in two volumes: Boy and Going Solo. Boy is chock-full of antics and escapades from Dahl?s childhood?his vacations in Norway, his schoolboy pranks (including ?The Great and Daring Mouse Plot?), and his eccentric family members. Savvy readers will spot not a few larks that clearly inspire his later fiction. Going Solo chronicles Dahl?s adult life, specifically his adventures in Africa working for the Shell Oil Company and his acts of derring-do as a RAF pilot during World War II. The real joy of his memoirs comes from Dahl?s distinct narrative voice?wry and tongue-in-cheek, full of dark humor and gleeful irony. Family photographs and documents dot the pages of both volumes. The most recent edition collects the two memoirs into one volume and feature lively cover art by Quentin Blake, whose illustrative style is practically synonymous with Roald Dahl?s most beloved books.