The BFG

published	1982 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
binding	Hardcover
isbn	0374304696 (isbn13: 9780374304690)
pages	32
description	Evidently not even Roald Dahl could resist the acronym craze of the early eighties. BFG? Bellowing ferret-faced golfer? Backstabbing fairy godmother? ...more [close] Evidently not even Roald Dahl could resist the acronym craze of the early eighties. BFG? Bellowing ferret-faced golfer? Backstabbing fairy godmother? Oh, oh ... Big Friendly Giant! This BFG doesn't seem all that F at first as he creeps down a London street, snatches little Sophie out of her bed, and bounds away with her to giant land. And he's not really all that B when compared with his evil, carnivorous brethren, who bully him for being such an oddball runt. After all, he eats only disgusting snozzcumbers, and while the other Gs are snacking on little boys and girls, he's blowing happy dreams in through their windows. What kind of way is that for a G to behave? The BFG is one of Dahl's most lovable character creations. Whether galloping off with Sophie nestled into the soft skin of his ear to capture dreams as though they were exotic butterflies; speaking his delightful, jumbled, squib-fangled patois; or whizzpopping for the Queen, he leaves an indelible impression of bigheartedness. (Ages 9 to 12) [close]
date added	04-02-07 edit book

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Alex rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

02/15/08

Hahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

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Jennifer rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

06/28/08

bookshelves: children-young-adult

Read in June, 2008

Like many others, I remember the Roald Dahl books that I read, or had read to me, during my childhood fondly, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and especially, Matilda. Perhaps because I expected to have the same childhood reading adventure as I had with those books, I liked, but did not love, The BFG. I think that Dahl's idea for the story is a creative one, but little things, such as the puns on the names of countries when the...more Like many others, I remember the Roald Dahl books that I read, or had read to me, during my childhood fondly, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and especially, Matilda. Perhaps because I expected to have the same childhood reading adventure as I had with those books, I liked, but did not love, The BFG. I think that Dahl's idea for the story is a creative one, but little things, such as the puns on the names of countries when the BFG describes the tastes "human beans" in those countries, or what I think were stereotypical remarks at the end of the novel. For instance, when Dahl describes thankful world leaders bestowing gifts upon Sophie and the BFG for saving their people from man-eating giants, he writes that "The Rule of India sent the BFG a magnificent elephant...The King of Arabia sent them a camel each. The Lama of Tibet sent them a llama each" (pp. 204-5). However, to me, the worst line was when the Queen of England called the Sultan, "next best thing" to a Lord Mayor to ask him whether any of his subjects had mysteriously disappeared recently, and he responds, "Every night unpleasant things are happening in Baghdad...We are shoping off people's heads like you are chopping parsley" (p. 174).

To be fair, the novel was copyrighted in 1982, and probably written before such things were widely considered inappropriate, and the book is widely engaging and creative. Some would also say that these things are "just jokes," that they were silliness written for the amusement of children. In spite of the fact that the novel was written over two decades ago, I do no think that children should just absorb these lines, because they are most likely reading this book at the suggestion of an adult who is, in their mind, only supposed to give them "good" books. The children would most likely read these lines and the stereotypes exoticizing non-Western countries would persist.

Another niggling doubt about the book was the resolution with the giants being imprisoned in a giant pit, doomed to eat disgusting snozzcumbers for the rest of their lives. I think that Dahl was well-intentioned in including the conversation between the BFG and Sophie about how humans make their own rules, and giants make their own rules and that the rules don't coincide. When I got tot his conversation, which included the the BFG basically telling Sophie that it was somewhat judgmental or short-sighted to her to immediately think of the other giants as bad because humans, unlike giants, kill their own kind all the time, I thought that the story was incredibly promising. However, the story ended as they typically do, especially in "children's" literature, with the "bad" guys getting captured and the "good" guys living happily ever after without the moral ambiguity that Dahl touched upon in that one particular conversation between Sophie and the BFG. I think that it might have been more interesting if it was ever brought up that perhaps giants just eat humans just as humans eat bacon, sausage, and eggs, just as Sophie, the BFG, and the Queen did at the end of the story, and that perhaps the solution would be to respect all life, just as the BFG always had (before uncharacteristically eating all that bacon and sausage at the end of the novel) because he could hear the world's suffering. Instead, as I mentioned, the story has a more typical ending, and it is emotionally acceptable that the human-eating giants are imprisoned with disgusting food for the rest of their lives (and the Queen is humane for imprisoning them rather than killing them, to boot) only because Dahl portrays the giants as disgusting throughout the entire novel. Although the giants are portrayed as mean in the scene where they toss around the BFG, emphasis is continuously on how the giants are "half-naked and disgusting" in their appearance and smell. Thus, emphasis is placed on their physical, rather than moral disgustingness, and to me, this is too reminiscent of the way that we vilify those who are different than us to justify our inhuman treatment of them.

In closing, although I enjoyed this book because of Dahl's creativity in coming up with a BFG and a dreamblower, etc, I don't think that it should hold such a coveted place in children's literature because it is somewhat outdated in its attitude, and there are many, many wonderful children's adventure novel out there with which to replace it. I think that it would be a good novel to discuss critically with kids who are ready for it, but that it could do more harm that good to read it to, or give it to, a child without discussing the things that I have above. ...less

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Lisa rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

04/25/08

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in April, 2008

recommends it for: anyone

in a sentence: sophie, a little girl on the top floor of an icky orphanage, is awake during the witching hour and knows something is up...and then she meets a big, friendly, giant! let the adventure begin!

oh man, i absolutely love this book. it just makes me feel like snuggling up under a blanket and cozying with a teddy bear. sophie is scooped up by the BFG (big friendly giant) while he is doing some very suspicious things - blowing some liquid into people ears? after being gently carried t...more

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Julia rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

10/28/07

bookshelves: to-read

Ths book is about a little girl called Sophie. Once opun a warm night she got kidnapped by the big friendly giant!As he tells her why he did such a thing Sophie discovers a few things she never dreamed of!!!!
Outside the house of the BFG there are nine more giants ,human eating giants!Roald Dahl wrote that the ywere big ,sixteen meter high ,and they were half naked!They only wore a little peace of fur arround their .....
well,Sophie and the BFG decided that they had to do something or s...more

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sarafem rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

03/08/08

bookshelves: juvenile-7-to-10, royally-sucked

Roald Dahl has the unique ability to draw one-star or five-star ratings from me, and little in between. James & the Giant Peach is my all-time favorite and I love Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, and his autobiographies and a few other works. The Witches I hate with a fiery passion, and this one, not so much hate as complete boredom.

For whatever reason, any giant story I can think of is one that bored me to teas, so maybe I just don't like that premise. I also found Sophi...more

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Laney rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

02/23/08

bookshelves: children, fantasy

Read in March, 2007

recommended to Laney by: self
recommends it for: children in grades 3-6

Roald Dahl is best known for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". This book is right up there with that one. BFG stands for 'big friendly giant'. Sophie is a little orphan girl who gets up in the middle of the night only to see a giant walking around the town blowing dreams out of a trumpet to all the sleeping children. No one is supposed to see the giants, so when the BFG sees Sophie he grabs her and takes her to giant land where her adventures start.

She learns about giant food. I...more

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Joy rated it:

06/19/07

recommends it for: the child at heart

I first found this book in about 2nd grade at my school Library. I borrowed it since I'd read most of Roald Dahl's other children's books and had my dad read it to me. Let me point out that my father is the best story-teller/reader. He does voices for everyone and he has this great English accent that is perfect for Roald Dahl books. I fell in love with the simple giant who has deep insights, the wonderful adventures, the dream collecting, the possibility of little girls doing great things, and...more

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Rachel rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

07/24/08

When I was in the third or fourth grade, I went to my cousin's bat mitzvah. It was a big fancy party, and they had one of those guys there who would draw a caricature of you on a t-shirt. The guy asked me, "So what are some things you like?" I said, "The BFG." I don't think he understood that, so he was like "Do you have any hobbies?" I said, "The BFG." Basically I guess for that year it was my main interest and extra-curricular activity. So once he ...more

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Rebekah rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

07/15/08

bookshelves: favorites

Read in January, 2006

This is one of my top 5 children's books and Roald Dahl is my favorite children's author. He must have had a bizarre childhood to come up with the stories that he does. The BFG stands for the Big Friendly Giant. He captures a little girl from an orphanage and takes her back to his cave where there are hundreds of jars on the shelves with labels. Inside the jars are dreams (some good, some bad) that the BFG has captured and stored in the jars to use later by blowing them into children's bedro...more

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Anivaroth rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

08/23/07

bookshelves: childrens

Read in January, 1991

I read this book over and over and over. I loved it! It was my very favorite as a kid. It was just so inventive and wacky. The BFG by Roald Dahl made me excited about reading. It’s about a Big Friendly Giant who blows dreams into sleeping children’s bedrooms. There are also kid-guzzling, mean giants who are finally defeated with a nasty Trogglehumper and the help of the British Queen. They are forever after doomed to eat their veggies. Ew, snozzcumbers! Everyone should love this boo...more

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Christina rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

07/15/08

bookshelves: read-aloud

Read in June, 2008

Lu and I very much enjoyed BFG. It's hard to go wrong with Roald Dahl. He is one of my favorite children's authors ever. EVER. I kept wondering why I'd never read this one and then looked at the date of publication--1982--and realized I was probably a bit too old to be interested in this type of book when it was released. A couple of chapters into it, I wasn't sure if it would hold Lu's attention (4 1/2)--it's full of funny linguistic errors--but, surprisingly, she understood many of the jokes a...more

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Jackie rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

10/29/07

bookshelves: childrensbooks, fantasy, humor

Read in January, 2000

recommends it for: Boys!

Another orphan story. Sophie is scooped out of her bed by a friendly giant who survives by eating snozzcumbers (which make you burp), and joins him in stopping the other giants from eating kids. Giants and burping, the perfect combination!
I am sorry I didn't read this when I was a kid. I can tell a lot of the humor is lost on dull grown-up me, who cannot truly appreciate snozzcumbers. But so many kids have told me how much they love this book! The library where I work has had to replace copy a...more

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Roy rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

01/13/08

Read in January, 2008

I enjoyed it. I read about 2 chapters a night with my 6 year old nephew before he slept, and it was cute how he looked forward to it. I rather enjoyed how the giants spoke grammatically incorrectly, but a part of me worried if it would negatively affect my nephew who needs more help than hindrances when it comes to academic English. I think I've heard him say "human beans" since we finished it. Of course I loved the farting. Overall I think the book exhibits a great sense of (whol...more

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Bekah rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

07/14/08

I'm glad I've never crossed paths with any of these giants; The Fleshlumpeater,The Bonecruncher, The Manhugger,The Childchewer, The Meatdripper, The Gizzardgulper, The Maidmasher, The Bloodbottler, or The Butcher Boy.

However I do wish the BFG was my friend and together we could share delectable Snozzcumbers while enjoying one anothers company! I'd also enjoy sharing a delicious frobscottle, which I am sure is infinitely refreshing. Although I'm not sure I'd enjoy Whizzpoppers. (Read the b...more

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Barb rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

07/12/07

Read in January, 2006

It took me about 40 years to read Roald Dahl. I could never get past the way he killed off the parents at the beginning of James and the Giant Peach. But once I got past that page, I just kept reading. The BFG is actually a pretty sweet book--the little girl and the BFG himself are funny and clever, and I love how they end up visiting . . . well, I can't tell you what or whom they visit. You'll just have to read it yourself! (And I'm really curious to hear what you don't like--honest--there's pl...more

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Grada rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

05/08/08

bookshelves: childrens-books

Read in January, 2005

recommended to Grada by: My brother gave it to my son, I had to read it to him
recommends it for: Everyone from 8 to 100

I read this book to my son because he was too small to be able to read it for himself. I never read a Roald Dahl book except from Sjakie and the Chocolate factory.
I must say, that I was pleasantly surprized. We both laughed a lot about it, especially because the way the giant speaks is so funny. And the things they eat... try to imagine what it is they eat all the time and draw it. My son and I tried it and despite we read the same thing, the drawing was completely different. :) Must be my ba...more

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Emily added it (review of isbn 0141311371)

06/20/08

bookshelves: children-youngadult

My read-aloud book with my class. The girls are showing minor signs of being sucked in. One particularly persnickety girl has gotten the book out of the school library and reads along as I read. (One small personal victory for me.)

My favorite times with students involve books. When it's good, it's so good, and they're pulled into a story they don't want to leave; they enter the story. Unfortunately, few basal readers ever include stories with this power, and a basal is what we use at my...more

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Belinda rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

04/08/08

This book is a fantasy - fiction that is well liked by children. The main characters are Sophia and the giant.

Sophie and the BFG (Big Friendly Giant) must save the world from mean giants! Lucky for her, Sophie meets the kindest, gentlest, most friendly giant around. The BFG takes Sophie to giant land where she quickly learns that not all giants are as friendly as he is, and worse, the mean giants are planning to come to England! So what happens? Like to know? Grab this book from the library ...more

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Sarah rated it:

(review of isbn 0141301058)

07/10/07

All that I need to say is that my brother and I would check this out of the library so frequently I am surprised my Mom never bought it for us. One of my best memories as a kid was my brother and I reading this out loud to each other and literally getting into fits of giggles at certain spots (usually involving a giant's flatulence). I am a true follower of anything Roald Dahl ever put his hands to. He is a very gifted and twisted author of books for people of all ages!

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Lora rated it:

(review of isbn 0141311371)

05/06/08

bookshelves: children-s-lit

Read in July, 2005

Dahls’ creativity really shines through in this beautifully crafted story. With his amazing new vocabulary of snozzcumbers, frobscottle, whizzpoppers, and human beans children are bound to giggle in their seats when reading. This tale isn’t just laugh out loud funny, but it is heartwarming and an excellent read aloud for all ages. Dahl designs an entirely new world for the reader to get lost in and is able to paint a great picture of morality all at the same time.

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