Roald Dahl is the author of a great deal of twentieth-century children's literature, all of which is humorous and focused on learning, and most of which contains elements of racism and homophobia. His writing is also frequently contemptuous of people who are fat or people who are uneducated. He remains an important part of the history of children's literature, and his most famous books include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, The Witches, and James and the Giant Peach. He also details his personal history in the books Boy and Going Solo.
Contemporary middle-grade books that share thematic elements with Matilda include The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley;...
