More About Boy Tales of Childhood

Roald Dahl's Autobiography #1.5

by Roald Dahl

Twenty-five years ago in Boy (1984), the world's favorite storyteller recollected scenes from his youth for the world to enjoy...

As a child, beloved author Roald Dahl was known to his family as Boy, and when he wrote letters home after he first went away to school, he even signed himself that way. Here is Boy's story—a story that is both strange, funny and frightening, and altogether true.

More About Boy is the expanded story of Roald Dahl's childhood, with his original text augmented by never-before-seen material from behind the scenes, and some of the secrets that were left out. Dahl's adventures and misadventures during his school years are crowded with people as strange and wonderful as any character he created and are as exciting and full of the unexpected as his celebrated fiction.

This book is filled with a wealth of new photos, facts and writings about Roald Dahl and his childhood, together with the original text and illustrations from his much-loved memoir. With lots of little-known details, this is a must-have for all Dahl fans!

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Childrens, Autobiography, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Middle Grade

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Roald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.

Reviews

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.



A melancholy little book that reveals the dreariest aspects of Dahl's young life with sparse connections drawn between his real-life experiences and the fictional characters from his fanciful children's books.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roald Dahl wrote many wonderful children’s books and the stories of his childhood are equally endearing with many adventures and misadventures, cruel headmasters, days of loneliness, blissful vacations and practical jokes. It is interesting to see how childhood memories and characters from his youth transformed into Dahl's published books.

[Ravi Prakash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it!! Enjoyed fully.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In its infinite wisdumb, GR's database has decided that Boy and More about Boy are the same ISBN. They are not. In fact, that is rather the point of this review. However I can't be bothered to take it to the limits of trying to fix the misplacement.
Three stars because to the unsuspecting reader it purports to be something it is not. This is not "more" about Boy. This is a posthumous re-release of Dahl's Boy: Tales of Childhoodat the hands of his descendants, with a few (a very few) photos and quizzes and such, and quite a few plugs for the Roald Dahl Museum. There really isn't enough "more" to justify changing the title in such a clearly designed-to-deceive way. If Dahl had been alive, he wouldn't have allowed such a thing (witness the fact that it was indeed a posthumous re-release)

If you enjoyed "Boy" enough to want to re-read it, you might like this, but don't buy it unless you don't own a copy of "Boy". If you do, it will be a disappointment.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Беше ми много интересно да науча повече за Дал от самия него. Понякога забравям, че любимите ми автори също са били хлапета и са се забърквали в каши.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Roald Dahl's childhood. (It also goes into his first job, where he worked for Shell.) Photos and letters and, best of all, liner notes of where his ideas for books likely came from, are also included.

Most avid readers who are roughly my age are huge Roald Dahl fans. I am no exception; I love Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Witches. I'm not sure I've ever laughed harder than I did when encountering the Twits for the first time. So while it's safe to say that I love Roald Dahl, it's ALSO fair to point out that I didn't really know him.

More About Boy changed that. We learn a lot about his childhood (he goes to boarding school from a young age, not long after he is caned for a silly prank). And oh yeah, the pranks! I'm guessing that's where the Twits' love of mischief comes from.

If you are also a Roald Dahl fan, read this. It's captivating and I guarantee you'll love it.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for Children's Book Week and Teacher Appreciation Week - in 3rd grade Mrs. Zurasky introduced my class to Roald Dahl and, twenty years later, his books are still such a huge presence in my life. This look into his was nothing short of fascinating, thrilling, enchanting, and also painful (his 8 yr. old sister and his father died within a few weeks of each other and, years later, his 8 yr. old daughter died from the same disease.)

This version includes so many fun extra bits that were a joy to read! The letters were especially fun - particularly Roald's atrocious handwriting!

[Bukhari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always liked reading childhood stories of people, particularly so if they're well-known, and this is no exception. Roald Dahl's childhood is told in a witty, creative, and evocative way. His experiences during a time when even cars and photographs were a rarity. How he grew up among his sisters in the Welsh countryside, his annual trips to Norway, and his schooling years. Reading him recount his years in boarding school was very interesting, since I remembered reading this the first time during my teenage years in boarding school as well. Tales of corporal punishment, awful prefects (boazers), and vicious teachers (masters) were some of the things that Dahl reminisced with great fondness and humour. More about Boy in comparison to Boy provides more insight, more anecdotes and snippets of photographs and letters he wrote to his mother. There's even some commentary on how he got the inspiration to write some of his greatest books based on many of his childhood encounters. A very enjoyable and quick read.

[itchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

spelling:
p41: But why for heaven't sake were we in the playground at all?

p84: Reread the letter extracts throughout this chapter and you'll find out about Ford, who sadly died of double pneumonia after having had measles during an eidemic at the school in February 1928.

formatting:
p109: What I would like to have said was, "Yes, sir, if you really want to know, sir, I am calling Captain Hardcastle a liar because that's what he is!", but it was out of the question.

There's very little here that I've never read before elsewhere, but I love it just the same.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a nice insight to his life from his wife

[Laura Davey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fab tales from Roald Dahl's childhood but I recognised most of them from Boy. This is largely the same but with more scanned letters and photographs I believe.

[Courtney Ennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all about the author Roald Dahl and his tales from his childhood. The book starts out with his mom and dad and how they helped him get to where he is today. It has pictures of his parents and the house he grew up in. His father and uncle did a lot of travelling. In the book, it has a picture of a map of where they travelled. There is also a page just dedicated to his mother. She was the absolute primary influence in his life and was always interested in literally everything such as paintings and animals. She had really long pretty hair and would always put it up in a coiled bun on top of her head. Then the rest of the book goes in order of his life. It starts out with kindergarten all the way to when he finishes school. It even has some original texts, which include photographs, letters and some autobiographical pieces that were gathered. At the end of the book, there is a quiz for the Roald Dahl fans that think they know him pretty well.
I really like this book because it was very interesting. It was filled with tons of information about the author. I feel like I really learned more about his life. I could picture everything that happened and that he went through. Everything was so descriptive and gave a lot of detail. I also liked how the book was broken up into sections of his life. Each chapter was a certain part of in his life. It kind of went by ages because the first chapter was all about when he was in kindergarten. I liked how there were tons of pictures that were really from his childhood. I am a visual learner so it was great to see pictures that went along with his life. The pages about his parents were really cool too because it helped me picture what his family was like. I would really recommend this book to people who would like to learn more about Roald Dahl because it is very informative.

[Camelia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! This set of stories from Roald Dahl childhood starts with the story of his father and ends when he left for East Africa. His father died when he was very young and he and his mother were very close. Their Norwegian summer holidays sound fun and adventurous.

The book was first published in 1980s. Throughout the book, Roald Dahl reminds the readers the difference between his childhood and the modern time. In 1920s, English public schools openly encouraged bullying. School masters caned "unruly" students. Doctors performed surgeries at patient's home, took tonsils out without anesthesia. Children were allowed to observe the appendix after it was taken out. No need for driving license. Cars were driven by people who had only 2 hours driving lessons, etc...

My favorite pieces include the great mice plot and the goat's tobacco. What happened to his "ancient sister" and her fiancé after the tobacco episode? I hope the fiancé had quit smoking and they had had a good life and a lot of laugher together.

[Emaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that 'Boy' is an astonishing book to read. I believe this because Roald Dahl experienced a lot when writing this book, especially remembering his childhood years and for us now to experience what life was like back then. The book was all about Roald Dahl's childhood years and up to him leaving school. His childhood years was the reason behind him wanting himself to do writing as a career. My favourite part in the story would have to be The Great Mouse Plot because it was an inventive idea, especially when having to create a plan to get the mouse into Mrs Pratchett's Sweet Shop.

[Cecile Msays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!! "More About Boy" by Roald Dahl is an autobiography focusing on stories in this beloved children's authors life. As a child, I went to British elementary schools, so it's no surprise that I was, and still am, a huge Roald Dahl fan, having read almost all of his children's books! As expected, this book was a page turner that just kept me laughing, and with facts, letters, and pictures accompanying the story, I really felt that I got a true insight into his life. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they read his stories as a child, as he was an extremely hilarious and influential man!

[L-Angelica Herrera-Vest · Rating 4 out of 5]

More About Boy: Roald Dahl's Tales from Childhood, by Roald Dahl was a great read. Dahl writes about his childhood adventures he had as he was growing up. He points out how people in his life influenced his writing. He talks about the matron who took careof the boys in boarding school he attended. This person shows up as one of his characters in one of his books. We learn that he was born in Norway and his mother played a very important role in his life. It was great to see the connections in his books to the events in his life.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read all his stories for kids, long ago. Therefore I found it fascinating to read about his years of growing up. The fantastic and dreadful characters and situations in his book, seem partly to have come straight from his experiences. Much of this concerns his years at boarding school, which sounded cruel and awful, with treatment to children that shouldn't have been legal. Dreadful, I found that difficult to read about. The stories about his family are more lighthearted, and his amazing mama, who organized the whole family to spend summers camping in Norway.

[F. O. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the extra tidbits and photos that weren't included in Boy. But the side margins explained how Roald Dahl's characters were PROBABLY inspired by this or that real person in his life, and I could have done without that. Example: "Do you think that Roald Dahl might have based the character of Danny's dad in Danny the Champion of the World on his own father?" Lame. Let us figure that out for ourselves.

[Emma Kilburn-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly enjoyable light read about one of the most brilliant poetic minds of the 20th century. Reading about Roald Dahl's experiences in childhood illuminates the formative experiences that must have influenced his wild and sometimes terrifying imagination... the chapters are spaced out nicely making it easy to read in sections. The only criticism I have is most of the stories follow a similar vein of traumatic experiences from English boarding schools and can begin to feel a little repetitive, but the author himself is aware of this and explains towards the end of the book.

[Adhrit Pradeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of More about Boy by Roald Dahl
genre: Autobiography Rating:5/5

I like this book because it is thrilling to the bone!

This book is about Roald Dahl’s childhood and about all his schools and filled with facts about him. For example, did you know that Roald Dahl made a giant ball out of the Cadbury wrappers that were leftover from the Cadbury bars he ate? Or, do you know that he flew for the RAF? Going Solo is the sequel to this book.

I recommend this book to people who like an adventure with a life story!

[Max Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t bother reading if you have already read BOY.

I read Roald Dahl’s autobiographies a couple of years ago. I recently saw in passing this version of Boy and thought, ‘Why not?’ But as far as I can tell, it is basically just BOY with extra pictures and trivia and one or two extra stories (that are only ~3 pages long). Since I already knew all about Roald Dahl’s experience with the cane, and boazers and dead mice etc, I can’t consider this a good read (if you have already read BOY) unless you like trivia textbooks or something.

[Julia Vine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be used in a unit working on discussing authors and their styles. Roald Dahl has many many classic books that can be introduced to the classroom in many ways. Allowing the students to read a book about the man who created them could be very beneficial for students to better appreciate the writing process.

[Kelly Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really similar to the original book but I was a little disappointed by the additional stories in this expanded edition, I didn’t feel as though they added much and I think the original is better. I did enjoy the additional pictures and letters but majority of the side notes were excerpts from his books or miscellaneous facts that didn’t always interest me.

[Patricia Ochoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Segunda vuelta de este libro hermoso. Una infancia y adolescencia duras narradas con humor. Dahl es consciente de que muchas prácticas eran salvajes e inaceptables hoy (castigos físicos a los alumnos por los directores), pero narra sus anécdotas como parte de su historia. Estos acontecimientos explican lo que fue e hizo en su vida de adulto.

[Malak Hasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy is such a beautiful piece by the much-coveted Roald Dalh. It evokes imageries such brilliant imageries in your mind that your mind feels compelled to relive the same experiences as lived by Dahl. Dahl takes you back nearly a century, holds your hand and carries you through his whims of life from the house in Wales to East Africa.

[saskia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book, this was my second time reading it and from the first time I read it I still think about parts of the story every now and then. Idk if that made sense but highly recommend if u like biographies bc it’s really interesting to see what life was like back then. It’s also cool to see what events and people in his life influenced the stories and characters in his books.

[Malissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dahl is a marvellous story-teller. I picked this book up because I remember reading and enjoying his recollection of getting his adnoids removed. Adults were sure harsh on boys and children in his day!

[Kieren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second read-through of this book I did was the edition of More About Boy, which included more facts, dates, and pictures. I recommend the 'More About Boy' edition as it shows a larger picture of Roald Dahl's childhood.

[Deb Holden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found at a book sale, this book describes the early life of Roald Dahl. An unusual format with many photos of memorabilia. Easy to read but not that interesting that I would give it a recommendation.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this.. He is one of my fave authors... when I wish I could put pen to paper like him...
So interesting to learn more about mr dahl... onwards to going solo.. his life is as interestinf as his books!