Summer Reading: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

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The third book we read this summer from our summer reading list was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

We had seen both movies and the play (at our local high school) so we had a lot of preconceived notions coming into the book. That meant that we kept noticing all of the differences while we read.

Even though the book was somewhat different from the movies and play, we still enjoyed it.

I mean, what’s not to love about a river of chocolate, rooms full of cool candy making machines, and Oompa Loompas? 🙂

It wasn’t hard to figure out what activity we were going to do to go with this book. A book with chocolate in the title meant we were going to make and eat something with chocolate in it.

I found a recipe for a healthy(er) version of chocolate peanut butter cups at Heavenly Homemakers and thought it would be good to try.

I used coconut oil instead of butter and Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips instead of regular ones because one of my boys has food allergies. Other than that we followed the recipe pretty much exactly.

The only thing I would do differently next time would be to double the peanut butter mixture because there was too much chocolate compared to the amount of peanut butter.

I often have a helper or two in the kitchen but this was the first time in quite a while when all 5 of the kids were helping to make something at once. They did great with taking turns and working together.

After we made the peanut butter cups they had to sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours. We were able to try them after lunch and I think everyone thought they were pretty tasty.

I wondered if the kids would eat the chocolate peanut butter cups all in one sitting or if they would savor them like Charlie did with the candy bar he got for his birthday.

My oldest 2 kids ate theirs pretty quickly while the youngest 3 saved some. I think that was only because their stomachs were full. This is why I don’t serve many desserts. 🙂

Have you ever read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to your children?