Roald Dahl
By Paige Altshuler
Early Life
Roald Dahl was born in Llandoff, Wales, on September 13, 1916. He moved to Radyr in 1918, but moved back to Llandoff in 1921. He began his schooling in 1925 at St. Peter's, but in 1929 he moved to Repton, where he spent the rest of his schooldays. In 1934, Dahl went to work for Shell Oil Company. He worked there for four years, then joined the Royal Air Force in 1939. While working for the Air Force, he was in a plane crash and was severely injured. After he recovered, he was transferred to Washington D.C., where he met author C.S. Forrester, who encouraged him to start writing. His first short story was published in 1946. In 1953, Dahl married actress Patricia Neal. They had four children; Olivia, Tessa, Theo, and Ophelia. Unfortunately, Olivia died of measles at age seven.
Later Life
Roald Dahl's first children's book was James and the Giant Peach. It was published in 1961. It was very successful, and three years later, Dahl published Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was also met with many accolades and praise. Both of these books were eventually made into movies. Although Dahl's books were very popular, they also considered by some to be controversial. Some critics and parents disapproved of many of the themes in his books, including children getting revenge on adult wrongdoers. Dahl has also been accused of racism because of the Oompa-Loompas in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He simply argued that "children have cruder senses of humor than adults" and he was simply trying to please his audience. Roald Dahl died on November 23, 1990 at age 74. The cause of his death is vague; some kind of unspecified infection.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fantastic Mr. Fox is a children's novel by Roald Dahl. The story's main character is an incredibly witty fox. It also features his family and three not-so-clever men. Mr. Fox decides to dig an underground tunnel underneath the men's cellar so that he and his family can steal food without being caught. They encounter several interesting characters along the way, including a nearly-blind badger and a family of rabbits. This novel is very entertaining and is perfect for when you want a quick, happy read.