Where to start with Roald Dahl

British and Norwegian novelist, 1916–1990.

Best Roald Dahl book to start with: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), on 2 of the 17 lists it could have made.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the quickest way into Dahl, whether you are reading it to a child or going back to it yourself, and its short chapters suit bedtime.

The BFG is the gentler second book: a friendly giant takes a small girl to his country, and the invented words are half the fun. Matilda is the story of a clever girl and her unkind parents. The Twits is the shortest, a nasty comic fight between a husband and wife, and it is a good choice for a reluctant reader or a first book to read aloud.

The Witches is the darkest of the five. It is good for children who like being frightened, so check the age of the child first. All five were written for young readers and they read well aloud, so choose with that audience in mind.