Dahl, R., & Smith, L. (1996). James and the giant peach: A children's story. New York: Knopf.
Illustrations by Lane Smith
126 Pages
Ages 9-12
Plot:
Orphaned and living with his two mean and self-centered aunts, (insert name) and (insert name), James finds himself living a dull and lonely life. When suddenly, a (insert name) appears in his garden and gives him a bag of magical creatures. Running to the house to put his new found treasure to good use, he trips beneath a barren peach tree and loses the entire contents of the bag as they quickly burrow into the ground. The next thing James knows, his aunts are exclaiming about a peach finally growing on the tree- growing very quickly. Soon it's as big as a bowling ball, then a dog, then an entire house. The aunts realize they can make a fortune on this novelty and make it an attraction for which they charge the public money to view. Things have suddenly gone from bad to worse for James.
Then as he's locked outside for the night to clean up the day's mess, he finds a passageway into the heart of the giant peach. When he gets to the pit, he finds a door and within the door is a strange gathering of gigantic talking insects. While at first startled, he quickly embraces his new found friends and in the morning as the grasshopper chews through the stem of the peach, releasing it from the tree, they all head out together to find a better life free of James' aunts. After a rocky journey down the hill and through town, they end up floating in the sea. This brings them many new difficulties, such as seagulls, sharks, and stormy weather. James' ingenuity and their teamwork lands them all safely across the sea in New York. From atop the Empire State Building they are greeted by the city, labeled heroes and James quietly settles into a life that is no longer lonely in the heart of Central Park.
My Impressions:
The best part of reading this story was it's liveliness. There was never a dull moment throughout the reading of the novel. Characterization was rich and the situations and dialogue were imaginative and well-developed. I really enjoyed it for its ease of telling and could see a large group and children being read this story without a moment of lost interest as it is never clear ahead of time what magical creature is going to appear next or what crazy situation James is about to find himself in. No matter what obstacle placed before him, James is able to see the bright side of things and use his imagination to overcome.
Reviews:
Excerpt of a Review by Patty Inglish from About.com
"Roald Dahl has written entertaining children's stories that contain morals and life lessons that even adults can appreciate. In James and the Giant Peach, he handles the themes of abandonment, abuse, and redemptive reward--with justice meted out appropriately to all concerned."
Retrieved From: http://classiclit.about.com/od/jamesandthegiantpeach/fr/aa_jamesreview.htm
Excerpt of a Review by Emily on "A Few Good Books" on Blogspot
"James and the Giant Peach is a famous work by Roald Dahl. This book has been frequently challenged and banned for its content, including the abuse that James experiences. Others have claimed that the book promotes alcohol and drug use, that it contains inappropriate language, and that it encourages disobedience to parents....Despite the controversy, I still loved and enjoyed every bit of James and the Giant Peach. Dahl's writing was smooth and flawless and, as always, his characters were wonderful."
Retrieved From: http://afewgoodbooks1.blogspot.com/2010/09/banned-book-review-1-james-and-giant.html
Library Suggestions:
This book is a great example of fantasy for the young reader and it therefore lends itself to being a great introductory book to the genre. It would be good as a part of a collection of such books for elementary readers.
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