Books & Literature

Book Review: Never Grow Up, Inspired by Roald Dahl and Illustrated by Quentin Blake

PICTURE BOOK: A celebration of mischief-makers, rule breakers and wild children everywhere – inspired by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake.

A wonderful story for all ages about taking chances and having fun.
5

Roald Dahl is not dead. He thankfully lives on in the imagination of Quentin Blake. As Blake says in the forward to Never Grow Up, “I came to know Roald Dahl well, and so I have a sense of how much he must have enjoyed inventing the phrase, ‘Never grow up, always down.’” Blake’s trademark illustrations and sketches, coloured with bright water colours, almost make you believe you are actually reading a story by the great Roald Dahl himself.

Never Grow Up is a guide to growing up in a world where there is no need to necessarily follow ALL the rules. Be bold, courageous, and curious. It is a book is about encouraging the reader to have fun, take risks, and think outside the box. These are the people who will grow up inventing, discovering, and creating. It is for those brave souls who don’t take any notice of people who say it can’t be done.

Blake’s rhymes and hilarious illustrations make for a fun book. Each page is full of crazy ideas and going against the rules like picking your nose and smearing yoghurt on your brother. The bright blue slightly textured cover of is full of Blake’s illustrations and quotes from the book. The frontispiece has pictures of disapproving adults. A nice touch throughout the book is that these disapproving adults are all shown in grey colour—a lovely metaphor.

There are a few books which have been published recently imploring children not to read any further. They are always fun to read alone but also a joy to read aloud. This story is no exception. Children will quickly memorise the text and be able to read along. It is perfect for parents or teachers to read to their children but could also be used as a graduation gift. Never Grow Up is a reminder to adults and children alike that life is not just about work and the daily chores: 

“Some people grow ten feet TALL

Without growing up at all!

… NEVER GROW UP,

Always down!”

Reviewed by Sue Mauger

Distributed by: Penguin Random House
Released: 18 May 2021
RRP: $24.99

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