road dahl facts

13th September 2020 marks what would have been Roald Dahl’s 104th birthday!

To celebrate all the brilliant books, playful poems and witty words he gave us over the years, we’ve put together some fantastic facts about the author’s life, and boy are there some humdingers…

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Roald Dahl primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

Roald Dahl facts

road dahl facts

1. Dahl wrote many of his stories in a little shed at the bottom of his garden

Known as his ‘writing hut’, Dahl sat in a battered old armchair and penned famous tales such as Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

2. He was a fighter pilot in World War II 

During a flight in a Gloster Gladiator (fighter plane) in 1940 over Libya, Dahl crash landed in the desert and survived – all because he’d been given the wrong directions!

3. Dahl wrote for around four hours every single day

From 10am – 12pm, and then 4pm – 6pm

road dahl facts

4. He never learned how to type

Instead, Dahl preferred to do all his writing in an old red book in pencil.

5. When Roald Dahl died in 1990, he was buried with some of his favourite things

Including a power drill, chocolate, snooker cues and of course, his HB pencils.

6. There are strange mementos still sitting in his writing hut

These include a huge ball made of old chocolate wrappers, and a piece of hip bone that he had to have removed!

road dahl factsQuentin Blake illustrated many of Dahl’s much loved books over the years.

7. Dahl was a spy

During World War II he passed intelligence to MI6 from Washington.

8. Dahl invented over 250 new words

There’s even an official Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary to help you tell your snozzcumbers from your snozzberries.

9. Many of Dahl’s characters were based on people he’d met in real life

The grandmother in The Witches is said to be based on Dahl’s mother, and the little girl in The BFG was named after his granddaughter, Sophie. 

10. Dahl was born in Wales, but his parents were Norwegian

As a child, Roald spoke fluent Norwegian and English. He’s even named after the famous Norwegian polar explorer, Roald Amundson.

road dahl facts

11. Writing wasn’t his strong point at school

– according to his teachers, anyway!

12. In 1971, a real man named Willy Wonka wrote to Roald Dahl

He was a postman from Nebraska.

13. Roald Dahl was a giant!

Okay, not quite like the ones in his stories, but he was 6 foot 6 inches tall! This earned him the nickname ‘Lofty’ when he served in the RAF.

Which is your favourite Roald Dahl book? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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COMMENTS

  • wow!

  • Zara b

    Nice facts and my favourite book is... The BFG

  • Elias

    George’s Marvellous Medicine, because it’s SO funny!

  • Ariya

    Esio Trot is my favourite, because it just is!

  • Nice!

  • envyanah

    i like it

  • hi

    hi

  • me like

    its very creative!

  • BFG, words

    thx for the facts

  • BELLEGRANGER

    I got the whole collection of Roald Dahl books yesterday, I've already read two and love them! My favourite is Matilda though!

  • Manaswita Singh

    My favorite book: The witches and Charlie and the chocolate factory

  • Tiger

    I all most read every book he has

  • Tiger

  • Tiger

  • Roald Dahl is so cool

    Thank you and very interesting

  • Jasmine

    i love roald dahl

  • hi hi

    very cool

  • ILoveElephants

    Nice

  • Angela

    great!

  • Reuben

    The fantastic Mr fox

  • Eve Bareham Hill

    The Fantastic Mr Fox

  • Samuel

  • Alexamari8

    Ilove reading his books so much

  • Bob Lee

    He he

  • James and giant peach

  • Rashaad

  • summer

    wow i did not know that

  • Awesome

  • COOL!

  • lucia

    omg REALLY

  • CoolMonkeyBoyNotBorn

    hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii coooooooooolllllllllllllll

  • Sophie

    My favourite book was the twits

  • Marceli

    Wow!

  • Lewis

    The twits

  • siraj

    cool

  • Daman

    Love the info

  • Ayan

    I like this info

  • Chicken

    I love this facts but they can be shorter

  • Sarobar

    I like Matilda

  • Ayan

    Thanks for the info

  • great

    he is a auspicious author and i am a fan of him

  • Sarobar

    LOL!

  • LOL

  • Imke Marais

    Fantastic Mr.Fox !!!!

  • Eve

    I like matilda

  • Luciannah

    Matilda

  • baileyrae

    easy to find.

  • Fiza

    The Twits is my favorite book

  • EMMA

    My favrourite is Danny The Campion of The world so far. I found out the arthor Roald Dahl when I was in the Op-shop.

  • Isabella

    My favourite Roal Dahl book is Matilda

  • wolf teddy

    My dog is called Sophie my favorite is the bfg

  • I love Roald Dahl! Matilda is my favourite. And to think writing wasn’t his strong point at school?!

  • Surjin

    I don't have a favorite because all of them are TRULY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • zetta

    I loved roald dahl's books , and I have always wanted to meet him. But sadly, he has already past away.

  • Vivianne

    Matilda

  • Tyler

    #1 fan roald dahl my 3 favourite books are the twits, matilda and james and the jient peach love you roald xoxoxo

  • Zali and Anglina

    We like the BFG because there are amazing twists about the story.

  • emma

    i love reading Roald Dahl books my fav book is the witches :) :] ps. i love you Roald Dahl

  • Aimee

    Brilliant I love his books

  • lyllian

    I love all of Roald Dahls books

  • juliette

    the bfg is my favourite. and the little girl is called sophie because his granddaughter sophie used to call him the bfs.

  • jessica187

    #1 fan! My favourite book is Mischief and Mayham. Your the BEST Roald Dahl.

  • jessica187

    Roald Dahl is AWESOME! My favourite book is Mischief and Mayham.

  • I love it

  • Eliza

    My favourite book is CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Well done Roald Dahl

  • Cel345687

    I love Matilda

  • Hugo

    Love the facts

  • F

    I love Roald Dahl

  • Someone ?

    My favorite is Matilda because I like the adventure, the Trunchbull and her super power.

  • queen sade

    love love love thease amazing books so cool

  • JOJO Siwa fan

    my favourite is the BFG

  • Rolling cheese

    I love Roald Dahl books, especially The BFG and Matilda

  • Lois

    my favourites are probably The BFG because it is so entertaining and funny. next is Matilda because it has so much in it!

  • All his books are the MOST BEST BOOKS EVER

  • CrankyApocalyse

    BFG because its funny and intresting

  • NGKIDZ4066

    I have Roald Dahl audio books... all of them!

  • Ng kids lover

    My favourite Roald Dahl stories are The witches and The BFG

  • dragonstellathecoder

    wow that is a lot of facts about one of my fave author Roald Dahl!!!!! :)

  • Louie Healey

    My favourite Roald Dahl book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - because i like chocolate, my dad doesn't like the umpa-lumpas

  • Harry Ha

    He is my most favourite author of all times.

  • Dale

    I love Matilda!

  • Yasmin

    BFG

  • gorilla 9115

    bfg its awesome

  • Olivia

    I think number 12 is super cool

  • BUBBLEPOP

    THE BFG

  • Lily

    my favourite book is the BFG

  • Animal Lover

    My fav is Matilda.

  • Epic girl

    Great facts

  • Miraclea sta lucia

    My favourite book of roald dahl is the witches because it teaches us to not go with strangers.

  • haylee mansson

    my favorite roald dahl book is the twits

  • Roisin

    my favourite Roald Dahl book is the BFG. Fun fact I was born in the same month as Roald Dahl...SEPTEMBER!!!

  • Assamio

    All of them and thank you for the facts

  • marwa

    he was the greatest story teller but how did he die?

  • Eva123

    I love Roald Daul books!

  • Shenai

    Matilda is awsome

  • thenuka

    my favarrite book is the bfg

  • Candy

    This is amazing and cool to learn facts about Ronald Dahl !.

  • yousha

    cool facts i love it

  • PhoebeCookson

    I like the BFG because he says silly words and blows dreams i wondered where dreams came from.

  • lara18

    matilda

  • blabbergirl

    i like esio trot

  • altalabani2003

    my favourite book is danny the champion of the world

  • cat-ears

    BEST FACTS EVER!!!

  • elllacat

    matilda

  • Jaws24

    Amazing Roald dahl is one of my favorite authors eve!!!!

  • HPfan7

    I love Matilda.

  • stampyfan

    My favourite Roald Dahl book is Georges Marvellous Medicine!

  • Grace_Talbot19

    Loved his books ( especially the bfg) I knew most of these facts but the others were great to know

  • Ruth_squirtle

    James and the giant peach!!!

  • emily greenwood

    i love roald dahl

  • farah11

    Matilda is my favourite book

  • jfvhfbvhbf

    Charlie and the chocolate factory

  • Bea321

    Amazing!

  • Hari-7-2009

    My favourite Roald Dahl book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Im planning to become a storyteller when I grow up.

  • Isabellam

    I love the BFG!

  • Ainsley aged 3

    My favourite book is the BFG

  • ElizabethPrice

    I really like the book Matilda. I like the way Dahl put the characters together. Miss Trunchbull is super freaky and cool at the same time:-)

  • SusiM

    I love the BFG because of all the hilarious words!

  • Vic_guitar_man

    My favourite Roald Dahl book is Charlie and the chocolate factory because it is all about chocolate and I love chocolate.

  • Grace140

    My favourite book by Roald Dahl is the bfg

  • BigKid_Donna

    Favourite book? How can I choose just one? The BFG is wonderful but Danny the Champion of the World also holds a special place in my heart! A grown up child of 40!

  • Savindi

    Roal Dhal is an amazing author. My favorite Roal Dhal book is Matilda.

  • Erryn

    he is 100 today and i went to school first day and i did not know he died in 1990

  • fizzlesherbet

    My favourite Roald Dahl book is Matilda because it is funny and enjoyable and i love reading just like her

  • colar

    the twits is my fav

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