The Roald Dahl Audio Collection

by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl's hilarious and outrageous novels have made him one of the most popular children's authors of all time. Here, the author himself brings five of his wickedly funny stories to Charlie and the Chocolate
Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! James and the Giant
A little magic can take you a long way. Fantastic Mr.
Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox! The Enormous
Watch out, kids! The Magic
What happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?

Genres: Audiobook, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Juvenile, Middle Grade, Adventure

4 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 1980

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

[Joy Shak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly disappointed in this audio book. I was so delighted when I found this at my local library that I immediately put it on hold. 4 weeks later it pops into my phone and I discovered that all the books are abridged :(
Should have read the fine print. I loved hearing the author's actual voice, but I really wish it had been for the full story.

[Ali M · Rating 4 out of 5]

We listened to this audiobook over several months when we had long trips in the car with our five kids. It was great! It was especially great because Roald Dahl narrated the stories himself and that made the delivery just perfect. In fact, I am not sure who enjoyed it more – the kids or the adults! My husband and I found ourselves cracking up over and over again.

The only complaint we have is that the stories are abridged. Our big kids, who have read all the books noticed this in particular and were disappointed. It is understandable in a collection that stories necessarily need to be abridged, but we would gladly have listened to the full version of them all.

[Yrsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trevliga historier. Lagom långa så de passade bra att lyssna på i bilen. Möjligt att jag borde lyssna klart på jättepersikan igen för så var jag nog mer koncentrerad på körningen. Roald Dahl var en trevlig uppläsare.

[Kenya | Reviews May Vary · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much love for this collection! I had comletely forgotten that James' parents were killed by a rhino. I mean, how often does that even happen!?

[Lauren Herzog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this audio with the girls.
Some of the stories are actually read by Roald Dahl! So cool!

[Freesiab BookishReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s a fantastic story teller. I’m not sure how I missed these growing up but they’re magical and wonderful

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still find some of Roald Dahl's books a little too dark, but nevertheless the kids and I listened to and enjoyed this collection, read by the author.

[Carrie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was interested to listen to the author read some of his own books bc we have either read or listened to nearly all his books and LOVE most of them as some of our favorite titles as a family!!! We only listened to the 3 shorter stories on here bc the 2 longer titles included were abridged versions and I am rarely interested in any kind of abridged version of a story ❤️ He is a good narrator, much more interesting to listen to than E B White read his own books, but the narrators of most of his longer books are much more interesting to listen to than Roald himself!! But I would totally rec this to anyone who prefers to listen to even his shorter titles than read it themselves or read it for a child! It was enjoyable for sure!!

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for Roald Dahl narrating his own stories!!!
5 stars Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: book is just as fun and imaginative as the movie(s).
4 stars James and the Giant Peach: cute and heartwarming
3.5 star Fantastic Mr. Fox: couldn’t help but hear George Clooney voice
4 stars The Enormous Crocodile: Would have loved to see this as a movie
3.5 stars The Magic Finger – definitely see Matilda in this story, cute

[Deb Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

So disappointed when another old classic is demolished under the weight of my ‘new’ decolonized and intersectional eyes. Now these stories read as creepy at worst and just plain stupid at best. I’m so disappointed to have to let go of some family favourite stories. I still like some of his word play but more evident inin his poetry (the rhyming American aunt and ant !) I was wondering about their contribution to imagination but I’m over talking anthropomorphic animals?

[Tara Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.8) I really enjoyed that these were read by the author. I first read some of these in grade school and I know they won't necessarily hold up as an adult they are still great little filler books to read in between the bigger books I read.

Indiviual ratings:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-3.75
James and the Giant Peach-4
Fantasic Mr. Fox-5
The Enormous Crocodile-3.25
The Magic Finger-3
Average: 3.8/5

[Sheri Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory [abridged], James and the Giant Peach [abridged], Fantastic Mr. Fox [unabridged], The Enormous Crocodile [unabridged], and The Magic Finger [unabridged]. My rating is an average as I didn't enjoy them all the same, but being narrated by Roald Dahl was definitely a treat regardless.

[Tisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roald Dahl was my favorite childhood author and is still one of my favorites today. It was fun to listen to him reading abridgements of some of his classic works. I love when authors read their own audiobooks. I obviously prefer the unabridged works, but this is a fun way to quickly revisit them.

[Pearlyn Chua · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun narration! Was inspired to go listen to the movie version of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory songs again, which were musical (and choreography) delights. Fantastic Mr Fox, The Enormous Crocodile, and The Magic Finger were new to me actually; my past Roald Dahl exposure was more to Henry Sugar and his other (slightly weird) young adult stories.

[Bianca Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an Audible essential and taught me to love audio books. It’s five excellent stories for one Audible credit. It’s 3-4 hours but I listened at 1.25 which was a perfect pace, and read by Roald Dahl himself.

[Jo Glasgow · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were the abridged versions so not along but the author read them himself so was a Wonderful performance.
Charlie and the chocolate factory 4/5
James and the giant peach 3/5
Fantastic mr Fox 5/5
The enormous crocodile 4/5
The magic finger 3/5

[Aaron Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished listening to the audiobook. It was fabulous to hear the stories. Many of them I am familiar with. I was unfamiliar with The Magic Finger, but I enjoyed it along with the other stories. Well-written stories that made heroes out of young, simple kids to entertain a young audience.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only thing I really enjoyed about this is the author reading it.

[Meghan Schooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roald Dahl reads his own stories and I’m in love with it!

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s nice that the stories are read by Roald Dahl himself. Some of the stories are abridged versions though.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

My kids really enjoyed these stories though a few were probably a bit old for them.

[Ashleigh Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can never go wrong with Roald Dahl! It was a nice mix of stories.

[Stephanie G. Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightfully told tales of valorous children navigating a callous world and insipid adults

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the way it was read I listened every night 🌙 i love it ❤ book's its beautiful
Your not alone

[Diana Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boys loved listening to these during car rides to and from school and enjoyed all the stories!

[Engie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! I have read these stories multiple times growing up but nothing beats hearing the author reading each.

[Kate Arismendez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love anything by Roald Dahl. I read dozens of his books when I was a child and it was nostalgic to read this collection as an adult.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to hear these stories again, my first time as an adult.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I liked each story a little less than the one before the rest of the way through the collection.

[April Watson]

Wish that Charlie and James were not abridged, but it's great to hear Dahl read the stories himself. The younger boys didn't remember the stories, so all the better. Perfect for hour-or-two drives.