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James & The Giant Peach
48 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 14, 2008
In looking thru the rehabilitated (straightened) children’s bookshelf I found this book, which I had forgotten about. The thing I remember the most were his "two hideous aunts". What a fortuitous way for James to escape. Sometimes I think we all want to escape from some aspect of our lives, but rarely are there magic green crystals around when you need them.
I also love the bugs. As my children will tell you, I am their buggy dad. I love to buy little toy bugs and hide them everywhere.
I also love the bugs. As my children will tell you, I am their buggy dad. I love to buy little toy bugs and hide them everywhere.
March 27, 2026
What a throwback! Accidentally put this version on hold at the library (I meant to get the Roald Dahl novel) but I don't regret it one bit. I had no idea this version existed. Lane Smith was a huge part of my childhood (along with Jon Scieszka!!) and this story was always one of my faves.
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February 18, 2025It is good. Book
March 31, 2021
This is a story about a young boy named James who is an orphan because his parents were eaten by a rhinoceros. James is sent to live with his two aunts named Aunt Sponge, and Aunt Spiker. His aunts are not very nice to him and James is lonely because he has np friends. One day an old man appears and offers James a bag of magical green objects. The old man tells james he has to follow specific instructions, and something magical will happen. James ends up tripping and spilling the objects and they burrow into the ground. He notices the next day a preach has grown on his tree, and soon begins to continue to grow. James climbed into the pit and was greeted by a grasshopper, spider, centipede, earthworm, and some others. The story goes on about James journey and adventures with the peach. Although there are no illustrations in the book the words paint a very clear image in your head.
I gave this book 5 stars because it has been one of my favorites since a kid. I remember reading the book with my mom and never wanting to put it down. It is a very exciting and interesting story.
I gave this book 5 stars because it has been one of my favorites since a kid. I remember reading the book with my mom and never wanting to put it down. It is a very exciting and interesting story.
October 4, 2024
James is an orphan, living with his two horrible aunts, Sponge and Spiker. A mysterious man gives James some magic crystals that will make marvelous things happen to him, but James accidentally drops them on the roots of an old peach tree that doesn't grow any peaches. But then, the magic works on the tree, and it grows a giant peach. Inside the peach, James finds several giant insects, and when the peach breaks off the tree, they go on an adventure.
Most importantly are the insect characters that inhabit the peach, all play their part in the journey and help educate the reader on natural history.From the glow worms light to the spiders web used for hammocks.
The combination of Dahl's bizarre imagination and complete disregard for rules makes him the perfect author for distracted and imaginative people
Most importantly are the insect characters that inhabit the peach, all play their part in the journey and help educate the reader on natural history.From the glow worms light to the spiders web used for hammocks.
The combination of Dahl's bizarre imagination and complete disregard for rules makes him the perfect author for distracted and imaginative people
April 19, 2021
Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Grade Level:3rd
This was the Disney adaptation of James and the Giant Peach which was interesting because I haven't seen their film on the story. It still keeps most of the elements from the original story which was nice, but now I feel a little inclined to watch the Disney film. The book isn't bad, in fact I think that it is good, but I still haven't read the original book, so I can't really compare it to that either. But on its own, I enjoyed it and think that many others will too.
Grade Level:3rd
This was the Disney adaptation of James and the Giant Peach which was interesting because I haven't seen their film on the story. It still keeps most of the elements from the original story which was nice, but now I feel a little inclined to watch the Disney film. The book isn't bad, in fact I think that it is good, but I still haven't read the original book, so I can't really compare it to that either. But on its own, I enjoyed it and think that many others will too.
June 28, 2020
Fun book! Imaginative as always from Mr. Dahl.
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October 1, 2020James's parents die in a horrible accident. James is then sent to live with his aunts who are abusive and neglectful. James then ends up living in a giant peach and meets friends.
September 15, 2021
there wasn’t really any action nor suspense.. 😃
July 23, 2021
Read for a "re-reading my childhood favorites: picture book edition" video, which you can check out here: https://youtu.be/Hng0zJmJxMw
Just watch the movie or read the original book. This is based on the movie completely. Like... the authors of this are literally people who worked on the Disney movie and the art from the book is the concept art from the movie. I just feel like it didn't add anything whatsoever and was overall unenjoyable. Don't recommend it!
Just watch the movie or read the original book. This is based on the movie completely. Like... the authors of this are literally people who worked on the Disney movie and the art from the book is the concept art from the movie. I just feel like it didn't add anything whatsoever and was overall unenjoyable. Don't recommend it!
August 6, 2023
Loved this book. It's full of action and excitement and whimsy. Great for kids and adults can enjoy it, too. Highly recommended.
June 22, 2021
girl this was traumatising
June 20, 2012
This review may not make any sense, because I'm pretty much unfamiliar with Roald Dahl's output, not having grown up with his books, but here I'm referring to the picture book version of the story: It's an abridged version of the original, marketed off the Disney movie and it has Lane Smith as illustrator. The pictures are quite gruesome and grotesque of course, as is most of Lane Smith's stuff (I don't personally care for them), but a six year old can probably stomach the illustrations, at least if they have a taste for gory stuff. The text is drastically shortened and stripped down to basics to fit into a story book. Overall though, as with most of Dahl's books (I imagine) this probably appeals to the 8 year olds and older, that is if they still care for picture books at that point ...
I probably would not have picked it up if it had not been sitting on the picture book shelf at the library next to Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon and My School's a Zoo!, but the thing is it's probably geared at a different audience. This said, I'm looking forward to reading more of Roald Dahl as my child grows into it.
I probably would not have picked it up if it had not been sitting on the picture book shelf at the library next to Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon and My School's a Zoo!, but the thing is it's probably geared at a different audience. This said, I'm looking forward to reading more of Roald Dahl as my child grows into it.
December 13, 2013
James and the Giant Peach is a fun book that I remembered from my youth so decided to check it out again. It features James Henry Trotter a boy living with his evil aunts. They are mean, nasty and abusive. One day James is given magical crocodile tongues from an old man. this sets James up for a change in his life as one day he finds a huge peach and he crawls into the giant peach. Inside he meets some new friends who eventually become like his new family. These new friends happen to be big over grown and man like insects including the Centipede, the earthworm, the old green grass hopper, the lady bug a spider and the glow worm. This is a nice dark view of fictional fun. I always thought who would want to be stuck inside a claustrophobic peach with a bunch of dirty bugs? That's gross to think about.
The plot its self is pretty good. a orphaned boy with abusive aunts finds a new family whether they be bugs or not but finds a new life by sailing on a giant peach attached to seagulls across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City. The cloud men and their battle that leaves the peach severely damaged and then them living inside the peach. Overall this is a pretty good book with good illustrations. I enjoyed it more as a child I guess my imagination has changed over the years.
The plot its self is pretty good. a orphaned boy with abusive aunts finds a new family whether they be bugs or not but finds a new life by sailing on a giant peach attached to seagulls across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City. The cloud men and their battle that leaves the peach severely damaged and then them living inside the peach. Overall this is a pretty good book with good illustrations. I enjoyed it more as a child I guess my imagination has changed over the years.
October 31, 2013
Genre: Fantasy/Scientific Fiction
Grade Level: K-2
Awards: Massachusetts Children's Book Award (1982)
How to use in a classroom:
I would use this book in my younger grades. This book embraces a wide sense of imagination and creativity and my goal with this book would be to pass that imaginative sense to my students. I would have them think of themselves going into a giant peach and rolling away, then I would have them create where they would land and what that place would have that would make it so magical. This will give the students the opportunity to create their own world to their liking, and enhance their general imagination.
Grade Level: K-2
Awards: Massachusetts Children's Book Award (1982)
How to use in a classroom:
I would use this book in my younger grades. This book embraces a wide sense of imagination and creativity and my goal with this book would be to pass that imaginative sense to my students. I would have them think of themselves going into a giant peach and rolling away, then I would have them create where they would land and what that place would have that would make it so magical. This will give the students the opportunity to create their own world to their liking, and enhance their general imagination.
December 5, 2007
Teacher read this to us in grade school. I think I was 7 or 8. I got lost in the imagery, I completely related with James, I felt I knew all the characters. This is another of the Great Children's books of All Time!
February 2, 2008
This was a mother-daughter read. Rebekah really enjoyed this book, and it was really a sweet experience to read it to her at night. We loved the caterpillar with all of his shoes, and the cloud people.
September 22, 2009
Read this one to the kids and they lapped it up- was fun, on their level, and very descriptive. I enjoyed reading it, but not as much as "Ramona the Pest". We read the edition with several illustrations, which helped them visualize what was happening.
October 22, 2007
I love this book. Another childhood nostalgic favorite!
November 17, 2007
I started reading this to Hilary when she was about 7 years old and I have always loved it. It's quirky.
December 12, 2007
This book is a very nice book for kindergarden children.The pictures are very ~~((unique))~~.
May 12, 2008
I must have read this book 100 times as a kid. I still love it and picked up a new copy this week.
May 22, 2008
i didn't realize this book was going to be about a dangerous adventure in a peach with a bunch of giant bugs! it was pretty cool, though.
June 9, 2008
Read out loud to my kids and they loved it.
August 11, 2008
one of my favorite childhood books that is still on my bookshelf...
August 28, 2008
Again, how could you go wrong with Lane Smith at the illustrative helm??
September 22, 2008
my first all-nighter was for a good reason.
November 14, 2008
Read this to my 5 year old. There are so many character voices that it was tedious to read aloud.
December 1, 2008
Very good for a children's book. Recently re-read and enjoyed it
even though I've read it a time or two before.
even though I've read it a time or two before.
December 26, 2008
Loved it as a child
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews