In case you've never heard of him, Roald Dahl is, at least here in the UK, one of the most well known, best loved children's authors. He is famous for his zaniness and child centred books where adults are often disregarded as ineffective or at worst the enemy. He has created some of literature's most well known characters such as bookworm Matilda, terrifying Miss Trunchbull and the Big Friendly Giant (BFG) among many many others.
As a child I adored Roald Dahl. We read his books at school, at home, as bedtime stories and individually. We watched the films and TV adaptations as soon as they came out, and the soundtrack to my youth was 'Pure Imagination' from the Gene Wilder film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory which is very likely what we'll watch later on today. A couple of years ago Rhys and I went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the West End and were beyond excited when that song was in it, as we'd heard that none of the film's music was retained. Incidentally if you get the chance to see it you should, it's fantastic. I've not been to see Tim Minchin's Matilda yet but it's next on the list!
This is obviously not Gene Wilder, but it is an unexpectedly great version of Pure Imagination by Mr. Jamie Cullum. You're welcome.
For me, Roald Dahl allowed me to push the limits of my imagination. His work allows my children to believe that anything is possible; that poverty isn't a barrier, that books really can be magical, that foxes can outsmart farmers, that your dreams come from giants. It is hilarious and magical and disgusting and amazing and we owe a debt of gratitude to him for his amazing imagination.
When you've grown up with 'want to change the world? there's nothing to it' running through your head, it's difficult to believe you can't. I don't mean this in a defeatist way, but rather that having been brought up on a steady diet of Mr Dahl's fantastic imaginings, as an adult I am more inclined to find a way to make it happen than lament the impossibility of a situation. In short, imagination gives you so many tools for adult life and should never be underestimated!
As many of you will know, when I love something my favourite thing is to share the love by gifting books. To celebrate the life and work of this wonderful author I have not one but two amazing giveaways!
Firstly, one UK reader can win an entire box set of Dahl's work! This is a beautiful box containing 15 of Dahl's books, including:
* Matilda
* Going Solo
* The Giraffe The Pelly and Me
* George's Marvellous Medicine
* Fantastic Mr Fox
* The Magic Finger
* Esio Trot
* Boy Tales of Childhood
* Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
* The BFG
* The Witches
* The Twits
* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
* James and the Giant Peach and
* Danny Champion of the World
To enter this giveaway please leave a comment with your favourite Dahl related story, memory or a link to your own Roald Dahl Day post as well as your email address or twitter handle so I can get in touch with you if you win. If you tweet about the giveaway (using #RoaldDahlDay) please leave the link to your tweet for an extra entry.
Secondly, one international reader can win their choice of one of the above titles. To enter this giveaway please fill in the Rafflecopter form below!
Both giveaways will only run until Tuesday 15th so please don't miss out!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy Roald Dahl Day, everyone! How will you be celebrating?
I love Roald Dahl, I'm hoping that my little one does too. I remember being absolutely enthralled by these books as a kid, and being read them as my bedtime story. Matilda is probably by favourite, with The Witches or The Twits coming close second. I love the film version of The Witches too, it never gets old.
ReplyDeleteFantastic giveaway, thanks for the oppurtunity! Love your blog xx
@parkerandme
*MEMORIIIIIIIIIIIES* I definitely discovered The BFG first, and I remember being such a sensible child that reading George's Marvellous Medicine made me very worried about the health of the people in his immediate surroundings, but my favourite has to be Matilda doesn't it? Finally, a little girl who loved to read and learn! And I wanted to live in Miss Honey's little cottage with the wildflowers all around it. I possibly love the film even MORE, because it had a reading montage and a lovely library and as a little girl I thought Miss Honey was the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. I wanted her to be my teacher, or possibly a treasured auntie or something. It's still one of my favourite books to reread, and one of my favourite films to rewatch if I just need a little happiness in my day. :)
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks for the walk down memory lane Bex! You have all my details already - and I think I need to go and listen to some Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory songs now. Cheer up, Charlie! Pure Imagination! THE CANDY MAN! *sighs happily*
Matilda is by far my favourite, I love feisty kids triumphing over evil adults!
ReplyDeletethe twits
ReplyDeletegeorge's marvellous medicine
ReplyDeleteI love the BFG! I would love to win thes for my four children. The eldest two love Roald Dahl!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I've only read Matilda and loved it. Don't remember why I didn't read the rest. Thank you for the giveaway :)
ReplyDeleteNo-one competes with Dahl. I'd love to win these for my students.
ReplyDeletematilda is my fav. loved it
ReplyDeleteToo many Roald Dahl related memories to have a single favourite, but I live really close to the RD Museum and I remember the first time I visited there it was just the most magical place I'd ever been, I was just completely enchanted all day long, so I'll say that. @thinglikelydia
ReplyDeletemy grandaughter loves Matilda x
ReplyDeleteOh my, I didn't know there was a Roald Dahl Day! I'll try to remember next year because, as my little avatar image indicates, I LOVE RD! My first encounter with his stories was when my sister brought home Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I tried to read it and found it terribly frightening. Fortunately, then came Matilda, which we had to read for school. I was so glad to find a character that was as great a book nerd as I was - and she looked just like me in those illustrations.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. I've also enjoyed reading through the comments. There are so many nice memories. And there's a RD Museum too!
I grew up reading Roald Dahl's books and my favourite has to be Matilda. I loved reading that book as a kid and remember sitting with my dad on my birthday when I first got given a copy of the book and reading the first few chapters to him. It was the first book with chapters I had read and I thought each chapter was a different small story about Matilda until he told me it was all one story broken up :)
ReplyDeleteMy favourite is easily Matilda but I would like to win Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator as I am currently reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to my class and I know they would love to read the follow up which we don't have a copy of.
ReplyDeleteGeorge's Marvelous Medicine is my favourite :) Though the book I'd most like to win is The Giraffe The Pelly and Me because I had it as a child and I would love to revist!
ReplyDeleteI could have written this post - I am also a huge fan of Pure Imagination, such a fantastic song and I love the way the film scenes go with it so well
These books bring back some fantastic memories for me! My family and I are huge fans of Roald Dahl and his work. I absolutely love Matilda! Roald Dahl's imagination has inspired my daughters to read. So I would love to win these for them.
ReplyDeleteMy favourites were The Witches & George's Marvellous Medicine but I'd love to win Fantastic Mr Fox for my son.
ReplyDeleteLove the BFG
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ReplyDeleteWow I've never read any of his book but am sure intrigued. Will have to read one soon and I would love start with Matilda or Danny's story. Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteFantastic mr fox
ReplyDeleteMy Aunt had the whole collection for my big cousin in her book cabinet, set in her hallway, when I was growing up she'd get us to choose a book to take to bed, I'd always choose Esio Trot, it holds such lovely memories for me now.
ReplyDeleteThe Witches is my favourite so i'd love to win that! I used to borrow it from the library when I was younger!
ReplyDeleteMATILDA is my favourite. I'd love a copy thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe Witches is my all time fave book, I can remember reading it in a day when I was young I couldn't put it down. If I'm lucky I would love to win this for my niece please
ReplyDeleteI've always loved the BFG - its something I read again and again as a child - so much so that I my first every copy finally fell apart! I will take any excuse to read this book :)
ReplyDeleteI love Charlie, but I'd like to win Matilda.
ReplyDeleteMagic finger.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused (it's early). I'm uk but I entered using rafflecopter, was that wrong? I did all the tweeting and following!
For the UK one its just blog post comment,rafflecopter is international,but that's fine you can enter for both! Next time I'll do both via rafflecopter and save the confusion!
DeleteIt's between The Witches and Matilda, so hard to choose!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Roald Dahl was is Matilda, I would love to win this to start reading it to my 6 Year Old :)
ReplyDeleteI Loved Maltida as a child & still do! My 6 year old Niece Loves it too!
ReplyDelete@kirstyward062
I love the twits, always made me laugh when I was younger :)
ReplyDeleteCharlie and the chocolate factory x
ReplyDeleteThe Witches as i love the film
ReplyDeleteThe Twits & The Twits - Thanks
ReplyDeleteI always remember the whitches. I loved reading this over and over again. And watching the film. Still watch it with my eldest 2 n they love it. And my daughter just loves all of these books always readun them liked i used 2 xx
ReplyDeleteWe love The Twits & Georges Marvellous Medicine in our house.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't brought up with having stories when I was little so loving introducing myself plus my 2 girls to all these wonderful books
I absolutely loved reading all of Roald Dahls books growing up. The Twits and Georges Marvellous medicine bring back particularly fond memories.
ReplyDeleteGeorge's marvellous medicine was my favourite. My sister and I used to make marvellous medicines of our own in my nans bathroom!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite is The Twits and The Witches!
ReplyDeleteThe Magic Finger as I have most of the others.
ReplyDeleteI love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but I'd love to win The Twits please x
ReplyDeleteI love the BFG and would love to win this as would like to read it to my little boy!
ReplyDeleteI love the BFG
ReplyDeleteI loved fantastic Mr Fox when I was wee remember reading it with my Gran on summer holidays. Great memories :)
ReplyDeleteDiana Fraser
ReplyDeleteIt has to be Matilda, thanks
I love Matilda :)
ReplyDeleteMatilda is my favourite! Fab giveaway x
ReplyDeleteMatilda I can read it over and over again
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