Every Roald Dahl Book in Order, and Which One to Read First

Your child finishes the Matilda movie and asks for "the book with the giant" next. You search "Roald Dahl books" and find long lists that mix children's novels, poems, adult short stories and screenplays. This guide lists every Roald Dahl children's book in publication order, answers "how many books did Roald Dahl write" with a named source, and shows which book to start with at each age.

How many books did Roald Dahl write?

Roald Dahl wrote 17 children's stories and novels, published between 1943 and 1991. The Roald Dahl bibliography on Wikipedia lists them as children's titles, and it adds three books of children's poems and two memoirs.

That makes 22 books for young readers. Dahl also wrote two adult novels, short stories for adults with twist endings, and nonfiction.

Why the count changes from list to list

Totals differ because lists count different things. Some add his adult story collections, and some add the screenplays he wrote in the 1960s, such as the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, both noted in his Wikipedia biography.

New titles keep appearing on shelves too. As of October 2026, the newest is The Terrible Miss Trunchbull and Other Tales of Tricks and Villainy, published by Puffin on September 3, 2026, for readers 8 and up. It holds ten new stories by other writers about Dahl's villains, so it is not a new Dahl book.

All 17 Roald Dahl children's books in order

Dahl's children's books run from The Gremlins in 1943 to The Minpins in 1991. Years come from the Wikipedia bibliography. Ages marked "CSM" are Common Sense Media ratings for independent reading; ages marked "guide" are read-together guidance based on length, because no rating was found.

Dahl died in November 1990, so the last two books came out after his death. His three poetry books are Revolting Rhymes (1982), Dirty Beasts (1983) and Rhyme Stew (1989). His memoirs are Boy (1984), which Common Sense Media rates 11+, and Going Solo (1986).

Who drew the pictures

Quentin Blake illustrated most of the books, and his Wikipedia page credits him with at least 17 Dahl titles. He drew the first editions of most books from The Enormous Crocodile (1978) on, including The Twits, The BFG, The Witches, Matilda and Esio Trot.

The older books started with other artists. Blake drew new pictures for later editions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach (both 1995) and Fantastic Mr Fox (1996), while The Minpins first appeared with art by Patrick Benson.

Which Roald Dahl book to start with, by age

The best first Roald Dahl book depends on whether you read it aloud or your child reads alone. Use these steps to pick one.

1. Start short at 5 to 7. Read The Enormous Crocodile, The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me or Esio Trot aloud in one or two sittings. Each is short enough to finish before a young listener loses the thread, and they fit well beside the stories in our read-aloud books for kids list.
2. Move to Charlie at 6 to 7. Common Sense Media rates Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 6+ and calls it a classic morality tale. Read it a chapter a night, then follow with the Great Glass Elevator if your child wants more Charlie.
3. Add Fantastic Mr Fox for a new reader. Common Sense Media rates it 7+, and its short chapters suit a child moving from picture books to chapter books. Our books for 7-year-olds guide has more at this level.
4. Hand over Matilda and James at 8. Common Sense Media rates Matilda and James and the Giant Peach 8+. Matilda suits a child who loves books, because its hero reads everything she can find.
5. Keep The BFG, The Witches and The Twits for 9. The BFG, The Witches and The Twits all get 9+. A younger child can still enjoy The BFG as a read-aloud with you beside them.
6. Finish with Boy at 10 or 11. Dahl's memoir of his school days is a good bridge to nonfiction for an older fan.

The part parents get wrong

Short does not always mean gentle. The Twits is under 100 pages, but Common Sense Media rates it 9+, the same as The Witches. Its two main characters are cruel to each other and to animals.

Read the first chapter of any Dahl book yourself before bedtime. Two minutes tells you whether the tone suits your child tonight.

Best Roald Dahl books for each kind of reader

The best Roald Dahl book for your child depends on what they already love. Match the reader first, then the age.

Revolting Rhymes lands best after a child knows the original tales. Our guide to classic fairy tales for kids by age shows which versions to read first.

Roald Dahl Story Day on September 13

Roald Dahl Story Day falls on September 13, Dahl's birthday; he was born on September 13, 1916. Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity invites schools and families to host a Story Day from the 13th, on any day they like.

At home, mark it with a favorite chapter read aloud, a jar of "dreams" like the giant's in The BFG, or a homemade snack inspired by the chocolate factory.

Which edition to buy: the Puffin edits and the Classic Collection

You can buy Dahl's children's books in two text versions in the UK. In February 2023, readers learned that Puffin's newer editions included hundreds of changes made on the advice of sensitivity readers, and the edits drew wide criticism, as Dahl's Wikipedia biography records.

On February 23, 2023, Puffin announced it would also keep the earlier texts in print. Penguin publishes them as The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, which, in its own words, reinstates the versions published before the 2022 Puffin editions.

How to tell the editions apart

Look for "The Roald Dahl Classic Collection" on the cover or in the series line of the store listing. If the listing does not name a series, check the copyright page for the edition year before you buy.

Neither version changes the plot. Pick the one you are comfortable reading aloud, and talk about any word that surprises your child.

Common mistakes with Roald Dahl books (and one edge case)

Most problems with Dahl books come from the wrong book at the wrong age. Avoid these.

• Mistake: starting with The Witches. It is a 9+ book with real fear in it. Start with Charlie or Fantastic Mr Fox and come back to The Witches later.
• Mistake: reading in publication order. The Gremlins comes first by date, but it is a wartime story few children will find. Read by age instead.
• Mistake: skipping the read-aloud stage. Dahl's invented words, such as the giant's mixed-up speech in The BFG, are funnier out loud. Read the first chapters together, even with a confident reader.
• Mistake: treating the movie as the book. Films change endings and characters. Read the book first, then watch the movie and spot the differences together.
• Mistake: buying a box set too early. A full set holds books for ages 5 to 11. Buy two or three books that fit now and add more as your child grows.

Edge case: sensitive children

Some children love Dahl's nasty grown-ups, and some lie awake over them. For a sensitive child, choose stories where kindness wins early, such as The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me or Esio Trot, and stop to talk when a villain gets cruel.

You can also let your child be the hero of a gentler story of their own. KidTeller turns your child's photo into the illustrated main character of a new story.

Try itCreate a personalized storybookYour child's name and photo, a story in minutes

Your Roald Dahl reading checklist

A Roald Dahl reading plan needs six small decisions, and each one takes a minute.

• Pick by age: Short read-alouds at 5 to 7, Charlie and Mr Fox at 6 to 7, Matilda at 8, The BFG and The Witches at 9.
• Choose an edition: Classic Collection or revised Puffin text, then stick with one.
• Preview one chapter: Check tone before bedtime, mainly for The Twits and The Witches.
• Read the first chapters aloud: Dahl's wordplay lands best in your voice.
• Plan the next book: Our list of must-read books for ages 8 to 10 and our best picture books cover the books on either side of Dahl.
• Mark September 13: Save a favorite chapter for Roald Dahl Story Day.

When your child asks for "a story about me", KidTeller writes a new one from a theme or your own idea, tunes it for ages 0 to 2, 3 to 7 or 8 and up, and can narrate it in your own cloned voice. Browse books made with KidTeller for ages and themes.