The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets

I love Willy Wonka. I've seen the original 1971 film more times than any other movie. I answer salutations and well-meaning questions with quotes from the film. I have collector's books about the film and have watched the director's commentary. I know the in-and-outs of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. And, to a lesser extent, I've love the many other incarnations of Charlie and Willy: Roald Dahl's original novel, as well as the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, and the 2005 film. I was “born to be a Wonkerer.”

So I was excited when I came across this short ebook, The Missing Golden Ticket..., promising secrets and cut chapters from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Yeah, I knew I'd be disappointed; clearly, as slim show more as this volume is, I knew I wouldn't find much here. Most of the book is filler (quizzes, recipes, etc). A considerable amount is recycled, primarily from Dahl's autobiographies. The few cuts from CatCF were minor, but still interesting. Did you know, for instance, that in earlier drafts there were ten children? They're all described. And there are a couple cut scenes from earlier drafts. Neither are particularly shocking or enlightening, but I'm glad to have been able to read them.

So though I learned some things, I wasn't overly impressed. But it doesn't matter. Because the next time I sit down with friends to watch Gene Wilder and Co., I'll have some new information to thrust upon my fellow viewers. “Did you know that Dahl originally intended for there to be ten children? One was named Herpes Trout...” And what better conversation starter is there than the name Herpes Trout? show less

I’ve always been a huge fan of Roald Dahl, from reading The BFG and Matilda as a child to discovering his adult short stories years later. This fun book gives readers a glimpse behind the curtain to learn a bit about how he worked. It includes some fun facts and information about characters that he cut from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

BOTTOM LINE: Don’t expect a lot of depth, but this quick read is provides a few interesting tidbits about Dahl and one of his most famous novels.

"Spotty Powder" tells the story of Miranda Mary Piker, who, with her headmaster father, objects to Wonka's product that will help students fake being sick to get out of school (much like Fred and George Weasley's Skiving Snackboxes). Needless to say, she and her father come to a bad end.

I enjoyed this as an "extra" piece of information about the Charlie books, but overall that is all it is. It is bits of information about Dahl and then bits about specifically Dahl's Charlie books. I do not know what I was expecting from this book, but for some reason I left wanting more from it. For those that want a little insight to how a writer works though this would be an excellent read because he discusses rewriting and also how certain things had to be edited out over time. Overall it is enjoyable if you are a huge Charlie fan, but otherwise this is something that can be left unread without feeling you have missed something from the entire series.

What fun! I have to be in the right mood to read anything Roald Dahl, and enjoyed this thoroughly. He was a quirky guy, and this format is perfect to get a sense of Dahl - short chapters with interesting tidbits.

I loved this book so much. Seeing left out tidbits, learning more about Roald Dahl, the illustrations. All of it. Definitely worth the read. I would recommend this to any Roald Dahl fans. Easily 5 out of 5 stars. I just wish it were longer!

I loved this book so much. Seeing left out tidbits, learning more about Roald Dahl, the illustrations. All of it. Definitely worth the read. I would recommend this to any Roald Dahl fans. Easily 5 out of 5 stars. I just wish it were longer!