At what age do children start appreciating Roald Dahl?

[JimbosJetSet]

I've just bought a box set from the charity shop. When can I start reading them to DD? She's 4 at the moment. And which one should I start with? I imagine The Witches will give her a few sleepless nights...

[grabaspoon]

Georges marvelous medicine and Mr Fox first :)

[RatOnnaStick]

DS1 is 4 and he is ok with The Enormous Crocodile. Anything else is beyond his scope at the moment, though I have read parts of Georges Marvellous Medicine to him which he thought was funny. He liked the medicine mixing but didn't really get the family relationship stuff.

Dahl aimed most of his stories at around age 8 I believe.

[Raasay]

I tried Matilda at 4 yo and they just didn't get it. There was too much to explain to let the story flow. Read it at 6yo and the loved it.

At 7 we've worked through most of the Dahls and they've really enjoyed them.

[NetballHoop]

Maybe start with the giraffe and the pelly and me. We had that on a cassette (showing my age there) in the car .

The Twits is good for a few giggles at the horrible things they do. Esio trot would also be good even if Mr Hoppy is a weird stalker. We

[georgedawes]

My 4 yr old loved Charlie and the chocolate factory

[Heels99]

6 in our house although they loved the hungry crocodile from about 3

[BikeRunSki]

I started reading them to DS when he had chicken pox shortly before his 4th birthday. He was so so about them. The Dahl appreciation really took off when we got the CDs for a long car journey to go on holiday shortly before DS was 5. In the 2 years since I have read him all the books at bedtimes, we've listened to the CDs many, many times and seen the films of those which have been made into films.

[Heels99]

The CDs are good I agree with pp.
Dd is 7 so can now read the easier one herself eg matilda, charlie, twits, George's marvellous medicine, bfg. She must have read the twits about 10 times, it's a shorter book and easier read than the others. There are a lot of made up words in Dahl books which can make them tricky.

[Heels99]

Forgot to say I personally find Danny the champion and also Mr fox totally boring!

[JimbosJetSet]

Well we've just galloped through two thirds of George's Marvellous Medicine and she burst into tears when I said it was bedtime and that we'd read the rest tomorrow - a success! Thank you.

[BikeRunSki]

I love Danny. It's my favourite Dahl by miles. The film is wonderful too.

[crapfatbanana]

We began with The Enormous Crocodile, then had The Twits and The Magic Finger on cassette in the car. We also had The MinPins when they were quite young - maybe a bit older than four though, I can't remember.

[SoftSheen]

DD is 4.4 and so far I have read her The Enormous Crocodile, The Twits and George's Marvellous Medicine. She enjoyed them.

[Sweetsecret]

my DD is five, just finishing reception. She loved Charlie and the chocolate factory, Matilda, BFG, George's Marvellous medicine, she wants to do the witches next but I think it may scare her a bit.

[Matilda2013]

My dsd has read (had read to her) George's marvellous medicine, enormous Mr crocodile (she loves this) and some of the giraffe Pelly and me and she seemed to enjoy them at age 4.5. Can't wait to get to Matilda, the BFG etc

[mrsmortis]

My DD liked Revolting Rhymes to be read to her at 4. We'd read the 'real' fairy story and the Dahl version together. She thought the Dahl ones were very funny and a bit naughty (which was what kept her asking for them).

At 6 she has just read Fantastic Mr Fox and James and the Giant Peach to herself. She's started Matilda but it's threat level is too high for her.

[LadyPlumpington]

Ours are 3 and 4, and they love the Giraffe and the Pelly and Me. Also the Magic Finger.

[BooChunky]

My four year old loves Matilda...

[vvviola]

4 or 5 for the easier ones (Twits, Girraffe, Enormous Crocodile). 6+ for BFG, Matilda etc (although at just 8, she's not quite able to stick with them by herself).

Revolting rhymes from any age - read them to DD1 once, not thinking 3yo DD2 was paying much attention. She went around saying "whipped a pistol from her knickers" and cracking up laughing for weeks

Must look into audiobook versions for our next long drive...

[Wearyheadedlady]

My 7 year old read a few Dahl this summer. She liked Mr Fox, the two charlie books and Matilda. She left The Witches and we've avoided James and the Giant peach on the basis that she found the film "too weird"

[EmGee]

My DDs are 3 and 5.5 and they are both into princesses and fairies. I tried them with Pelly/Giraffe and that didn't go down too well. Now the eldest likes The Enormous Crocodile (also have it on CD) but it is beyond the youngest (too long). The eldest also likes Fantastic Mr Fox (on CD). At 4 she was having none of it though!

[Reastie]

I recently read the twits to dd as a bedtime story. It took us about a week to get through but she really liked it. It was the first longer book with chapters we'd read her. We then went on to the bfg which she also liked but not so much as the twits. I've got Charlie and the chocolate factory but it looks longer so may wait a while for that. We've also since read some dick king smith successfully to her and soon hope to start on the worst witch.

[Bluedots]

Hi, just wanted to know what books your 5/6 year olds were reading

[Bluedots]

Hi just wondered what your 5/6 year old girls were reading? Just want to update daughters reading books. Thanks

[Bluedots]

Sorry just realised, message placed here! Nothing to do with Roald Dahl