Roald Dahl
British writer and poet (1916–1990)
Roald Dahl: from short fiction to unruly children’s books
Early writing and adult stories
Roald Dahl began publishing during the 1940s, building a career that included stories for adults as well as children. His adult fiction often turns an ordinary situation toward a surprising or unsettling ending. The museum’s publication timeline shows that this strand of his work continued alongside his better-known children’s books.
A new kind of children’s adventure
James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory established his taste for imaginative settings and children facing intimidating adults. Fantastic Mr Fox and The Twits later brought animal cunning and grotesque comedy into the same body of work. These books helped make his voice recognizable across very different plots.
Later characters and an enduring catalogue
The BFG and Matilda belong to the later phase of Dahl’s publishing career. Both centre children whose intelligence or courage matters more than adult authority. The continued presentation of these stories by his publisher and museum shows how his catalogue remains active well beyond its original publication decades.