British fiction and screenplay writer best known for his children's books, including James and the Giant Peach (1961) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). an Indian dish made with beans, peas, or lentils
a British writer of very popular children's books which are often both funny and frightening, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach (1916-90). born Sept. 13, 1916, Llandaff, Wales died Nov. 23, 1990, Oxford, Eng. British writer. A fighter pilot during World War II, he began his writing career when C.S. Forester encouraged him to write about his combat adventures; they were published by The Saturday Evening Post. The short-story collection Someone Like You (1953) was a best-seller; his later stories, many published in The New Yorker, often include bizarre or supernatural elements. His popular children's books James and the Giant Peach (1961) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) were made into films