About the Artist

Roald Dahl was born in Wales 1916, to Norwegian parents. After a  distinguished career as a fighter pilot and diplomat during the Second World War, he settled down to become a fulltime author; first writing popular stories for adults; then, later, retelling many of the stories he made up at  bedtime for his own children.  The first book Roald Dahl and illustrator Quentin Blake worked upon together was The Enormous Crocodile. The two soon became firm friends, cementing one of the most eye-catching and distinctive collaborations in children’s literature. Roald Dahl died in 1990. His work has been published in over 40 languages and today is considered a modern classic. 

“It is Quent’s pictures rather than my own descriptions that have brought to life such characters as the BFG, Miss Trunchbull, Mr Twit and the Grand High Witch.” Roald Dahl 

Quentin Blake was born in 1932 and has drawn ever since he can remember. His first drawing was published in ‘Punch’ when he was just 16.  He has always made his living as an illustrator, as well as teaching for over twenty years at the Royal College of Art. His books have won numerous prizes and awards. In 1999 he was appointed the first ever Children's Laureate, Quentin Blake was created CBE in 2005 and received a knighthood for ‘services to illustration’, in 2013.   

“I could never guess what he was going to think of next.” Quentin Blake