Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction / Catherine Butler -- Fairy tale and anti-fairy tale: Roald Dahl and the telling power of stories / Deborah Cogan Thacker -- Discomfort and delight: the role of humour in Roald Dahl's works for children / Jackie E. Stallcup -- Don't gobbelfunk around with words: Roald Dahl and language / David Rudd -- The problem of school: Roald Dahl and education / Pat Pinsent -- The unlikely family romance in Roald Dahl's children's fiction / Ann Alston -- When one is with her it is impossible to be bored: an examination of Roald Dahl's contribution to a feminist project in children's literature / Beverley Pennell -- An unsuitable read for a child? Reconsidering crime and violence in Roald Dahl's fiction for children / Heather Worthington -- All grown up: filmic interpretations of Roald Dahl's novels / June Pulliam -- Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake / Carole Scott -- Roald Dahl and the commodification of fantasy / Peter Hunt.

"Roald Dahl is one of the world's best-loved authors. More than twenty years after his death, his books are still highly popular with children and have inspired numerous feature films -- yet he remains a controversial figure. This volume, the first collection of academic essays ever to be devoted to Dahl's work, brings together a team of well-known scholars of children's literature to explore the man, his books for children, and his complex attitudes towards various key subjects. Including essays on education, crime, Dahl's humour, his long-term collaboration with the artist Quentin Blake, and film adaptations, this fascinating collection offers a unique insight into the writer and his world." -- Publisher's website.