Yippee, it’s Roald Dahl Day!!

September 13th – today is officially Roald Dahl Day, where we celebrate the much-loved author’s birthday around the world!

Dahl was born to Norwegian parents in Wales on September 13, 1916. In a world far removed from the fantastical lands and characters he wrote about in his books for children, Dahl excelled as a pilot for the Royal Air Force and also served as an intelligence agent.

He first got his start in writing when a story he had penned about his war-time adventures was published in the newspaper. Following that, he started to churn out a number of books, including some that are widely regarded as classic children’s literature, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda and The Twits. For these he derived inspiration from his own childhood – pranks played at boarding school, the chocolate samples sent to the students from the Cadbury company, antagonistic teachers and sumer holidays in Norway. However, all of his stories were not for kids. Dahl also published several works that told of life on the frontlines of the war, in addition to screenplays and non-fiction titles. Years later, his books still line bookshelves around the world, and several of his works have been adapted for film and television.

For those with young readers around, have a look at the official Roald Dahl Day website, featuring tons of free downloads and a free Roald Dahl Day activity kit. Older readers can head over to Infloox to learn more about Dahl as an author, and find out which books and writers he enjoyed the most himself.