September 13 is Roald Dahl Day!Today is Roald Dahl Day, held every year on September 13 to mark the author's birthday. He wrote some of the most popular, most uplifting children's books ever, believing it was important for an author to know his readers, and write exactly what they would enjoy reading.
With 19 novels, not to mention poetry and film scripts, to his name, it's no surprise that Dahl was a massive fan of the written word. Here are nine of the best Roald Dahl quotes about books, reading and writing.
1. “If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.”
- Roald Dahl
2. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful.”
- Roald Dahl
3. “Don't gobblefunk around with words.”
- The BFG
4. “So please, oh please, we beg, we pray
Go throw your TV set away
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall…”
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5. “All you do is look
At a page in this book...
No book ever ends
When it's full of your friends”
- The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me
6. “The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives.”
- Matilda
7. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”
- Roald Dahl
8. “A fine writer will always make you feel that [you're right on the spot, watching the plot happen]. And don't worry about the bits you can't understand. Sit back and allow the words to wash around you, like music.”
- Matilda
9. Our children are marvelous ... and happy, and I like to think that all my storytelling has contributed a little bit to their happiness.
- Roald Dahl