Roald Dahl Day

Roald Dahl, a Welsh-born writer, is one of the 20th century's best-selling children's authors. Named after Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, Dahl wrote beloved books like Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and The BFG. To honour his impact, a national day was dedicated to him on September 13, his birthday.

Dahl published his first children's book, The Gremlins, in 1943. Before becoming a writer, Dahl worked as an aircraftman for the RAF during World War II. After surviving a near-fatal plane crash in an Egyptian desert, Dahl got a job at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. He shared intelligence with Winston Churchill, helping to strengthen ties between Churchill and U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt.

Dahl's military background inspired his writing career and motivated him to publish his first book, A Piece of Cake, which was about his crash experience. Dahl suffered temporary blindness, a fractured skull, and a broken nose.

Dahl passed away on November 23rd, 1990, at the age of 74, due to myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood cancer. As a tribute to his Norwegian heritage, Dahl's funeral had a Viking theme, but without a burning boat. He was buried with some of his favourite things, including wine, snooker cues, and HB pencils. Throughout his life, Dahl was an adventurous man who travelled around the world, even living in Tanzania for a time.

Welsh Author, Roald Dahl, who also wrote for Playboy.

Recommended for children aged 7-9, Roald Dahl's books are a proven treasure. Many popular films have been adapted from the author's books, allowing Dahl's legacy to strengthen after his death. The last movie released was a remastered version of the award-winning Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, titled "Wonka" in 2023.

His books are famously associated with illustrator Sir Quentin Blake, who illustrated 18 of Roald Dahl's children's books. Dahl believed that Blake's style was the perfect match for his writing. The writer also collaborated with other illustrators, like Patrick Benson and Faith Jaques.

5 Fun Facts about Roald Dahl

  • Roald Dahl always wrote on yellow paper and in pencil, in a shed at the back of his garden. He never learned how to type or use a typewriter.
  • He invented his own words, like "scrumdiddlyumptious", which became so commonly used that it was added to the Oxford dictionary in 2016. The word was created to describe the food found in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book.
  • Dahl was the screenwriter of the 1967 James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice. He spent time working as a British spy for MI6, which his experience would have helped in writing the script.
  • With a 6'6" height, Dahl was much taller than most other people.
  • One of his favourite foods was chocolate, although he hated chocolate cake and ice cream. Sadly, Dahl disliked the 1971 movie adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, regretting that the film didn't focus more on Charlie.
Illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake, for Roald Dahl's book; The Twits.

The Most Popular Roald Dahl Books - According to Sales

  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - A story that follows a poor boy who finds a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka's popular and mysterious chocolate factory.
  • Matilda - Matilda is a young girl who has supernatural powers and a family she doesn't want to either hate or love.
  • The BFG - 'BFG' is an acronym for The Big Friendly Giant. This children's book is a humble story about a little girl who befriends a big, scary-looking giant, who isn't really very scary at all.
  • James and the Giant Peach - Young orphan James, forced to live with his cruel aunts, begins a spontaneous adventure in the middle of a giant peach.
  • The Witches - The story follows an unnamed boy and his grandmother as they stumble across a group of demon witches, whose aim is to kill all human children.

There are many other popular Roald Dahl books, which are a great read, even for adults with big imaginations. You might also enjoy George's Marvellous Medicine, The Twits, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Specifically, Dahl wrote 22 children's books before he died in 1990.

Roald Dahl Day celebrates the famous author. His books continue to bring joy and magic to both kids and adults to this day.