From Matilda to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl has written it all. But what else is there to know about the late author? Read more to find out!
From Norway to the U.K.
That’s right! While Dahl was born and raised in Wales, his parents were both Norwegian immigrants. Dahl was even named after a famous Norwegian astronomer, by the name of Roald Amundsen. Dahl had four sisters, with one of them sadly passing away when Dahl was three.
Mischief Galore
The same mind that wrote so many wonderful children’s books was the same mind that decided pranks were a fun pastime. Such pranks included putting a dead mouse in a jar of candy at a sweets shop owned by Ms. Morgan, who Dahl immortalized by making her into the horrible and ugly Mrs.Pratchett in his biography, “Boy.” According to Dahl’s wife, the mouse prank helped inspire books like Matilda, which featured a scene where a newt was dropped into Ms.Trunchbull’s water jug.
The Royal Air Force
When World War II came around, Dahl joined the Royal Air Force, assigned to the No. 80 Squadron RAF. Dahl flew in planes called Gloster Gladiators (pictured above), the last of the Biplane fighters used by the Royal Air Force.
The First Book of Many
Did you know that Dahl’s first book was not a children’s book? It was actually a collection of Dahl’s wartime adventures. Originally titled A Piece of Cake, it was then published under the title Shot Down Over Libya. Most of his later books are some of the ones we read as children like James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The BFG, and many more.
Thank you, Roald Dahl
Seriously, thank you. Thank you for teaching us that we all have our own magic. Thank you for teaching us that having a sweet tooth is nothing to be ashamed of. And most of all, thank you for giving us amazing stories that we can pass on to the next generation. Happy Birthday, Roald Dahl.
Want to read more about Roald Dahl? Check out this article to learn more about his childhood!