D is for Dahl Read online

  A. Which bits of Roald were removed by a doctor when he was eight years old?

  B. What color is a witch’s spit?

  C. What gushed over Willy Wonka’s waterfall?

  D. What did Roald once hide in a jar of sweets?

  E. Roald once wrote a rather slow-moving love story. Can you guess the title?

  F. What is the name of the pale-green fizzy drink that fills the BFG and Sophie with bubbles?

  G. Who does George feed his Marvellous Medicine to?

  H. What was the Dahl family’s boat called?

  I. What did Roald keep in two battered exercise books?

  J. Who lived happily ever after in a “stone” house in New York City?

  K. What was the name of Roald’s favorite toffee-like Norwegian treat?

  L. Which of Roald’s daughters was bullied on the way to school?

  M. Which tiny creatures lived in the Forest of Sin?

  N. What part of his body did Roald almost lose in a car accident?

  O. Who works in Willy Wonka’s factory?

  P. What did Roald eat for lunch every day?

  Q. The BFG blows a dream into the bedroom of a very famous person. Who?

  R. Which little fairy-tale character was this?

  The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.

  She whips a pistol from her knickers.

  S. Which aunts were ironed flat by the giant peach?

  T. What did Roald often warm for a prefect at Repton?

  U. When he worked in London, Roald always made sure that he carried one particular thing with him. What was it?

  V. Which are the scariest and most dangerous aliens in the universe (according to Willy Wonka)?

  W. What does Mrs. Twit mix into her husband’s spaghetti?

  X. What did doctors use to photograph Roald’s insides? (Well, you try to think of another answer that begins with X!)

  Y. What was Roald’s favorite color?

  Z. Which invention did Roald really admire? (Clue: it was better than buttons.)

  Raspberries ~ Roald Dahl grew these luscious fruits when he was very young. He loved them, in a dribbly, sticky way. In Norway, his aunts used to sit with a big bowl of yellow “mutter” raspberries and a needle to hook out the maggots lurking inside.

  Readathon® ~ Since 1984, Readathon® has raised millions of pounds for children’s charities in the UK. Roald Dahl thought the sponsored reading event, created by Brough Girling, was a fantastic idea and became the Readathon® patron in 1988. Not only do children get to read their favorite books, but they get paid for doing it and this money helps others—all at the same time!

  R is for Reading

  Reading ~ Roald Dahl thought that reading was ESSENTIAL! Without it, you can’t do anything in life. He didn’t judge people on what they liked to read, as long as they read something.

  Real people ~ Roald Dahl often based his characters on people he knew but concealed their identity by making up new names—his inspiration for this was the telephone directory.

  Red-Hot Smoke-Belching Gruncher ~ This is the name of the terrible beast from The Minpins. It’s very, very scary.

  Revolting Rhymes ~ They’re repulsive, they’re rude, and they’re really really revolting. They’re also highly recommended. If you haven’t read them, buy a copy without delay! Roald Dahl made these up in the bath and that’s a good place to read them.

  Rhyme Stew ~ Roald Dahl loved tinkering with fairy tales and nursery rhymes when he was between books, waiting for the next big idea to come along. Rhyme Stew was the result, and although this collection of rhymes was written for adults, many older children dip into it, too. It’s full of snappy rhymes to get your teeth into—and some even bite back! This snippet is from “The Dentist and the Crocodile.”

  R is for Roald Dahl Club

  He opened wide his massive jaws.

  It was a fearsome sight—

  At least three hundred pointed teeth, all sharp and shining white.

  The dentist kept himself well clear.

  He stood two yards away.

  He chose the longest probe he had to search out the decay.

  The Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery ~ This is part of the Buckinghamshire County Museum. You can go inside James’s giant peach to see the insect collection or ride in Willy Wonka’s Great Glass Elevator to find out about space flight. You can travel by television like Mike Teavee in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, too, and discover how your TV works. This totally brilliant interactive museum is the only one of its kind in the world! Check out the website at www.buckscc.gov.uk/museum/dahl

  Roald Dahl Club ~ Did you know you could join the Roald Dahl Club? You do now. Log on to www.roalddahl.com right away!

  Doing wonkalicious things

  Providing practical support for children with

  brain, blood, and literacy problems

  What is the Roald Dahl Foundation?

  As well as being a great storyteller, Roald Dahl was also a man who gave generously of his time and money to help people in need, especially children. After he died in 1990, his widow, Felicity, set up the Roald Dahl Foundation to continue this generous tradition. Its support spreads far and wide. Since it began, the Foundation has given over £4 million across the UK.

  The Foundation aims to help children and young people in practical ways and in three areas that were particularly important to Roald during his lifetime: neurology, hematology, and literacy. It makes grants to hospitals and charities, as well as to individual children and their families.

  Supporting the Roald Dahl Foundation

  Funded partly through its original endowment, the Foundation also benefits from a range of fund-raising, most notably the national sponsored reading event Readathon®. In addition, it is proud of the Friends of the Roald Dahl Foundation, who arrange a program of local events, the many schoolchildren who fund-raise on its behalf, and the Payroll Giving supporters. Finally, it is able to benefit from an ambitious program of new orchestral music for children based on Roald’s stories and rhymes, specially commissioned on its behalf.

  To find out more about the Roald Dahl Foundation, visit the website at www.roalddahlfoundation.org

  The Roald Dahl Foundation

  is a registered charity no. 1004230

  “Tremendous Things Are in Store for You!”

  Are you one of Roald Dahl’s biggest fans? If you are, then we have got some splendiferous news for you!

  As you probably know, Roald lived in Great Missenden, a quiet village in Buckinghamshire where he wrote all of his stories for kids. But did you know that Great Missenden is the most scrumdiddlyumptious place in the world? This is where you’ll find the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre.

  The Museum and Story Centre tells the eventful tale of Roald’s life, using photographs and film. Interactive displays help you to discover more about his Norwegian family, his school days, his time as a Second World War pilot, and how he became a world-famous writer. It is also jam-packed with stuff about how to write, a replica of Roald’s writing hut, and facts about other brilliant authors. You will even get the chance to make up stories of your own! At the heart of the Museum and Story Centre is an amazing archive full of things that have never been seen before, including the original handwritten drafts of many of Roald’s books, corrected typescripts, fifty years of letters, and a lifetime of family photographs.

  For more information on the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, visit www.roalddahlmuseum.org

  The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre is a registered charity no. 1085853

  R is for Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes. . .

  Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes and Roald Dahl’s Even More Revolting Recipes ~ Stuffed with scrumdiddlyumptious instructions, these books show the hungry reader how to prepare recipes such as Liquid Chocolate Mixed by Waterfall (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Mosquitoes’ Toes and Wampfish Roes Most Delicately Fried (from James and the Giant Peach). Er, mmm. . . urgh!