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James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

3.91 · rating details · 80,128 ratings · 1,978 reviews

It's the 50th anniversary of James and the Giant Peach! Come celebrate and join James Trotter and his friends - Grasshopper, Earthworm, Miss Spider - on an adventure inside a giant magical peach.

Paperback, 146 pages

Published August 16th 2007 by Puffin (first published 1961)

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Jun 18, 2010

Chandra rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: kids-young-adult, chapters-with-izzy, 2010_reads

I really only read this because a book banner told me not to. She told me that the aunts were too mean and that (brace yourself) the word ASS makes an appearance. Because of all this unseemliness, she explained, she tried (unsuccessfully) to get it removed from our school library’s shelves. Up to now I haven’t been much of a Roald Dahl fan, but with that glowing recommendation I really couldn’t pass it up. It would have been a little tragic if it had turned out to be a dud, but thankfully i...moreI really only read this because a book banner told me not to. She told me that the aunts were too mean and that (brace yourself) the word ASS makes an appearance. Because of all this unseemliness, she explained, she tried (unsuccessfully) to get it removed from our school library’s shelves. Up to now I haven’t been much of a Roald Dahl fan, but with that glowing recommendation I really couldn’t pass it up. It would have been a little tragic if it had turned out to be a dud, but thankfully it wasn’t! (I thank you Miss Book Banner from the bottom of my heart.) There are so many things that make this an absolute perfect read aloud for young children – from the very short chapters to the hysterical, preposterous storyline. And parents should be prepared to perform as there is a fabulous cast of characters and dialogue to match.

James Henry Trotter is an orphan and lives a very Harry Potteresque existence with his two fantastically horrible aunts –Sponge and Spiker. They neglect and abuse him, but (much like Harry) James is eventually delivered from his fate through magical intervention - of the oddest and most unimaginable variety. James finds himself whisked away on an epic journey across the Atlantic Ocean aboard an enchanted peach with giant insects as companions. Is it super deep or meaningful on the level of, say, Charlotte's Web? Well, not really, but it’s terribly fun and it does touch on themes of trust, friendship, justice and facing up to fears. And yes, the word ASS does appear from time to time and there is also some death and violence, but of a very fantastical and cartoonish variety. If you give it a chance there are plenty of heartwarming and happy moments too.

**A note on the illustrations: My version features illustrations by Nancy Eckholm Burkert (vs. perennial Dahl illustrator Quentin Blake). I could say some very unkind things about Blake’s style, but let’s just say I’m not a fan. As such I would personally recommend this first edition over the later Blake illustrated editions. But, of course, it’s all a matter of personal preference and I know a lot of people enjoy Blake's work. There is also a version illustrated by Lane Smith (of The Stinky Cheese Man). (less)

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Aug 04, 2008

Muna rated it

· review of another edition

When I was in third grade, the first great crush of my life, Scott Murphy, stood up on the picnic table outside of the trailer that housed my third grade class and instead of reading his lines -- James' words -- from his paperback copy while we were all trying to rehearse the chapter we were supposed to present to the entire class the next day, he performed the most passionate version of "Paradise City" by Guns N Roses that I have ever seen.

To this day, I love Gun N Roses, ...more

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Aug 24, 2007

Amy Talluto rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone

A funny, dark and poetic book. I read this after seeing a documentary about Roald Dahls' life and hearing some of the book's passages narrated within the perspective of his time cramped up in a WWII bomber plane as a bombardier (he was very tall). The peach represents the polar opposite of being in a noisy and clattering war plane, manning a gun and always under the threat of death. The peach is a peaceful, sweet and quiet flying machine.

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Jan 21, 2012

Lou rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, read-to-my-son-8-2012-challenge, january-2012-reading-list, classics, fantasy, ya

Dahl's imagination and writing skill is masterful. He transports many of us to wonderful fun worlds of adventure and peculiarity with characters that every child would love to meet. A conjurer of great bedtime stories and memories of being young and learning to read those first books.
He must be thee most famous writer. This tale of a boy escaping two bad ladies into a world of make believe via a giant peach is full of fun and thrilling moments. His writing so well done, the grammar at time...more

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Dec 24, 2010

Jeanette rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: books-little-me-loved, all-fiction, five-star-fiction, for-the-munchkins

I've never visited Central Park, but if I ever do, I'll be watching for the giant peach pit where James Henry Trotter settled happily after his wild excursion.

I knew I liked this book as a kid but I couldn't remember the details of the story. The thing that stayed in my mind all these years was the feeling of claustrophobia when James makes his way inside the peach and finds all the giant, friendly creepy-crawlies inside the peach pit. As a kid you always place yourself within the s...moreI've never visited Central Park, but if I ever do, I'll be watching for the giant peach pit where James Henry Trotter settled happily after his wild excursion.

I knew I liked this book as a kid but I couldn't remember the details of the story. The thing that stayed in my mind all these years was the feeling of claustrophobia when James makes his way inside the peach and finds all the giant, friendly creepy-crawlies inside the peach pit. As a kid you always place yourself within the story, and I remember thinking how I'd hate to be in that enclosed space with all those critters and no windows. There was no fear of Old-Green-Grasshopper or Centipede or Earthworm or any of the others, just the feeling that if I were James I'd want OUT of that peach pit and into the fresh air.

Reading it again as an adult, my strongest impressions are of just how much FUN this whole adventure is. Roald Dahl manages the perfect blend of whimsical, frightful, exciting, and tender elements. I think that's why his books can be every bit as appealing to adults as they are to children. I'd be laughing one minute at Centipede's songs about Aunts Sponge and Spiker, and grossing out a few minutes later when Centipede tells Earthworm that the Cloud-Men will eat him: "They would cut you up like a salami and eat you in thin slices."

There's just so much to delight the reader in this first of Roald Dahl's books for children. There are the Cloud-Men who make the weather, the quirky and fractious creatures who share James's journey, the rainbow paint (LOVE the purple rainbow paint on the Centipede!), and of course the strange little man with the bristly black whiskers who gets the whole thing rolling with the "little green things."
"Where do they come from?" James wants to know.

"Crocodile tongues! One thousand long slimy crocodile tongues boiled up in the skull of a dead witch for twenty days and nights with the eyeballs of a lizard! Add the fingers of a young monkey, the gizzard of a pig, the beak of a green parrot, the juice of a porcupine, and three spoonfuls of sugar. Stew for another week, and then let the moon do the rest!"

Ah, Roald Dahl....You can still make my heart go pitter-pat with passages like that.

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Dec 13, 2007

Andrea rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: those that refuse to grow up

I grew up with a swelling admiration for Roald Dahl. I read everything and anything he would write until I was quoting text word for word. James and the Giant Peach was the one I treasured the most. I lived through the so lovely and ever innocent James as I did with almost every other adorable character Dahl went on to create.

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Nov 03, 2008

David rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Any child or anyone young at heart

Recommended to David by: My 4th grade teacher

This book was a highlight of my childhood, I remember it fondly and I look forward to reading it to my kids. Great imagery, great rhythm, great story for anyone who has ever felt lonely and wanted to escape to somewhere magical and wonderful. A giant peach is as good as any place. Highly recommended.

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Dec 28, 2008

Justine rated it

· review of another edition

In the Pantheon that is Roald Dahl, I find that James and the Giant Peach gets the shaft. I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention it as their favorite, but after this most recent read, I've decided that Dahl's Odyssey includes some of the best parts of his writing. It is eerily bizarre, wonderfully imaginative, and filled with imagery that I still remember from the first time I read it.

Tips Of My Hat:
~James is a cool-ass kid. The poverty/orphan combo that Dahl uses to pla...moreIn the Pantheon that is Roald Dahl, I find that James and the Giant Peach gets the shaft. I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention it as their favorite, but after this most recent read, I've decided that Dahl's Odyssey includes some of the best parts of his writing. It is eerily bizarre, wonderfully imaginative, and filled with imagery that I still remember from the first time I read it.

Tips Of My Hat:
~James is a cool-ass kid. The poverty/orphan combo that Dahl uses to play up how much we love the protagonist works like a charm here. Poor James...
~Excellent villains. Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker are a nastier equivalent of the evil stepmother and stepsisters. Yikes.
~Comeuppance. Yes.
~A giant freaking peach. Dude, the peach gets infected by little crawly green goo and becomes a house.. and a cruise ship... and a plane. If I were stuck on that peach I'd probably be covered in hives, but damn it, I want one.
~Showing kids that bugs can be cool. The cast of giant, animated garden bugs is fascinating and shows not only Dahl's capability of turning the everyday into something magical, but also teaches children to consider others' points of view. Bravo Dahl, you sneaky bastard you.
~Some awesomely ribald poetry. "Once upon a time/When pigs were swine/And monkeys chewed tobacco/And hens took snuff/To make themselves tough..."
~The neat little after stories of what happens to all of the bugs.
~Some of the most beautiful imagery I can remember in Dahl-- the cloud men painting a rainbow and making hailstorms, the peach floating behind hundreds of seagulls, the ticker tape parade down Manhattan, the peach-pit house in central park. Yay!

Wags of my finger:
~The centipede is annoying as hell. They should have let him drown.
~500 seagulls are not poetic, they're gross.
~Once he's on the peach, James kind of becomes a little know it all. Sure, sure, he saves them all from the sharks and whatever, but honestly? At some point he just makes shit up and the others take him for his word. He's like.. 7 years old...

James and the Giant Peach is light on the imperialism and heavy on the wonder. You go boy.(less)

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Nov 19, 2008

Lucy rated it

· review of another edition

I shouldn't be allowed to read classic children's literature. My brain simply doesn't appreciate its intended purpose - creativity, imagination, fantasy. Instead, I wonder, "What's the point here?" Sometimes, there is a point, but I think with Ronald Dahl, the focus is placed on the magic and if there happens to be a story in there somewhere in it..so be it.

I borrowed it from the library because it was on the most-commonly-banned-books-in-America shelf and I wondered how th...moreI shouldn't be allowed to read classic children's literature. My brain simply doesn't appreciate its intended purpose - creativity, imagination, fantasy. Instead, I wonder, "What's the point here?" Sometimes, there is a point, but I think with Ronald Dahl, the focus is placed on the magic and if there happens to be a story in there somewhere in it..so be it.

I borrowed it from the library because it was on the most-commonly-banned-books-in-America shelf and I wondered how the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory could upset so many modest American readers?

I still don't know. Unless there is some upsetting symbolism that went way over my head and would be sure to go over the head of its intended audience, I don't understand how this book could offend anyone but mean, crusty old aunts who don't love and take care of their orphaned nephews.

That being said, I wish I loved this non-controversial story, but I didn't. I thought it was overly strange. Strange in a did-you-write-this-while-tripped-out-on-LCD? kind of way. Giant talking bugs. Living in a peach. Flying over the Atlantic Ocean with the help of string tied onto 501 seagulls via the giant silkworm and spider. Landing on the needle of the Empire State Building in New York. A ladybug marrying a police man (What the?). O.K then.

James was surrounded by mean, nasty aunts and now he's happy and living in a giant peach in New York City's Central Park. Wildly imaginative but famous through the ages?

To make sure it deserved its fame, I had my eight year old son read it (even though the word a** is in it twice. Why did Dahl do that?) and he liked it. He didn't love it. Not because it was strange but because like most things he reads, the characters are magical and the plot bizarre. For him, it seemed almost standard fare. When he finished, he handed it back to me and I asked, "Did you like it?" "Yeah." That's it. No buzz. No acting out parts of the story and certainly no regurgitating details from it like he does with some of his other books.

I guess we're just a bunch of fuddy-duddies around here because I found nothing extraordinary about James and the Giant Peach except it's eccentricity.(less)

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Nov 10, 2008

Mohammad rated it

· review of another edition

This is yet another one of Roald Dahl's books. In this book James lives with his cruel aunts after his parents were killed and eaten up by a rhinoceros which escaped from the London Zoo. I don;t find this true since rhinoceros are herbivores and are not known to eat any humans at all. But with that aside, after James had lived with his aunts a mysterious man confronts him and offers him magic seed for a potion that would bring James happiness.
After rushing to his aunt's kitchen he tr...more

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Feb 14, 2010

FLieGeNschWeiN rated it

· review of another edition

I love the characters in the story; there are James's aunties, Aunt Sponge who is very fat and Aunt Spiker who is as thin as a rake. They are both horrible to James, but it is time for James's revenge...

James finds a man at the bottom of his garden and he gives James magic beans. Later on in the story James accidentally drops the beans in the bottom of the garden and in a few days' time he finds a very big peach down there.

Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker make lots of money f...more

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Jan 05, 2008

Debbie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-lit, fantasy

James Henry Trotter, whose parents were killed by a stampeding rhino, is stuck with his wicked aunts. His life changes forever when he meets an old man who gives him some magic crystals, which he is supposed to drink. Before he can follow the old man's instructions, he trips and spills the crystals under a withered peach tree.

Soon, the tree grows the most enormous peach ever and the aunts make a bunch of money selling tickets to see it. James finds a hidden tunnel that leads to t...more

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Jan 26, 2009

Maryellen rated it

· review of another edition

I listen to this on cd with Waverly (and Henry a bit). Jermey Irons's reading is great - he does all these crazy voices.

Peter got it for the kids for Christmas, and I was nervous because I remembered this as being really scary and strange. Its a little harsh (the mean Aunts get squished and centipede at one point recites a poem revelling in this fact), but it is such a great story and so well read and the harshness doesn't seem to bother the kids (I'm not sure that's a good thing...more

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Dec 29, 2009

Harun Harahap rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: punya, terjemahan, fiksi, anak-hingga-remaja

Seperti biasa, Roald Dahl selalu punya cerita aneh.

Di awal ceritapun sudah terasa aneh, seekor BADAK memakan orangtua James. hehehe, baru tau gw badak makan orang. Lalu ada buah persik raksasa yang berhasil terbang karena bantuan ratusan burung camar.

Ditengah ceritanya aneh tapi ga gitu menggelitik. Seperti pelangi yang dibuat dengan cara dicat oleh manusia awan. Hingga tiba pada beberapa bagian sebelum akhir cerita, terjadi lagi keanehan yang bikin gw terbahak-bahak. Aw...more

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Mar 09, 2009

Sam rated it

· review of another edition

It was a really exciting and suspenseful book.My favorite part about it was when James and all of the bugs were in the peach and the birds were carrying the peach over the ocean.

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Dec 17, 2008

83zulu rated it

· review of another edition

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is a great book to read if you dont know what's the right book for you to read. It is about thisboy named James Henry Trotter. He is very miserable after his parents died in a bad, strange rhinoceros accident. He had no choice to move in with his mean aunts named Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. Aunt Sponge was very big and round. Aunt Spiker was very tal and skinny. James was very miserable for three years living with them. One day James came across this...more

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Dec 12, 2011

Jerri Miller rated it

· review of another edition

1. Junior Book- Fantasy
2. A lonely, abused little boy who lives with his two dreadful aunts, Sponge and Spiker, finds his luck changing after a meeting with a strange old man. The magic that the old man passed onto James finds its way to the peach tree. From this tree the most gigantic peach you’ve ever seen grows and takes James away from his misery and teaches him a thing or two about friendship along the way.
3. a. Imagery
b. Ronald Dahl’s use of imagery in this childr...more1. Junior Book- Fantasy
2. A lonely, abused little boy who lives with his two dreadful aunts, Sponge and Spiker, finds his luck changing after a meeting with a strange old man. The magic that the old man passed onto James finds its way to the peach tree. From this tree the most gigantic peach you’ve ever seen grows and takes James away from his misery and teaches him a thing or two about friendship along the way.
3. a. Imagery
b. Ronald Dahl’s use of imagery in this children’s book is phenomenal and brings this story of James and his insect friends to life in the imagination of the reader. I felt as though the beginning of the story was a little harsh with how the aunts treat James. However, knowing when this book was written, older works are often not sugar-coated like they are now. The word “ass” is mentioned twice throughout the book I believe which seems to make it a controversial read. Aside from that, the descriptive and imaginative language used really helps to paint a clear picture for the reader.
c. Chapters 27 through 31 are full of imagery and they contain my favorite part of the book. These chapters are where Dahl brings to life the “cloud- men”. This is where the peach and its traveler’s find themselves in danger once again. On page 84 you can see an example of imagery as the work of the cloud-men is described. “The Cloud-Men were all standing in a group, and they were doing something peculiar with their hands. First, they would reach out (all of them at once) and grab handfuls of cloud. Then they would roll these handfuls of cloud in their fingers until they turned into what looked like large white marbles. Then they would toss the marbles to one side and quickly grab more bits of cloud and start over again.” Dahl’s first description on page 82 of the Cloud-Men is wonderful as well. “Once, as they drifted silently past a massive white cloud, they saw on the top of it a group of strange, tall, wispy-looking things that were about twice the height of ordinary men. They were not easy to see at first because they were almost as white as the cloud itself, but as the peach sailed closer, it became obvious that these “things” were actually living creatures- tall, wispy, wraithlike, shadowy, white creatures who looked as though they were made out of a mixture of cotton-wool and candyfloss and thin white hairs.”
4. I don’t know if I would use this book in my classroom unless I used it as a novel study or a read-aloud for a unit on fantasy. I think that use of the word “ass” may cause a controversy unless I talked with the students beforehand about the inclusion of “not so nice” words.
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Dec 08, 2011

Luke Stultz rated it

· review of another edition

This was one of my favorite books as a child. Reading it as an adult, I picked up a lot more witty funny lines, but also realized how dark and poetic this book really is. Aside from that, the adventures seem so incredibly fun. If only this were a non-fiction. Roald Dahl definitely hits a lot of different emotions behind this read. It's exciting, playful, quirky, and at some points frightful.

James is a young lad who lives with his cruel aunts after his parents died in a tragic rhinocer...more

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Nov 28, 2011

Curtis Hudson rated it

· review of another edition

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is a truly spectacular book. James was forced to live with his terrible aunts after his parents were killed by an angry rhinoceros that escaped from the London Zoo. Life looked bleak for James until a little old man emerged from the bushes and offered him a magic concoction. "Whoever they meet first, be it bug, insect, animal, or tree, that will be the one who gets the full power of the magic!" James ran home but tripped beneath the old peach tre...more

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Nov 08, 2011

Akyah rated it

· review of another edition

This book, along with E.B. White's Stuart Little, is a very adventurous and imaginative book. It takes place somewhere in Europe.This book is about a little boy named James and his two aunts. His mother and father were eaten by a hippopotamus while out in Europe. Since his parents were "gone" his wicked aunts agreed to "take care" of him. While outside, James is given some magic beans that will make anything grow. When James accidentaly drops the magic beans, they soak into ...more

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Oct 03, 2011

Mark Jepson rated it

· review of another edition

James and the Giant Peach

Where to begin with this classic? I remember reading this myself in Primary School and loved it then. After re-reading this book quite a few years later, I love it just as much as before.

Early on in the story, James’ parents are tragically killed in an accident involving a rhinoceros that has escaped from a zoo in London. As James is just four years old when the accident happens, he is placed into the care of his two hideous aunts; Aunt Sponge and Aun...moreJames and the Giant Peach

Where to begin with this classic? I remember reading this myself in Primary School and loved it then. After re-reading this book quite a few years later, I love it just as much as before.

Early on in the story, James’ parents are tragically killed in an accident involving a rhinoceros that has escaped from a zoo in London. As James is just four years old when the accident happens, he is placed into the care of his two hideous aunts; Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. There is reason to believe Dahl chose these names as they resemble their characters; Aunt Sponge is portrayed as somewhat boring with a bland personality whilst Aunt Spiker never hesitates to physically and verbally abuse James.

One day, James was playing outdoors when crosses paths with a man who knows all about James and gives him a sack of magic crocodile tongues. The magic crocodile tongues are dropped by James on the way home and the contents land on a lifeless peach tree. As a result, a peach grows beyond all recognition. His aunts believe they can make money from this attraction so decide to sell tickets for people to view this giant peach. James is forced indoors to carry out households jobs whilst his aunts take advantage of the new attraction.

The story progresses and James falls inside the peach to be greeted by talking insects who hate James’ aunts for what they put him through. They decide to escape, squashing Sponge and Spiker in the process, and float across the Atlantic, surviving attacks from a number of creatures during their journey. They arrive in New York, a destination James’ parents talked to James about before their death, and after initial trouble the giant peach is welcome in the Big Apple.

At the end of the book, a stone inside the peach becomes a mansion in New York where James lives forever more.

Throughout the book, Dahl brilliantly uses imagery to make the story as appealing as possible to children and adults alike. The story is quite disturbing at times, particularly at the beginning where James is abused, so it would be more suitable for children who are at least eight years old.

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Sep 09, 2011

Simone Lavinier rated it

· review of another edition

Roald Dahl is an excellent children’s writer. He manages to set the pitch of the story from the onset; introducing the key characters by describing them physical features and personality. In James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl begins by introducing the main character, James, an orphan who has to live with his wicked aunts, Sponge and Spiker. James is treated very harshly through no fault of his own. However, his fortunes are reversed when he meets a strange old man who seems to know about his ...more

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Sep 05, 2011

Colm O'brien rated it

· review of another edition

James and the Giant Peach is withot doubt my favourite Roald Dahl book. Dahl, who some refer to as the best story teller that ever lived tells a story rich with imagery and dialogue.

This is a story which is both strange and wonderful. It begins with the most unimaginable death probable, by rhinoceros, killing both James' parents and leaving him an orphan. Unfortunately for poor James he is put in the care of his two ghastly aunts, suitably named Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. Everythi...more

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Sep 02, 2011

Adam rated it

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Having read Roald Dahl’s book, ‘James and the Giant Peach’ in the context of using it for a key stage 2 class, it provides many of qualities that make this book well suited for the classroom. The book is about a young boy called James Henry Trotter, who loses his parents at the age of four to an angry rhinoceros who decides to eat them. Due to losing his parents, he is forced to live with his two wicked aunts, Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge. Both Aunts treat James terribly, making him their persona...moreHaving read Roald Dahl’s book, ‘James and the Giant Peach’ in the context of using it for a key stage 2 class, it provides many of qualities that make this book well suited for the classroom. The book is about a young boy called James Henry Trotter, who loses his parents at the age of four to an angry rhinoceros who decides to eat them. Due to losing his parents, he is forced to live with his two wicked aunts, Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge. Both Aunts treat James terribly, making him their personal slave and beating him as they wish. One day whilst James is carrying out his duties, a mysterious man turns up and gives him a bag full of green magic crocodile tongues which James accidently spills the contents around the old peach tree. Within a few days the Peach has grown, as well as the insects around the tree. James then embarks on an adventure with his new insect friends, escaping the evil tyranny of his two horrible Aunts.
In classic Roald Dahl fashion, there is a huge use of adjectives to portray the environment and the characters. In the space of some 150 pages, Roald Dahls manages to add a great deal of personality to each of the characters in the book, masterfully done by how they are described and their own pieces of dialogue.
Despite this being a Childs book, there is use of potentially upsetting material such as bereavement and abuse, but Roald Dahl is careful not to dwell too much on such issues to deeply sadden the tone. But having portrayed these negative moments in James’s life, it highlights the importance of friendship and family, by James’s finding comfort in his new friends in the Peach stone.
Furthermore, despite this book being a deeply fictional/fantasy book, it does also provide informative segments for the reader, such as mentioning geographical locations like the Atlantic Ocean. However the more informative piece’s of the book are to do with the wildlife. Each character being an insect is described by what function that they serve in the real world and whether they are useful. It also humorously uses the fact that the centipede is a pest by making the centipedes character a ‘rascal’.
To summarise, Roald Dahl’s book focuses heavily on the imaginative and provides the reader with a great story to immerse themselves in and is well suited for a Key stage 2 student. It is fast paced and enthralling which can easily capture the children’s minds.
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Aug 23, 2011

Denise rated it

· review of another edition

While in the midst of reading some "heavier", more sophisticated grown-up fare, I took a break to give myself my first ever experience with reading Roald Dahl (Borders was selling a Dahl boxed set for half-off, and I had to go ahead and buy it).

I never read Dahl as a child -- I'm not sure why. Maybe he just wasn't in vogue then...I really don't even remember seeing his books on the shelves when I was little.

But better late than never. This episodic adventure of ...more

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Aug 18, 2011

Sandy rated it

· review of another edition

Perhaps I should confess right up front that this review of what is popularly regarded solely as a children's book is being written by a 50+-year-old male "adult" who hadn't read a kids' book in many years. For me, Welsh author Roald Dahl had long been the guy who scripted one of my favorite James Bond movies, 1967's "You Only Live Twice," and who was married for 30 years to the great actress Patricia Neal. Recently, though, in need of some "mental palate cleansing"...morePerhaps I should confess right up front that this review of what is popularly regarded solely as a children's book is being written by a 50+-year-old male "adult" who hadn't read a kids' book in many years. For me, Welsh author Roald Dahl had long been the guy who scripted one of my favorite James Bond movies, 1967's "You Only Live Twice," and who was married for 30 years to the great actress Patricia Neal. Recently, though, in need of some "mental palate cleansing" after a bunch of serious adult lit, I picked up Dahl's first kiddy novel, "James and the Giant Peach," and now know what several generations have been aware of since the book's release in 1961; that this is an absolutely charming story for young and old alike, with marvelous characters, a remarkably imaginative story line and some quirky humor scattered throughout.

As most baby boomers and their kids and grandkids probably know by now, this short novel introduces us to James Henry Trotter, a young boy who is forced to move in with his nasty Aunts Sponge and Spiker when his loving parents are eaten by a rhinoceros on the streets of London (!). His miserable existence takes a turn for the better when a mysterious old man gives him a bagful of magic green crystals, which James promptly and accidentally spills near the base of a barren peach tree. What follows is wondrous in the extreme, as James discovers a septet of insectoid friends inside the enormous, house-sized fruit that soon develops. Along with his new buddies--a centipede, an old grasshopper, an earthworm, a glowworm, a silkworm (which character was oddly dropped from the 1996 Disney filmization), a spider and a ladybug--James sets off in the detached peach on a trans-Atlantic journey, and this is just the beginning of his great adventures. Dahl makes sure that each of his insect characters has a distinct personality of his or her own; the centipede is a snarky showoff, the earthworm a constant worrier, the grasshopper wise and serene, the silkworm a quiet nonentity, Miss Spider sweet and caring, the ladybug warm and maternal, the glowworm mainly concerned with keeping her light going. Each brings its own set of abilities to the fore in times of crisis, James' own particular strength being his great boyish intelligence, natch. They are a terrific team of characters that effectively show the little ones the value of teamwork and overcoming differences.

Adult readers of "James and the Giant Peach" will likely be struck by errant thoughts as the story progresses. For example, the violent deaths of Spiker and Sponge, not to mention James' parents, are surprising, if glossed over lightly. Perhaps these instances of violence are the reason why this book ranks #56 on the American Library Association's list of "The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-1999." (Dahl's "The Witches" is #27.) Still, generations of impressionable youths have managed to take in the "objectionable" aspects of this book with no discernible damage to their delicate psyches, as far as I can tell! Adult readers may also be amused at the mention of a "famous factory where they made chocolate" in the book (a foreshadowing of 1964's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"?), and wonder at the number of sophisticated words (such as "wampus," "manticore" and "prock") that Dahl dishes out for the kiddies. They may also get a huge kick out of the hilarious poems and songs scattered throughout the story, as well as by the lighthearted humor in general. (I think it's hilarious that Miss Ladybug winds up marrying the head of the NYC Fire Department!) Grown-ups may also find cause to wonder why all those 502 seagulls fall into James' lasso trap. Couldn't all those birds detect this trap after 50 or so were snared? But this is a quibble. From magical beginning throughout its action-packed length (I haven't even mentioned the shark sequence yet, or the extended segment with the Cloud Men, which the Disney film unwisely drops if favor of an underwater ghost ship that is not in Dahl's novel), this book is a joy and a pleasure for young and--as I have just proved to myself--um, older alike. This classic work hardly needs MY seal of approval at this late date, but I just wanted all the adults out there to know that this might be a fun read for them, too. And now, I think I'm gonna go pick up "The Witches"....(less)

· see review

Jul 08, 2011

Andy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, illustrated

I picked up the Roald Dahl 'Phizz-Whizzing' collection yesterday (15 books in a colourful hardcover slipcase for $70). A remarkable bargain, especially as I had been planning on buying them all again at some point soon. Yes, somewhere in a box back in the UK I have all these from my childhood but, hey, it's not like they're going to go unread.

The years have slipped by enough that I can't really remember any of the details of the books, just the vague outline, so reading them again is...more

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May 29, 2011

Jan rated it

· review of another edition

Personally, I'm a sucker for happy stories. Unfortunately though, this book like many other fantastical children's escapist stories, is anchored in absolute despair. Remember the Lemony Snicket series, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Harry Potter series and though many may not agree, Calvin and Hobbes (a delusional, lonely little boy with an imaginary tiger for a friend)?

James' parents are eaten by an angry rhinoceros that has escaped from the zoo. Poor James then has to live...more

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Mar 14, 2011

Shelley rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked this book up at school today for something quick to read. My first impression a few pages in was not overwhelminly good. I doubted seriously that this would be a good book for my children to read. It was very dark, sad and just plain awful. The whole story of James' parents getting eaten by a wild rhinoceros one day and leaving him alone with the two mean aunts was bad enough. But then the way they talked to him and treated him was terrible. But I held on and kept reading. Then it...more

· see review

Feb 22, 2011

Charles David rated it

· review of another edition

Way back in my elementary school days, I wasn’t a big fan of reading. Thankfully my teacher Mrs. Thompson changed that by reading Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach (1961) to the class. You know the book’s story. A young boy travels from England to New York in the belly of a humongous peach accompanied by a variety of chatty, oversized insects. What delicious fantasy! The story had it all—humor, adventure, suspense.

Hearing my teacher read the book changed my life. Soon afte...more

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About Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.

Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as...more

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