Roald Dahl's humorous stories of witches and giants and naughty children have a dark side. This combination of humor and darkness has made Roald Dahl one of the most controversial children's writers of our time. Critics say his books are too dark and too violent. Despite the criticism, Roald Dahl has received numerous awards, including the Whitbread Award, which is Britain's most important children's book award. In an interview before he died, he was asked his secret to keeping children entertained. "I laugh at exactly the same jokes that children laugh at and that's one of the reasons I'm able to do it."
