Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. He spent his childhood in England and, at age eighteen, went to work for the Shell Oil Company in Africa. When World War II broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. At the age of twenty-six he moved to Washington, D.C., and it was there he began to write. His first short story, which recounted his adventures in the war, was bought by The Saturday Evening Post, and so began a long and illustrious career.

After establishing himself as a writer for adults, Roald Dahl began writing children’s stories in 1960 while living in England with his family. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.

Roald Dahl is now considered one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Although he passed away in 1990, his popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.

Learn more about Roald Dahl on the official Roald Dahl Web site: [...]

* FRANCHISE AUTHOR: Roald Dahl is a pillar of our house, with annual sales of nearly $7 million.

* IMPORTANT THEMES: The themes in MATILDA are super relevant for today's young readers: standing up for what you know is right, being empathetic, and learning to love yourself for who you are.

* LOYAL FANS: Matilda has many loyal fans who will delight in this fresh, new, and collectible edition of their favorite story. The text is the complete, unabridged text of the story.

* BOOKS AS OBJECT: Much like we did with Anna Bond's illustrated edition of ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, this edition is ideal for gift giving and gift tables. It is collectible and should appeal to special markets accounts that position books as object.