Vile Verses [Hardcover]

Roald Dahl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 22, 2005 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Roald Dahl is best remembered as the author of many well-loved children’s stories. But he was also the creator of some astonishingly imaginative, outrageous, and wonderfully disgusting verses. From oozing grobes to slimy slugs, this extraordinary collection is bursting with Dahl’s poems, verses, and songs. And with full-color original illustrations from a distinguished group of more than twenty artists, including Quentin Blake,William Joyce, and Lane Smith, this lavish volume is a must-have for any Dahl fan’s library.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 2-6–Dahl wrote many delightful poems, some of which are hidden in his splendid novels. This dynamic collection includes The Centipede's Song from James and the Giant Peach and Willy Wonka's Wonka-Vite from Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. The verses are illustrated by an assortment of talented artists, including Chris Wormell, Chris Riddell, Babette Cole, and Tony Ross. Quentin Blake's signature line drawings introduce each thematic section. Playful lines like Veruca Salt, the little brute,/Has just gone down the rubbish chute (Concerning Veruca Salt) and We may see a Creature with forty-nine heads/Who lives in the desolate snow,/And whenever he catches a cold (which he dreads)/He has forty-nine noses to blow (There's No Knowing What We Shall See) are irresistible. Unfortunately, no biographical information is provided for the illustrators. An index lists the titles of the poems under their sources along with their page numbers but no index of first lines is included. This vivacious addition to poetry collections will amuse a broad audience.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma Library, CA
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From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. The title is well chosen, and Dahl's particularly viperish, not to say ghoulish, rhymes are full of ill-humor and occasionally delicious nasties. A few of these have never been published before, but most are familiar, made new by a gaggle of well-known illustrators (Lane Smith, Babette Cole, Satoshi Kitamura, William Joyce). The foreword and the images that introduce each section are by the delicious Quentin Blake, and they are very funny. This is a hard collection to take all at once: Augustus Gloop and Veruca Salt get what they deserve, to be sure, but Dahl is vitriolic about Goldilocks. The tone of the witches ("Down Vith Children!") is a little scary, and the sinister sibilance of the Grobes matches what may happen. There's a fair amount of potty humor--but that's typical Dahl. Like the recent D Is for Dahl by Wendy Cooling (2005), this is another way to repackage Dahl. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (September 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670060429
• ISBN-13: 978-0670060429
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VILE VERSES, January 27, 2011

By 

emiliabedilia80 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vile Verses (Hardcover)

AN excellent book... for children with imagination and creative minds. For children above 5 years old I think, Although I read it to my 4 year old niece.
It mesmerizes children. I loved it as a child myself. It is a classic.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who knew?, January 7, 2007

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READ&LISTEN "SKI BUM" (ASPEN, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vile Verses (Hardcover)

Roald Dahl is certainly a premier storyteller, but who knew how much rhyme he used consistantly in his writing? The multiple artists that showcase his work in the great book enhance an already enhanced writer. These are fun to share in the classroom!