In social behavior, choosing favorites isn’t always an acceptable practice. No one wants to be the least favorite or last chosen. However, choosing favorites doesn’t have to be a negative thing. Take for example choosing a favorite food or article of clothing. Now, this article isn’t about favorite foods, toys, or clothing; after all, this is a bookstore! Let’s talk about another subject that is an acceptable favorite. Books! Even better, let’s talk about the people behind the story…Writers!
You have your favorite book, you read it over and over and over. Do you know why you love the book so much? Do you know anything about how the book came into existence? Have you explored the mind behind the story? Have you ever researched the author of this favorite book? You might be surprised at what you find if you dig a little into the life of the author of your favorite book. The book may take on a whole new meaning for you. Maybe your appreciation will deepen.
September 13 just so happens to be the birthday of my all time favorite children’s book author. His dark and cooky stories capture imagination, yet also depict a very real side of human nature. He doesn’t accomplish this with a magic finger, although he does seem to have some magic in him; but rather, by drawing on his own experiences and those of people he has observed. No, he never lived in a peach or knew any giant bugs. He did, however, know heartache, struggle, accomplishment, and he absolutely knew a few Trunchbulls and had a favorite candy shop. He invented heroes and heroins who are relatable and who invoke in the reader a sense of hope, accomplishment, courage, and laughter. He wrote a book called Boy: Tales of Childhood, title inspired by his own nickname given him by his mother. Reading this book will take you into the mind, heart, and life of this great author. He was able to write about his own life, tragedies, and blunders in a manner that will have you laughing and gasping in wonder, amazement, and even horror.
Although he has since passed onto greater adventures beyond this world, his imagination and worlds of wonder still circulate the libraries, bookstores, and the internet. There is an official website featuring all his splendifourousness and oompa loompas. He may not have had a part in designing the website, but I think he would approve and agree that the level of wackiness is certainly congruent with his work. His stories continue to pass the test of time and no other author quite compares. He is after all, “The maker of music, the dreamer of dreams!” (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
His books are not for children only. No adult could possibly read one of his books and not laugh and feel like a kid again, standing in the shadows of some grotesque adult. To me, he is one of the greatest, a classic. Roald Dahl, I choose you!
Who do you choose and why?