Danny, the Champion of the World

Dahl was born in Wales in 1916. He trained as a fighter pilot and fought in World War II, rising to the rank of wing commander in the Royal Air force. After the war, Dahl became a critically acclaimed author, writing both children’s and adult literature, poetry, biographies, and screenplays. He has won multiple literature awards, including the Surrey School award (UK 1978), and the California Young Reader Medal (USA 1979) for Danny the Champion of the World.

Many of Roald Dahl’s books follow a similar thread: A young protagonist who is a clever underdog, ultimately gets the upper hand over an authoritative or oppressive adult. Dahl’s stories often focus on the generosity and morality of people in poverty who have suffered tragedy, such as Charlie (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, published in 1964), James (James and the Giant Peach, 1961), Matilda (Matilda, 1988), and Sophie (The BFG, 1982), while reviling the wealthy characters, equating them with greed, immorality, and heartlessness. Strong, clever, and protective father figures feature prominently in Dahl’s works, for example William (in Danny the Champion of the World) and Mr. Fox (in Fantastic Mr.