What do you think?
Rate this book
The Minpins
Come deep into the forest if you dare...but beware the Terrible Bloodsuckling Toothpluckling Stonechuckling Spittler!
48 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 1991
182 people are currently reading
3,064 people want to read
About the author
Roald Dahl
1,440books25.9kfollowersRoald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940's with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.
Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.
He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story "The Landlady"; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".
Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.
He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story "The Landlady"; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 664 reviews
Read
February 19, 2022Another book for my children's writing module -- which I somehow never read?? The storyline was a bit all over-the-place, but I can imagine it being an exciting one for kids.
March 16, 2022
2.5 rounded up.
This short Audiobook was read by Bill Bailey which was great! However the story wasn’t as great. Definitely quintessentially Dahl but very similar to his other stories.
This short Audiobook was read by Bill Bailey which was great! However the story wasn’t as great. Definitely quintessentially Dahl but very similar to his other stories.
February 20, 2024
What is a minpin you ask?
They are tiny tree-dwelling people living in the forest.
This is another cute and magical Roald Dahl story. It gave me tons of flashbacks from The BFG. The narrator was even the same! Roald Dahl definitely has a theme. Creative fictional words galore. Children facing terrifying things. Did this really deserve 5 �? It was the shortest work I’ve read of Roald Dahl’s. So probably not, but I just couldn’t help myself. It made me smile.
If I find myself in a forest, I’ll think about the Minpins. When I see birds flying, I’ll watch and wonder if I’ll catch a glimpse of a Minpin using it for transport. I’ll even check around for their little suction boots!
I’ll admit it was pretty challenging to locate the right book published during my birth year to meet one of my Monster Mash challenges. This one was a perfect choice! Can’t ever go wrong with Roald Dahl!
2024 Monster Mash Challenge Met:
|Pennywise Category|
� Read a book from the year you were born. ✔️
“ᴬⁿᵈ ᵃᵇᵒᵛ� ᵃˡ�, ʷᵃᵗᶜ� ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵍˡⁱᵗᵗᵉʳⁱⁿᵍ ᵉʸᵉˢ ᵗʰᵉ ʷʰᵒˡᵉ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ ᵃʳᵒᵘⁿ� ʸᵒᵘ ᵇᵉᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗᵉˢᵗ ˢᵉᶜʳᵉᵗˢ ᵃʳᵉ ᵃˡʷᵃʸˢ ʰⁱᵈᵈᵉ� ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵒˢ� ᵘⁿˡⁱᵏᵉˡ� ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉˢ. ᵀʰᵒˢᵉ ʷʰ� ᵈᵒⁿ’ᵗ ⁱⁿ ᵐᵃᵍⁱ� ʷⁱˡ� ⁿᵉᵛᵉʳ ᶠⁱⁿᵈ ⁱᵗ.�
They are tiny tree-dwelling people living in the forest.
This is another cute and magical Roald Dahl story. It gave me tons of flashbacks from The BFG. The narrator was even the same! Roald Dahl definitely has a theme. Creative fictional words galore. Children facing terrifying things. Did this really deserve 5 �? It was the shortest work I’ve read of Roald Dahl’s. So probably not, but I just couldn’t help myself. It made me smile.
If I find myself in a forest, I’ll think about the Minpins. When I see birds flying, I’ll watch and wonder if I’ll catch a glimpse of a Minpin using it for transport. I’ll even check around for their little suction boots!
I’ll admit it was pretty challenging to locate the right book published during my birth year to meet one of my Monster Mash challenges. This one was a perfect choice! Can’t ever go wrong with Roald Dahl!
2024 Monster Mash Challenge Met:
|Pennywise Category|
� Read a book from the year you were born. ✔️
“ᴬⁿᵈ ᵃᵇᵒᵛ� ᵃˡ�, ʷᵃᵗᶜ� ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵍˡⁱᵗᵗᵉʳⁱⁿᵍ ᵉʸᵉˢ ᵗʰᵉ ʷʰᵒˡᵉ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ ᵃʳᵒᵘⁿ� ʸᵒᵘ ᵇᵉᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ᵍʳᵉᵃᵗᵉˢᵗ ˢᵉᶜʳᵉᵗˢ ᵃʳᵉ ᵃˡʷᵃʸˢ ʰⁱᵈᵈᵉ� ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵒˢ� ᵘⁿˡⁱᵏᵉˡ� ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉˢ. ᵀʰᵒˢᵉ ʷʰ� ᵈᵒⁿ’ᵗ ⁱⁿ ᵐᵃᵍⁱ� ʷⁱˡ� ⁿᵉᵛᵉʳ ᶠⁱⁿᵈ ⁱᵗ.�
September 10, 2022
یکی از علایق من خوندن کتاب های کودکانه هست این کتاب رو برای خواهرزاده هشت سالم خریدم و خودمم خوندمش،داستان در مورد پسری به نام بیلی هست که یک روز از پنجره به جنگل زل زده بود و به گفته های مادرش در مورد موجودات خطرناک جنگل فکر می کرد که ناگهان تصمیم می گیره راهی این ماجراجویی بشه و توی جنگل با آدم کوچولوها مواجه میشه و .... داستان خیلی قشنگی بود و شیرین ،و فکر میکنم برای بچه ها خیلی دوست داشتنی بشه همونطوری که برای من به عنوان یک بزرگسال خیلی دوست داشتنی بود،اون نافرمانی و فضولی ای که همه بچه ها دارن و دلشون میخواد که گاهی به حرف مادرشون گوش ندن و اون ماجراجویی موجودات عجیب و غریب دوستی با حیوانات ،رفتن به دنیای آدم کوچولوها و حتی حل کردن مشکلات اون ها و نقش قهرمان رو پیدا کردن و عنصر خیال داستان و تشویق کردن بچه ها به باور کردن معجزات همشون خیلی زیبا بودن و خیلی پیشنهادش می کنمʕ·ᴥ·ʔ�
June 27, 2020
And with this story, for the first time illustrated by my beloved Quentin Blake, I end my journey of reading every volume of my Roald Dahl box set. I cannot say I loved every single book - I actually despised some of them ahah - but, overall, I am glad of my better knowledge about my favourite author as a child. This short story, in particular, is a fun read. Even though, is it just me or Roald Dahl's stories always seem to end a couple of chapters after they are supposed to?
November 17, 2020
Fortunately there was nothing problematic that I could see in this Dahl book, which was a relief. I liked this one a lot more than some of his other ones, and it ended on quite a beautiful message of being able to see magic. I enjoyed the story behind it too, of Billy going into a perilous forest to discover the Minpins who reminded me a little of the Borrowers. This would have actually been better if it was longer.
December 10, 2020
Beautiful Illustrations and Fun Storyline.
This book takes a unique approach to the small-world idea. Little Billy (points off for that name) goes off on an adventure to the woods, despite his mother's warning.
There he meets the Minpins - a miniature race that lives in the trees - that are terrorized by a forest creature made of fire. Extremely enjoyable to read!
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
This book takes a unique approach to the small-world idea. Little Billy (points off for that name) goes off on an adventure to the woods, despite his mother's warning.
There he meets the Minpins - a miniature race that lives in the trees - that are terrorized by a forest creature made of fire. Extremely enjoyable to read!
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
October 26, 2012
“Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.�
This is the last book Roald Dahl wrote.
This is the last book Roald Dahl wrote.
March 20, 2022
3.5/5
"all the things he was allowed to do were boring,all the things he was not allowed to do were exciting."
okay,I love roald dahl.but there is a similar pattern in most of his stories which is tiresome.he always found simplest solutions for the toughest problems and his plans never failed!!this billy and the minpins story is quite enjoyable. but there's nothing unique.rather,i enjoyed the post climax part.last few lines are magical-
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
"all the things he was allowed to do were boring,all the things he was not allowed to do were exciting."
okay,I love roald dahl.but there is a similar pattern in most of his stories which is tiresome.he always found simplest solutions for the toughest problems and his plans never failed!!this billy and the minpins story is quite enjoyable. but there's nothing unique.rather,i enjoyed the post climax part.last few lines are magical-
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
October 21, 2020
This one's got to be my least Roald Dahl favourite of all times.
The character development is good. But it's the fantastical world development and representation that felt like they have been borrowed and the characters in this world lack charm.
The character development is good. But it's the fantastical world development and representation that felt like they have been borrowed and the characters in this world lack charm.
September 17, 2017
Like most I devoured Dahl as a kid, there was something magical about the stories. Some of that charm was Quentin Blake's illustrations, they just fitted so perfectly.
As it transpires Blake did all but one of Dahl's books, so to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dahl and Blake's first collaboration a Special Edition of Dahl's last story (the elusive one from Blake's collection) has been released and sees the familiar pictures to accompany the story.
I really enjoyed the Minpins, there was really a magical charm to the story. Both the words and pictures really gives you a sense of being in the forest.
A must read for Dahl fans.
As it transpires Blake did all but one of Dahl's books, so to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dahl and Blake's first collaboration a Special Edition of Dahl's last story (the elusive one from Blake's collection) has been released and sees the familiar pictures to accompany the story.
I really enjoyed the Minpins, there was really a magical charm to the story. Both the words and pictures really gives you a sense of being in the forest.
A must read for Dahl fans.
March 15, 2017
This was not one of my favorite Roald Dahl books. That is probably because almost every item and descriptive word was made up and not real. I really had to expand my mind to follow a long and to picture what he was talking about.
February 4, 2024
I enjoyed my reading of BILLY AND THE MINPINS by Roald Dahl, from publishers Puffin and Penguin Random House, but my reaction to this new-to-me book from an old-favorite-author is complex!
Opening Quote: Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. p98
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. The illustrations are wonderful as I remember them from childhood, thanks to Quentin Blake. Pages 72 and 73 have my favorite picture in this book!
2. The monster, huge and loud and for a good portion of the first half, concealed in its own exhaled smoke. It a creepy creature, but also a good metaphors for air pollution or threats to the planet's health in general.
3. This story teaches valuable lessons, such as cooperation with nature p50, contributing to the social good p52, and "sometimes mysteries are more intriguing than explanations" p92.
4. I feel in certain scenes a strong GULLIVER'S TRAVELS vibe. Love this wonderful and uncanny connection.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. Some familiar images here. The forest of sin, where Little Jonny goes after growing bored with "being good," and listening to the devil whispering in his ear, decides to disobey "good boy rules" and climb out his bedroom window. This reminds me of the imagery of Eve's fall in the garden of Eden. Also, the giant tree with branches growing low to the ground, and crown disappeared into the blue sky, resembles a very famous beanstalk.
2. The writing in the whole first third of the book is shockingly mediocre. Vague descriptions. Passive sentences. "Little Billy sat staring at this extraordinary thing," p31. Every bit of that sentence is incongruous, but also, "this extraordinary thing" is anything but a description of an extraordinary thing. I was pleased to discover things improved later in the book.
3. These books were all written a long time ago, and they're mostly lovely. But some old lessons holdover, such as on p43 when Little Billy compliments the Minpins' homes by being self-effacing about his own home. "They're all absolutely marvelous," he said. "They're much nicer than our rooms at home."
4. Sometimes the book's moral ideals contradict themselves. For example, we have the lessons I write about in Things I Love, specifically cooperation with nature p50, and contributing to the social good p52. But in direct opposition to these, just pages earlier, we have the leader of the Minpins, Don Mini, telling Little Billy that the Minpins "own the forest." I don't know if the word "own" quite had the force in 1991 that it does now, but for me it brought up a pile of questions the story never addresses.
Closing quote: Oh, it was a wondrous secret life that Little Billy lived up there in the sky at night on Swan's back! They flew in a magical world of silence, swooping and gliding over the dark world below where all the earthly people were fast asleep in their beds. p84
Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 of Gruncher's flames
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Feb 02 '24
Format: Paperback, Roald Dahl reading challenge 1/16
Read this book if you like:
🏔 adventures
🗡 hero story
👦 middle grade fiction
🦄 magical realism
🤝 friendship stories
Opening Quote: Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. p98
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. The illustrations are wonderful as I remember them from childhood, thanks to Quentin Blake. Pages 72 and 73 have my favorite picture in this book!
2. The monster, huge and loud and for a good portion of the first half, concealed in its own exhaled smoke. It a creepy creature, but also a good metaphors for air pollution or threats to the planet's health in general.
3. This story teaches valuable lessons, such as cooperation with nature p50, contributing to the social good p52, and "sometimes mysteries are more intriguing than explanations" p92.
4. I feel in certain scenes a strong GULLIVER'S TRAVELS vibe. Love this wonderful and uncanny connection.
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. Some familiar images here. The forest of sin, where Little Jonny goes after growing bored with "being good," and listening to the devil whispering in his ear, decides to disobey "good boy rules" and climb out his bedroom window. This reminds me of the imagery of Eve's fall in the garden of Eden. Also, the giant tree with branches growing low to the ground, and crown disappeared into the blue sky, resembles a very famous beanstalk.
2. The writing in the whole first third of the book is shockingly mediocre. Vague descriptions. Passive sentences. "Little Billy sat staring at this extraordinary thing," p31. Every bit of that sentence is incongruous, but also, "this extraordinary thing" is anything but a description of an extraordinary thing. I was pleased to discover things improved later in the book.
3. These books were all written a long time ago, and they're mostly lovely. But some old lessons holdover, such as on p43 when Little Billy compliments the Minpins' homes by being self-effacing about his own home. "They're all absolutely marvelous," he said. "They're much nicer than our rooms at home."
4. Sometimes the book's moral ideals contradict themselves. For example, we have the lessons I write about in Things I Love, specifically cooperation with nature p50, and contributing to the social good p52. But in direct opposition to these, just pages earlier, we have the leader of the Minpins, Don Mini, telling Little Billy that the Minpins "own the forest." I don't know if the word "own" quite had the force in 1991 that it does now, but for me it brought up a pile of questions the story never addresses.
Closing quote: Oh, it was a wondrous secret life that Little Billy lived up there in the sky at night on Swan's back! They flew in a magical world of silence, swooping and gliding over the dark world below where all the earthly people were fast asleep in their beds. p84
Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 of Gruncher's flames
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Feb 02 '24
Format: Paperback, Roald Dahl reading challenge 1/16
Read this book if you like:
🏔 adventures
🗡 hero story
👦 middle grade fiction
🦄 magical realism
🤝 friendship stories
September 20, 2011
Roald Dahl has worked his magic with The Minpins, creating wonderful creatures of childhood fantasy and loyalty between friends with amazing illustrations by Patrick Benson.
Little Billy is bored of always being good, all he wants to do is go outside and explore the Forest of Sin beyond the garden gate. But his Mother warns him of the dangers within the Forest with the rhyme "Beware! Beware! The Forest of Sin! None come out, but many go in"! She tells Little Billy of the blood-thirsty Whangdoodles, Hornswogglers, Snozzwanglers, Vermicious Knids, and worst of all the Terrible Bloodsuckling Toothplucking Stonechuckling Spittler! But Little Billy's desire to explore leads him to jump out the window, out of the gate and to the edge of the Forest.
Not long after stepping in through the trees Little Billy is being chased by the Terrible Bloodsuckling Toothplucking Stonechuckling Spittler, and he climbs a tree to escape. He then meets the Minpins, who live in the trees, wear suction boots and ride on the backs of birds. Dom Mini, the Ruler of the tree, explains to Little Billy that the beast below is actually the Gruncher! The two of them come up with a plan to get rid of the Gruncher, and with the help of a swan Little Billy succeeds. Little Billy is sworn to secrecy of the Minpins existence and they form a beautiful friendship throughout his childhood.
I would recommend this book for children who are towards the end of Key Stage One to Year Three as they could enjoy the different characters with a better understanding, and relate to Little Billy's boredom of just sitting at home 'being good'.
Little Billy is bored of always being good, all he wants to do is go outside and explore the Forest of Sin beyond the garden gate. But his Mother warns him of the dangers within the Forest with the rhyme "Beware! Beware! The Forest of Sin! None come out, but many go in"! She tells Little Billy of the blood-thirsty Whangdoodles, Hornswogglers, Snozzwanglers, Vermicious Knids, and worst of all the Terrible Bloodsuckling Toothplucking Stonechuckling Spittler! But Little Billy's desire to explore leads him to jump out the window, out of the gate and to the edge of the Forest.
Not long after stepping in through the trees Little Billy is being chased by the Terrible Bloodsuckling Toothplucking Stonechuckling Spittler, and he climbs a tree to escape. He then meets the Minpins, who live in the trees, wear suction boots and ride on the backs of birds. Dom Mini, the Ruler of the tree, explains to Little Billy that the beast below is actually the Gruncher! The two of them come up with a plan to get rid of the Gruncher, and with the help of a swan Little Billy succeeds. Little Billy is sworn to secrecy of the Minpins existence and they form a beautiful friendship throughout his childhood.
I would recommend this book for children who are towards the end of Key Stage One to Year Three as they could enjoy the different characters with a better understanding, and relate to Little Billy's boredom of just sitting at home 'being good'.
March 28, 2023
"But sometimes mysteries are more intriguing than explanations, and the swans on the blue lake, like the creatures on the golden cloud, would remain a mystery forever in Little Billy’s memory."
May 3, 2020
Το σημαντικότερο πλεονέκτημα του συγκεκριμένου βιβλίου του Νταλ (1991) είναι η ατμοσφαιρικότητα και τα στοιχεία 'θρίλερ' που διαθέτει, όπως και η αίσθηση της ελευθερίας που νιώθει ο κεντρικός ήρωας. Τα πολλά και μεγάλα σκίτσα που υπάρχουν παραπέμπουν σε 'graphic novel', ενώ το μόνο αρνητικό θα μπορούσα να πω ότι είναι η σχετικά σύντομη ιστορία.
Βαθμολογία: 4,3/5 ή 8,6/10.
Βαθμολογία: 4,3/5 ή 8,6/10.
July 16, 2019
I loved this magical book!
I wanted to read it since the moment I came across this perfect quote:
-
The story was not exactly what I expected, that's why I didn't shelve it as one of my favorites, but it was close! I really liked how Dahl suggested other mysteries throughout the story, letting us imagine ourselves the other worlds existing. The illustrations of the Minpins in the trees are really cute, with a lot of details, and the descriptions of the forest are beautifully written. I felt like I was in there with Billy, escaping the house and entering this magical world.
I already read ... Next one is gonna be , that I'm lucky to have recently found used in a sale! So happy to have it in my personal collection!
5*: Sad to finish it, this book was amazing
4*: Really liked it!
3*: Liked it
2*: Fell asleep a couple of times during my reading... but not entirely boring!
1*: Why did I bother to finish it?!
I wanted to read it since the moment I came across this perfect quote:
And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.
-
The story was not exactly what I expected, that's why I didn't shelve it as one of my favorites, but it was close! I really liked how Dahl suggested other mysteries throughout the story, letting us imagine ourselves the other worlds existing. The illustrations of the Minpins in the trees are really cute, with a lot of details, and the descriptions of the forest are beautifully written. I felt like I was in there with Billy, escaping the house and entering this magical world.
I already read ... Next one is gonna be , that I'm lucky to have recently found used in a sale! So happy to have it in my personal collection!
5*: Sad to finish it, this book was amazing
4*: Really liked it!
3*: Liked it
2*: Fell asleep a couple of times during my reading... but not entirely boring!
1*: Why did I bother to finish it?!
October 18, 2024
3.5 stars
The minpins remind me of the Terry Pratchett's Rug people. This is a lovely story about childhood and friendship, once you're in these woods you can't get out, in a way or another.
The minpins remind me of the Terry Pratchett's Rug people. This is a lovely story about childhood and friendship, once you're in these woods you can't get out, in a way or another.
December 20, 2023
Another classic by Dahl! Fans of Mary Norton's 'The Borrowers' will love this one. It was Dahl's final work.
March 27, 2014
I have a funny story about this book.
I read it for the first time in first grade. I loved it. I'm fairly certain I read it multiple times between first and third grade. The story is great and the pictures are stunning. Alas, I changed schools in third grade, and then changed again in fifth, and the title of the book was lost. I remembered the story but not what it was called.
Flash forward to just before my sixteenth birthday. Feeling nostalgic, I told my mom that for a gift, I wanted to track down this book I read in first grade. By this time, my memory of the book was a little muddled--I thought it was about tiny green people who lived in trees and were discovered by a little boy. So, we did what any sensible person would do. We sat at the computer and searched the Internet for "book with tiny green people who live in trees" and other variations of that phrase. No luck. I was disappointed, but pretty much accepted that finding the book was a lost cause.
Well, as it turns out, the brain is a mysterious thing. It traps a LOT of information. It incubates, if you will. And apparently even after I had given up trying to think of the title of this book, my brain was still working hard on it. About two weeks before my birthday I sat straight up in bed, out of a dead sleep, and exclaimed, "IT WAS SOMETHING 'PINS'!" I got out of bed, groggily scrawled "pins" on my hand, and went back to sleep. The next morning I showed my mom. "I think it was 'Ninpins'," I said. Luckily, she was able to put enough information together to figure out the actual title, and surprised me with the book for my birthday. She and my dad read it out loud to me. That was a really good day.
This book is still one of my treasured possessions.
I read it for the first time in first grade. I loved it. I'm fairly certain I read it multiple times between first and third grade. The story is great and the pictures are stunning. Alas, I changed schools in third grade, and then changed again in fifth, and the title of the book was lost. I remembered the story but not what it was called.
Flash forward to just before my sixteenth birthday. Feeling nostalgic, I told my mom that for a gift, I wanted to track down this book I read in first grade. By this time, my memory of the book was a little muddled--I thought it was about tiny green people who lived in trees and were discovered by a little boy. So, we did what any sensible person would do. We sat at the computer and searched the Internet for "book with tiny green people who live in trees" and other variations of that phrase. No luck. I was disappointed, but pretty much accepted that finding the book was a lost cause.
Well, as it turns out, the brain is a mysterious thing. It traps a LOT of information. It incubates, if you will. And apparently even after I had given up trying to think of the title of this book, my brain was still working hard on it. About two weeks before my birthday I sat straight up in bed, out of a dead sleep, and exclaimed, "IT WAS SOMETHING 'PINS'!" I got out of bed, groggily scrawled "pins" on my hand, and went back to sleep. The next morning I showed my mom. "I think it was 'Ninpins'," I said. Luckily, she was able to put enough information together to figure out the actual title, and surprised me with the book for my birthday. She and my dad read it out loud to me. That was a really good day.
This book is still one of my treasured possessions.
August 25, 2018
I found a Dahl I hadn’t yet read! The Minpins is a classic childhood tale - Mom says not to go out into the Forest of Sin (haha what a great name), so obviously Little Billy goes.
There he encounters whispy little tree people, The Minpins, who have built cities in the trees and travel around on birds. He also encounters the monstrous Gruncher who loves to grunch on humans (Dahl’s play with language really shines in this book). The book is filled with magic and sure to delight readers of any age.
There he encounters whispy little tree people, The Minpins, who have built cities in the trees and travel around on birds. He also encounters the monstrous Gruncher who loves to grunch on humans (Dahl’s play with language really shines in this book). The book is filled with magic and sure to delight readers of any age.
October 4, 2022
the magic never ends, or does it?
rip, roald.
the world will never be the same again.
rip, roald.
the world will never be the same again.
Shelved as 'childrens-books'
January 19, 2024
� audiobook review
I hadn’t come across this one as a kid, which is odd because Matilda and The Witches and The Twits are some of my most memorable childhood books/films, but this one is super cute.
� | | | �
I hadn’t come across this one as a kid, which is odd because Matilda and The Witches and The Twits are some of my most memorable childhood books/films, but this one is super cute.
� | | | �
January 25, 2018
Eldest son’s first ‘big boy� book with chapters. He was totally engrossed in the story and the original plan of ‘a few chapters at bedtime� went out the window. Captured his imagination and felt like the start of a different sort of bedtime reading for us to share. Looking forward to working through the Roald Dahl collection with him.
Challenge list #12 (name in title)
Challenge list #12 (name in title)
January 18, 2019
And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
Ah, and during the Feast of The Three Wise Men or Magi or whatever. Lovely.
Jan 6, 19
* Maybe on
June 1, 2018
My beloved dog is a Min-Pin and I found this title searching for books about him! But it worked out well because this is a good story for kids and I've got a kid now. Roald Dahl wrote some seriously good stuff that did not underestimate children's abilities.
3 stars out of 5
3 stars out of 5
September 10, 2017
As if I would have rated a Roald Dahl book less than 5 stars.
November 22, 2024
This was a pleasant surprise! I had never even heard of this book until my son came home with it from a reading carnival at school the end of last year. He read it on his own and enjoyed it, so we picked it up to do as a read aloud with him, me and my daughter.
It is short and sweet. But it has a great last line and the story is a crisp, clean tale!
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
It is short and sweet. But it has a great last line and the story is a crisp, clean tale!
"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
June 23, 2019
This new edition of The Minpins was published to mark the 40th anniversary of the Dahl & Blake collaboration, which began with The Enormous Crocodile in 1978. In the years after Dahl's death, Quentin Blake reillustrated the books that were illustrated by others. This resulted in new illustrations for James, the two Charlie stories, The Magic Finger, Fantastic Mr Fox and Danny the Champion of the World. Blake also illustrated a 2012 edition of Boy.
I know that the original Patrick Benson picture book illustrations for the Minpins are more suited to the atmosphere of the story and I know that the re-illustrated versions of the pre-1978 Dahl stories might be a mere cash grab by Dahl's estate and publishers. However, this new Minpins hardback is like a capstone to the Dahl & Blake collaboration. Initially I was surprised that Blake would want to attempt the story, but when I purchased my copy of the book, I felt relieved that he adapted his style well the demands of the story.
Blake's illustrations are in a different style from the Benson originals. The original Benson pictures were naturalistic and atmospheric. The colour illustrations in the earlier version are cross-hatched and allow scenes to play out on a broad canvas. In contrast, Blake is more sprightly and more close-up and his illustrations accompany the story at every step. Occasionally the vignettes don't place themselves within a context, but we can still have an idea of the scene even when viewing these drawings. I have to admit that sometimes the atmosphere in the Benson pictures obscures the actors in the story, and so it's hard to see Billy, the minpins and the birds when they are not brought into the foreground. Some people may think that Blake's style better fits the Dahl books of the early 1980s, but here Blake shows remarkable restraint in depicting Billy's adventures with the Minpins.
The book feels more grown-up than the picture book version, as the story is now divided into 10 chapters. As such, it has a bit more stature to it and can take its place alongside the three other novellas in Dahl's corpus.
Don't be afraid - this Blake Minpins hardback does more than justice to the story. It may be different from Benson's naturalistic picture book illustrations, but it has its own rewards to devotees of Dahl and Blake.
I think I might be keen to see Dahl's estate put out a colour edition of this Blake edition of the Minpins.
I know that the original Patrick Benson picture book illustrations for the Minpins are more suited to the atmosphere of the story and I know that the re-illustrated versions of the pre-1978 Dahl stories might be a mere cash grab by Dahl's estate and publishers. However, this new Minpins hardback is like a capstone to the Dahl & Blake collaboration. Initially I was surprised that Blake would want to attempt the story, but when I purchased my copy of the book, I felt relieved that he adapted his style well the demands of the story.
Blake's illustrations are in a different style from the Benson originals. The original Benson pictures were naturalistic and atmospheric. The colour illustrations in the earlier version are cross-hatched and allow scenes to play out on a broad canvas. In contrast, Blake is more sprightly and more close-up and his illustrations accompany the story at every step. Occasionally the vignettes don't place themselves within a context, but we can still have an idea of the scene even when viewing these drawings. I have to admit that sometimes the atmosphere in the Benson pictures obscures the actors in the story, and so it's hard to see Billy, the minpins and the birds when they are not brought into the foreground. Some people may think that Blake's style better fits the Dahl books of the early 1980s, but here Blake shows remarkable restraint in depicting Billy's adventures with the Minpins.
The book feels more grown-up than the picture book version, as the story is now divided into 10 chapters. As such, it has a bit more stature to it and can take its place alongside the three other novellas in Dahl's corpus.
Don't be afraid - this Blake Minpins hardback does more than justice to the story. It may be different from Benson's naturalistic picture book illustrations, but it has its own rewards to devotees of Dahl and Blake.
I think I might be keen to see Dahl's estate put out a colour edition of this Blake edition of the Minpins.
December 6, 2020
If I could bottle the feeling reading Roald Dahl gives me, label it as "nostalgia" and stick it on eBay it would sell like hot cakes. It's a totally unique and undeniably child-like adventure down memory lane as his hilarious phrases and oddities fill each page. I am also partial to a Quentin Blake illustration or two.
Billy and the Minpins has all of the fun parts of Dahl's writing, complete with silly words and tumbling onomatopoeia, but it is lacking some of the heart. Little Billy, as he is repeatedly called (and yes, that gets very annoying very quickly) is warned by his mother not to go into the woods. But of course as any inquisitive child would do, he goes into the dangerous woods regardless to see if he can spot the infamous monsters in its depths. There he meets little creatures called the Minpins - small, human-like, beings who converse and fly with birds and live amongst the hollowed out trees. I guess you could say it's something of a Borrowers-inspired tale.
Unfortunately, I didn't especially care for the story because Little Billy wasn't really my kind of chap, given he is a little underdeveloped as a character and underwhelming in terms of forming attachment to him. But really the trouble lies within the missing elements; the heart, charm and wonderment that Dahl usually weaves throughout his novels.
Billy and the Minpins has all of the fun parts of Dahl's writing, complete with silly words and tumbling onomatopoeia, but it is lacking some of the heart. Little Billy, as he is repeatedly called (and yes, that gets very annoying very quickly) is warned by his mother not to go into the woods. But of course as any inquisitive child would do, he goes into the dangerous woods regardless to see if he can spot the infamous monsters in its depths. There he meets little creatures called the Minpins - small, human-like, beings who converse and fly with birds and live amongst the hollowed out trees. I guess you could say it's something of a Borrowers-inspired tale.
Unfortunately, I didn't especially care for the story because Little Billy wasn't really my kind of chap, given he is a little underdeveloped as a character and underwhelming in terms of forming attachment to him. But really the trouble lies within the missing elements; the heart, charm and wonderment that Dahl usually weaves throughout his novels.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 664 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.