Danny the Champion of the World

by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl has earned his place in the Pantheon of beloved authors for children and young adults. His whimsical books offer windows to fantastical worlds that appeal to adults just as much as they appeal to children. Dahl has been wildly popular during most of my lifetime, selling millions of copies and having several major feature films made from his novels, such as The Witches, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I love those books, but my favorite Roald Dahl book has always been Danny the Champion of the World. I reread it over the weekend, and it's still great.

The book is told by a small boy who grows up with his father in a small gypsy wagon, working in his father's gas station and mechanic shop. Danny's father is an almost magical character, full of fantastic stories and fun idea, and Danny loves his father more than anything in the world. One night Danny discovers his father's darkest secret, which leads them to a new adventure that makes Danny the Champion of the World. I won't elaborate any more, because the journey is so much fun. Unlike many Dahl books, there isn't any actual magic involved. But the tone of the book is completely fantastical, because the marvelous father-son relationship that Danny has with his father is its own sort of magic.

For some reason Danny isn't as well-known as other Dahl books, but I recommend it to anyone.