Charlie and the chocolate factory is delightful although use of some stereotyped is a bit unsettling. Charlie and the Great Glads Elevator, the second book in this volume, is kinda bizarre and definitely the weaker story.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- 5 stars
The Glass Elevator- 3.5

I never read this as a kid. Adrian was totally enthralled and voiced lots of opinions about the spoiled kids and their overconsumption. It was fun to read and I guess that I appreciated the not-so-subtle commentary about colonial oppression (oompa loompas) and capitalism. But is it normalized if you don't actually discuss that it's exaggerated commentary? Trying not to despair over everything, so we're reading Gwinna next...

Chocolate Factory has always been a firm fave of mine from childhood. The Glass Elevator lost focus for me, even as a child. Nice to read them again.

Great book to read with your kids! We only did the first half (Chocolate Factory) not the Great Glass Elevator. We will read the rest at a later date. My kids loved it, they range in age from 11-4. They loved the ending

The 4 stars is mainly for Charlie and the chocolate factory. Charlie and the great glass elevator while it has it's moments is a bit of an unfocused mess. It feels like Dahl had 2 separate ideas for a sequel but couldn't pad either one out to full book length so he just stitched both of them together with an extra dash of good ole fashioned racism for no reason.

The first book is great and I like the second but it does get a bit over the top silly and unbelievable.

this was such a fun book to read as a kid. it was so odd and off putting but i rather liked it!

Watched the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 1971 movie first, so when I picked up to read this book - I injected the faces of the actors into the book. I have to admit that personally in this respect, the movie is better than the book. And the book is amazing. Gene Wilder's Wonka adds a lot more depth to the character than there is in the book. I really really enjoyed reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but I completely didn't get The Glass Elevator. I understand why they never made a movie out of it. It's split into two halves - half in outer space and half back at the factory. Didn't enjoy it much and probably best Charlie at the White House didn't get written. I do wish there was more literature on Wonka especially (I'm not even going to acknowledge the 2005 movie adaptation). I'd love to read more about Wonka.

It's a fun silly easy read. Having said that it took me 3 months to finish the book because I felt like such a drag after some point. Well I may have felt that way probably because I'm too old for the book? But I generally enjoy reading children's books but this was a let down for me. I guess had so much higher expectations for a better story.

Not my first time reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it was enjoyable but I think it’s lost a little spark after a few reads over the year. 3.5/5

As for Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, I just didn’t care at all, about these adventures in space. 1/5

Eh, this one wasn’t for me. The chocolate factory was okay but the glass elevator was just a bunch of nonsense. Quite unusually, I prefer the movie. Glad to know where the phrase “vermicious knid” comes from though.