Introduction to Author Study:
As part of our Children’s Literature class, we are to
complete an author study on one of many children’s literature authors. I was
not an avid reader when I was younger, but when I did read books, a portion of
them came from “literary genius” Roald Dahl. I was excited to learn more about
Roald Dahl since I had the pleasure of reading and re-reading several of his
children’s books; those you will see in my Annotated Bibliography. I even
discovered two cookbooks based on his vividly creative food choices described
in many of his books. At the end of the study, we are to create activities that
go along with the books of our chosen author. With his classic books turning
into movies; “Matilda,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory,” etc., we learn more about Dahl’s successes and his underlying
messages in all his children’s literature. I hope you enjoy learning about
Roald Dahl as much as I enjoyed learning more about him and immersing myself in
his wonderful children’s literature.
Background Information:
On September 13th,
1916, in Llandaff, Wales, Roald Dahl was born of Norwegian parents. During his
childhood, he lost his father at three years old, but referred to him in his
book “Boy.” It was only his mother who took care of him; Roald was her only
son. He remembered and loved his mother so well; he made a tribute to her in
his book “The Witches.” His mother told great tales of Norwegian creatures,
which enhanced his love for stories and books at a young age.
School made Dahl unhappy, but his good times, addressed
in his autobiography, “Boy,” linked to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” At
boarding school is where he met the all-powerful Matron, a character he
portrayed as “Mrs. Trunchball” in “Matilda.” His unhappy times in school
greatly influenced his writing.
After schooling, World War II broke out and he joined the
Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. In Dahl’s autobiography, “Going
Solo,” he depicts his life during the war.
In 1942, the start of Dahl’s writing career became
apparent. His first children’s book, a picture book, was “The Gremlins,” not
“James and the Giant Peach,” as the common misconception. It was not until the
1960’s when Dahl’s career as a children’s book author began, after he became a
father and wrote short stories for adults.
Dahl’s first 15 years in his writing career was for
adults. His first “story” was “A Piece of Cake,” which was written for the
Saturday Evening Post; which he wrote frequently for and many other magazines. Dahl
won the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America three times for his
adult writing.
While Dahl wrote for adults, he is most famous, of
course, for being a children’s author, which he is more pleased of with his
accomplishments. His book “James and the Giant Peach;” published in 1961, came
about from his frequent bedtime story-telling for his daughters. His second
book, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” became a quick success, even
releasing a movie based off of the book. From notes of David Gritten, he
describes Dahl’s books as “strong on plot and instilled with a tremendous sense
of mischief, insist on seeing the world through children’s eyes, and often
portray adults as silly, uncomprehending or insensitive; no wonder kids love
them.” Dahl became incredibly successful throughout the world, writing more
than a dozen children’s books. His books represent modern fairy tales where
powerless children triumph over evil adults.
In 1990, unfortunately Dahl was diagnosed with a rare
blood disorder which caused him to die on November 23rd at 74 years
old. Even though he is now gone, his advocacy for reading and popularity of
books still continues to grow throughout the world.
Resources:
http://www.roalddahl.com/ - Welcome to
the world of Roald Dahl! This is the official website of Roald Dahl. You can
explore his books and stuff; a list and summary of all his books, treats; games
and activities about his famous treats, and the man himself; biographies,
interviews and pictures of Roald Dahl.
http://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/ - The Roald Dahl Museum and Story
Centre is an award-winning and family-friendly Museum with fun and fact-packed
galleries all celebrating Roald Dahl and his great works. Here is a video
trailer of the museum:
http://www.roalddahlfans.com/index.php - Are you a fan of Roald Dahl? So are
the creators of this site. “This website is devoted to both types of his
writing and features resources for everyone from young readers to school teachers
to older devotees.”