The son of Norwegian parents, Roald Dahl was born in Wales in 1916 and educated at Repton. He was a fighter pilot for the RAF during World War Two, and it was while writing about his experiences during this time that he started his career as an author. His fabulously popular children's books are read by children all over the world. He died in November 1990. Quentin Blake is well known as Roald Dahl's principal illustrator but has also written and illustrated a great many picture books of his own, such as Mister Magnolia and Zagazoo. He was appointed the first Children's Laureate in 1999.