Today marks what would’ve been the 100th birthday of prolific children’s novelist Roald Dahl, and Hypable will be spending the rest of the week celebrating his contributions to literature.
James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, Fantastic Mr Fox, The BFG: These are just a handful of the gifts Dahl has given us throughout our childhoods. If you haven’t read them, chances are you’ve seen one of the adaptations.
What you may not know is Dahl was a screenwriter and fighter pilot during World War II, as well. He’s also one of the world’s best-selling authors, and his contribution to literature is immeasurable.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of Roald Dahl, or you’re trying to make up for any childhood shortcomings (like I am), now is a good time to check out some of his published works. This week, we’ll celebrate his more well-known stories and introduce you to some of the writings you may have never heard of before.
If you’re looking for some fun Dahl-inspired events to go to this week, check these out:
THE ROALD DAHL SPLENDIFEROUS SHOWDOWN:
Story Pirates, in partnership with Penguin Young Readers and the Roald Dahl Literary Estate, will visit schools and libraries across the country with a fast-paced and interactive live trivia show inspired by the storytelling genius of Roald Dahl. The tour will kick off at the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA on September 12 and run throughout the month of September. Story Pirates is a nationally respected education and media organization founded in 2003 to celebrate the words and ideas of young people.
WONDERCRUMP WEEKEND
September is Roald Dahl Month and the weekend of September 16 will see libraries, bookshops, eateries and public places in the U.S. and across the world hosting exciting and fun-filled parties celebrating Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday. Party pack activities will be available for fans to download at Roalddahl.com/party.
DAHLICIOUS DELIGHTS:
Creative and popular dessert companies across the country will be selling deliciously fun sweet treats inspired by Roald Dahl’s books during September. Participants include Ample Hills Creamery, Four & Twenty Blackbirds, and Baked in NYC; The Pie Hole, Coolhaus, Milk Jar Cookies, and Knuckle & Claw (co-owned by Roald Dahl’s granddaughter, Chloe) in L.A.; Craftsman and Wolves in San Francisco; Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, Eugene, Austin, and Denver; Flour Bakery, J. P. Licks, and Union Square Donuts in Boston, and many more!
BUCKSWASHLING NATURE:
Beloved zoos and gardens are celebrating Dahl’s love of nature and animals with magical programs for children, such as a week-long Charlie & the Chocolate Factory festival and movie screening at the Memphis Botanic Garden, a Dahl-themed DreamNight for sick children at Lincoln Park Zoo, a number of educational programs, readings, and food tastings at the Dallas Arboretum, chocolate-making activities and education at the United States Botanic Garden, pop-up books and bug activities at Wave Hill in New York, and much more.
HAPPY DAHLIDAYS SWEEPSTAKES:
In honor or Roald Dahl 100, Penguin Young Readers will launch a sweepstakes to give fans a chance to enter and win Roald Dahl books, tote bags, musical soundtracks and more. This will occur in November and December.
PARTNERS IN HEALTH
A percentage of proceeds from some of the Roald Dahl 100 events planned for this September will be donated to Partners in Health, a charity co-founded by Ophelia Dahl, Roald Dahl’s daughter. Partners in Health works in partnership with local governments and health providers to bring high-quality health care to poor communities in ten countries. For more information, visit www.pih.org.
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