30) James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach. Illustrated by Nancy Burkert. Puffin, 1961. 120 pages. ISBN: 0-14-032871-8.

Genre/Subject: Fantasy, Orphan, Adventure

Ages: 8-12

Plot:

A boy named James Henry Trotter becomes orphaned, when his parents die from being eaten up by an enormous angry rhinoceros, that escaped from the London Zoo. James is then forced to leave his pleasant home and lifestyle by the seaside and go to live with his two cruel aunts, Sponge and Spiker. Both aunts treat him like a slave. One day, an old man appears, offering James a bag of "magical green things" crystals, and says that the seeds are magic and he can user them to better himself. The old man warns James to be careful as to what the "green things" come in contact with. James is overexcited and as he runs underneath an old peach tree, trips and falls on the ground. The bag bursts and thousands of tiny "green things" fall out. James wonders what will happen to the tree and insects inside the ground. The tree makes a peach grow very large as well as the insects that live underneath the tree. James quickly jumps onto the peach as the peach breaks from the branch, instead of staying with his two aunts which he dreads. Many obstacles are faced, with sharks eating away at the peach, the team of insects and James brainstorm and think of a way to save the peach. Two birds must life the peach high into the sky, but cloudmen became the next obstacle James hopes to reach New York City in search for a better life.

Review:

Roald Dahl is a great writer, from The Witches to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to James and the Giant Peach, he knows how to write a classic story. The illustrations help with understanding the character descriptions. The story is an easy read, yet engaging as it will hold readers attention from to the very first page. The theme of this story is to never give up on life. When life appears bad or unbearable, it will eventually get better and you will find peace. The motivation after reading this book is to help readers overcome obstacles in the real world. Readers will follow James throughout his journey, in which overcoming obstacles seem logical even in James' fantastical world.