Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4-8. Published posthumously, this is vintage Dahl for reading aloud, with an intrepid small hero, a fearsome monster, a secret fantasy world far from the oppression of grown-ups, and a relish for the sound and rhythm of words. The story is one of the oldest: Little Billy is warned not to go into the Forest of Sin, but he's awfully tired of being good, and when the devil whispers in his ear, the small boy goes exploring. He's chased by a galloping, panting, fiery beast, the Terrible Bloodsuckling Toothpluckling Stonechuckling Spittler; he's saved by the Minpins, millions of tiny folk who live in exquisite miniature homes high in the trees. They are terrorized by the monster, and Little Billy acts as savior; riding on the back of a swan, he "tantalizes" the beast and lures him to his death. The story drags a bit in the middle, but the telling has suspense and music, and Benson's cross~hatch, often full-page illustrations in rich forest colors capture both the lurid, roaring red power of the beast and the sense of a soft, whispery, mysterious life just beyond what we can see. ~--Hazel Rochman
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-- Little Billy, bored with being good, ignores his mother's admonition to stay out of The Forest of Sin where ``none come out, but many go in.'' He succumbs to the Devil's invitation to explore the forest for himself. All is well until the boy hears the alarming sounds of a fire-breathing monster headed right for him. Luckily he discovers a tree of convenient size where, on climbing to its upper branches, he finds a whole village of miniature people. The Minpins are also afraid of being gobbled up by the Red-Hot Smoke-Belching Gruncher. The lad devises a plan to do away with the terrifying beast and is promised nightly flights on the back of a swan by the grateful Minpins. No longer confined to his dull home, Little Billy now discovers a world of wonders. The only adult mentioned is the boy's insensitive, doltish mother, while the protagonist himself is admirable and enterprising, true to the author's form. Nonetheless, one senses something of a kinder, gentler Dahl, who nudges his readers to become observers, for ``the greatest secrets are always hidden in unlikely places.'' However, the religious overtones seem curiously out of place. Little Billy's name, too, may prove a bit precious for some readers. Benson's pen-and-ink crosshatched drawings with full-color washes are pleasing but not memorable, with the exception of the dramatic depictions of Billy and the swan. Although older readers will find the talepretty tame, the story-hour crowd may find it a pleasant diversion. --Phyllis G. Si dorsky, National Cathedral School, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
When Little Billy ignores his mother's warnings about the wild beasts in the Forest of Sin, he meets the Minpins, miniature people who own the forest and live in the trees. Little Billy vanquishes the worst monster of all and becomes a hero to the Minpins. Dahl has done a masterful job of combining the themes of power vested in a child, the fear of unknown perils, the delight of the miniature, and the allure of flying; the splendid illustrations add drama and enchantment to the tale. From HORN BOOK 1991, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Disobeying his mother, Little Billy goes into the ``Forest of Sin,'' where he is very nearly devoured by a fire-breathing monster. Just in time, he escapes up a tree, where he discovers a community of tiny people, the Minpins. The Minpins' homes, into which Billy can peer with one eye, remind him of the Queen's Doll House at Windsor Castle; they use their friends the birds for transport. When the Minpins explain that they, too, are being terrorized by the Red-Hot Smoke-Belching Gruncher, Little Billy devises a heroic plan: riding on a swan, he'll lure the monster into the lake (it can't see where it's going because of its own smoke). So he does, becoming a hero, and thereafter secretly visits his new friends. Typical Dahl: a childlike adventure with fantastical antagonists who have rib-tickling names, and a trite, airy moral (``Those who don't believe in magic will never find it''). Benson brings it all to life in his skillfully detailed art-- crosshatched pen-and-ink plus cheery color. There are several dramatic double spreads involving the monster, plus beguiling minutiae of the Minpins' treetop life. The long text is suitable for reading aloud to younger children and will also entertain the late author's older fans. (Fiction/Picture book. 4-10)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
