Thursday, December 10, 2009

Review: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

genre: children's literature

Poor James, stuck living with his two crabby aunts. One day a peculiar thing happens, which leads to another peculiar thing happening and before you know it, James is living on a giant peach with some huge bugs. Sounds bizarre, right? And to be honest, it IS rather bizarre. To be living amongst huge bugs would completely freak me out. But the reason Dahl 's stories are classics is that the bizarre-ness WORKS. We believe it! We believe in the musically gifted Old Grandfather Grasshopper and the mild and motherly Ladybug. Sure there are crazy cloud people up in the sky creating out weather. Dahl's stories are just so readable and kid-centric. He empowers his readers with a sense that even when you are a kid, horrible things can happen to you but that you are strong enough to stay kind and patient until it all works out. What a fantastic message.

I read this one aloud to my 7 year old son and we had a rollicking good time. He fell for it hook, line and sinker and he was at times literally chewing his nails and hiding his head, and other times laughing his guts out. I can't ask for more than that.

3 comments:

Deb said...

oh.... i love this book. i hadn't thought of reading it to 7-year-olds, but now i think i will!

bermudaonion said...

My son loved this book at that age too.

Ms. Karlyn said...

I love this book. Youth Theatre is actually doing it this Spring. Whether or not my kidlets are in it, it will be amazing! They have written music for it too.

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