Dirty Beasts is another collection of absurd animal rhymes by Roald Dahl, following Revolting Rhymes. It imbues various common and bizarre animals with outrageous behaviors and personalities, written in a playful, suspenseful, and darkly humorous style. Quentin Blake’s illustrations bring each animal’s mischievousness and quirks to life, making it excellent material for children’s reading and imagination.

Basic Information

• Book title: Dirty Beasts
• Author: Roald Dahl
• Illustration by Quentin Blake
• Publication date: 1983
• Genre: Rhyming Poetry × Absurd Animal Stories × Dark Humor
• Recommended age: 8–12 years old (suitable for readers with some English proficiency)

Key Content Highlights

The book contains nine absurd animal poems, each revolving around a “very abnormal” animal:

The Pig: A pig suddenly discovers its true purpose in being raised and makes a startling decision.

The Toad and the Snail: A bizarre story of a toad and a snail swapping bodies.

The Scorpion: A mischievous scorpion teaches humans a lesson.

The Cow: A flying cow causes a hilarious disaster.

The Porcupine: A hedgehog uses its quills in an unbelievable way…

The Lion: A starving lion devours an entire train.

Each poem features a rhyming rhythm, a mischievous twist, and Roald Dahl’s signature dark humor.

If Revolting Rhymes is a subversion of fairy tales, then Dirty Beasts is an outrageous and radical reimagining of the animal world.