Dirty Beasts
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.
