Roald Dahl is known for his many beloved children’s stories that capture the imaginations of children across the globe. Through his books, his readers have flown across the ocean on a giant peach lifted by seagulls, floated in a glass elevator above a chocolate factory, and captured dreams with a Big Friendly Giant. Dahl penned an extensive library of 43 books throughout his life, and these works have sold over 300 million copies worldwide. Although he is remembered for his children’s stories, Dahl lived a rich and interesting life and developed his skills as a writer of many genres.

Dahl was born in 1916 in Wales. His father was a successful shipbroker, and his mother belonged to a wealthy Norwegian family before marrying his father and emigrating to Wales. In 1920, Dahl’s sister died from appendicitis, and his father died of pneumonia a few weeks later. Harald Dahl left his wife and children a substantial fortune, so Dahl attended prominent British schools as a child. He was a mischievous child who caused trouble for his headmistress who later inspired the character of Miss Trunchbull in Dahl’s Matilda. He did not enjoy the schools he attended and was critical of the cruelty he saw in his peers and teachers.