One of his first moments of inspiration came when he was at boarding school, when a local chocolate factory invited pupils to trial new chocolate bars - 35 years later, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was published.

He wrote lots more brilliant stories, many from his writing hut in his back garden in Great Missenden; from Sophie's adventures with the BFG and James' journey on the Giant Peach, to Matilda's brilliant bravery against The Trunchbull.

Each of his stories is an unexpected adventure to the weirdest, wonkiest and most wonderful worlds, that continue to enthral generations of kids and adults alike.

Roald Dahl's Antisemitism

During his lifetime Roald Dahl made a number of antisemitic comments. While we can appreciate and celebrate his creativity, we must also confront the harmful views he held.

The Roald Dahl Story Company (RDSC) apologises unreservedly for the lasting and understandable hurt that these antisemitic remarks have caused and the impact they have had. We condemn anti-Jewish racism and all forms of racism and prejudice.

Since our original apology in 2020 which was made in conjunction with the Roald Dahl family, RDSC has engaged in listening and learning from experts in tackling antisemitism, including the Antisemitism Policy Trust, which has supported us with advice and ongoing staff training to help us better understand antisemitism.