New Delhi: Children's classic 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by British storyteller Roald Dahl, which has sold over 13 million copies worldwide, marks 50 years of publication this month and has a number of celebratory events lined up.
From sky-diving Oompa Loompas (characters from the book) to chocolate trails at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in the village of Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire where Dahl lived and wrote for 36 years - various events have been planned on September 13, to be celebrated as Roald Dahl Day.
A new hardcover edition of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' with illustrations by Joseph Schindelman is also being brought out. Earlier this month, newspapers carried 'The Vanilla Fudge Room', a chapter from an early, previously unpublished draft of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' very different to the edition people know.
On September 26, school children all over the UK are set to don their finest Roald Dahl character costumes to raise money for Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity. Penguin Books imprint Puffin India along with Amazon India plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' with a magical contest that has five questions related to the book.
Five winners each of the 'Whipple-scrumptious Roald Dahl inspired London Holiday Contest' would be able to take their child on a 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tour' to London. The winners will get to watch the 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' musical in London's West End, visit The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre and take a trip around the London offices of Roald Dahl's UK publisher Puffin.
"Roald Dahl is one of the most read and cherished authors of children's fiction. Even today his interesting works fascinate children just like 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' that continues to be one of the most popular children's book on our website," says Samir Kumar, director (Category Management) at Amazon India.
"The Roald Dahl inspired contest is the perfect way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this fabulous book and delight young fans of Charlie, Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory," he says.
"We are absolutely thrilled to run the Roald Dahl-inspired contest with Amazon India which will give five kids and their parents the chance to win a dream trip to London," says Hemali Sodhi, publisher (Children) at Penguin Random House India.
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is all about imagination, travel and making your dreams come true and we are delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this beloved classic in this very special way," she says.
Dahl, regarded as one of the most successful and well known of all children's writers, was born in 1916 in Wales of Norwegian parents. Educated in England Dahl started work for the Shell Oil
Company in Africa. He began writing after a "monumental bash on the head," sustained as an RAF pilot during World War II. He died in 1990 at the age of seventy-four
