Roald Dahl was my first role model. After I read The Witches in third grade, I decided I
wanted to be a writer when I grew up. Not only did I read everything else Dahl
had written, but I started writing my own stories in imitation of his style. I
lent The Witches to my best friend,
who struggled in school and especially hated reading. She also fell in love
with Dahl, and we’ve been swapping books ever since.
Dahl is so beloved amongst elementary school children
because he understands the child’s worldview, and he writes from it. His
creations are whimsical and imaginative in the way that children think. Perhaps most importantly, he
makes kids laugh. Reading his books gave me the message that my own imagination
was valued, and could be a highly entertaining plaything. When a writer
constructs a story that engages young people to this degree, his books should
be spread as widely as possible.
But this is apparently not the thinking of many outspoken
critics.
Read More...
