Quentin Blake to illustrate 'Billy and the Minpins' by Roald Dahl
Monday 20th February 2017
Penguin Random House Children’s have announced they they will publish Roald Dahl’s final book 'The Minpins' in late 2017, which will be illustrated for the first time by Quentin Blake. Until now, this has been the only title in Roald Dahl's much-loved list of work for children not illustrated by Sir Quentin - and will be the first Roald Dahl title to be illustrated by him in nearly 20 years.
This autumn, Roald Dahl fans can complete their collection with a brand-new edition of The Minpins, re-imagined by Quentin Blake. Publishing in a hardback edition featuring Quentin’s iconic black-and-white illustrations, the book will have a ‘new’ title: Billy and the Minpins was a title Roald himself contemplated in an early draft of his story.
This title celebrates Billy as the quintessential Roald Dahl child hero that he is, and puts him on equal footing with the likes of Charlie, James and Danny. The Minpins was first published in 1991, a year after the author's death, with illustrations by Patrick Benson. This edition is still in print today and will sit alongside the new black-and-white edition, Billy and The Minpins.
Billy and the Minpins is the story of heroic Billy who meets the Minpins, tiny tree-dwelling people whose children are the size of matchsticks, and saves them from the fearsome Gruncher. It explores themes seen in many of Roald Dahl’s other much-loved children’s novels: small people living in a big world; the glory of flight; confronting demons; and, most importantly, the child hero. In Billy and the Minpins, readers will experience again the magical collaboration between Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake through a brand-new interpretation of Roald Dahl’s final story.
Quentin Blake said: ‘I was delighted to be asked to illustrate Roald’s Billy and the Minpins; it feels like the cornerstone in our long collaboration together. As Roald's parting gift, Patrick Benson's illustrations in the original edition were perfectly suited to the lyrical feel of The Minpins. I have always greatly admired Patrick's artwork and am so pleased both books will sit alongside each other, reaching fans of all ages. This new edition has nearly fifty pages of black-and-white drawings, which means I can enjoy myself tremendously going into all the details of Billy’s exploits and adventures with the Minpins in the mysterious forest!’
‘And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.’ Roald Dahl, Billy and the Minpins.
Billy and the Minpins is the story of heroic Billy who meets the Minpins, tiny tree-dwelling people whose children are the size of matchsticks, and saves them from the fearsome Gruncher. It explores themes seen in many of Roald Dahl’s other much-loved children’s novels: small people living in a big world; the glory of flight; confronting demons; and, most importantly, the child hero. In Billy and the Minpins, readers will experience again the magical collaboration between Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake through a brand-new interpretation of Roald Dahl’s final story.
Quentin Blake said: ‘I was delighted to be asked to illustrate Roald’s Billy and the Minpins; it feels like the cornerstone in our long collaboration together. As Roald's parting gift, Patrick Benson's illustrations in the original edition were perfectly suited to the lyrical feel of The Minpins. I have always greatly admired Patrick's artwork and am so pleased both books will sit alongside each other, reaching fans of all ages. This new edition has nearly fifty pages of black-and-white drawings, which means I can enjoy myself tremendously going into all the details of Billy’s exploits and adventures with the Minpins in the mysterious forest!’
‘And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.’ Roald Dahl, Billy and the Minpins.