The Power of Roald Dahl

Growing up as an unorthodox ’90s child, the author most influential to my upbringing was Roald Dahl. He began writing as a child and made it a profession in the 1940s. If we do the maths, that’s essentially 76 years of neverending success within the book industry. Even after his death, his books continue to sell in children’s stores all around the world.

Roald Dahl taught children it’s okay to be odd, to be a bit cheeky and to like being different

Roald Dahl is without a doubt one of the most influential writers of his time as his texts appeal to children all around the world. The universality of his novels not only bring children together through their love of reading, but also convey some of the important morals for children learn at a young age. Due to the popularity of his novels they’ve also been transferred into film – I’m sure we can all remember (and silently wish we lived in this fictional realm of wonder) the brilliant creation of Willy Wonker’s chocolate factory. It is clear that his texts transcend time and engage children in developing their moral compasses. Roald Dahl influenced my life to the extent that I will always refuse to consume a “snozzcumber” (basically a cucumber) because of the BFG’s dislike of the vegetable. Roald Dahl taught children it’s okay to be odd, to be a bit cheeky and to like being different. His texts also taught children that you should always think before you speak, or you’ll end up looking like The Twits with their warts and all! He deserves this recognition for allowing us to enter his own imagination and blessing us with the characters we’ve grown to love so much. Finally, Roald Dahl can gain the full recognition for the impact he previously had when he was alive and still has today.

Image Credits: Anastasia Alén / Flickr (Header)