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bookwyrm_lark's review against another edition
4.0
A charming, whimsical children's adventure! If you've seen the movie, the book is very different; the only real constants are the children and their father (though their mother is still with them in the book), and of course Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the eponymous magical flying car. I don't want to give anything away, but don't expect a Bavarian kingdom; that part of the movie is the creation of the screenwriters, not Ian Fleming. The adventures the family does have in the book are slightly more grounded in reality—but only slightly!
The audiobook is narrated by David Tennant, who reads with obvious enjoyment and an excellent command of voices and accents. Between the text and the narration, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a perfect audiobook for young children, and a treat for the whole family. It's short, only 2 hours and 22 minutes in length, making it an excellent choice for a day trip.
Read for #TakeControlTBR 2018 and The Backlist Reader Challenge 2018.
The audiobook is narrated by David Tennant, who reads with obvious enjoyment and an excellent command of voices and accents. Between the text and the narration, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a perfect audiobook for young children, and a treat for the whole family. It's short, only 2 hours and 22 minutes in length, making it an excellent choice for a day trip.
Read for #TakeControlTBR 2018 and The Backlist Reader Challenge 2018.
quinn_0611's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook
There were two reasons on why I decided to read Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming. The first reason was because I had read some more emotional books lately, and I needed something easy and cute to cleanse my palate. The second reason was because DAVID TENNANT (yes, that needed all caps!) narrated this audiobook. I really knew nothing about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I’ve never seen the movie, or really looked into the book. All I knew was that it was about a car, and that it was written by the same man who created James Bond. This sponanteous decision turned out be to perfection.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is most definitely a children’s book. It’s not middle grade, and I think you need to have an appreciation of children’s literature to enjoy it as an adult. In fact, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl books, with the adventurous children, and the unexplained magical aspects to the story.
My favorite part of this book was the personality that Fleming gave to the car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I always love when an author can give a lot of personality to an inanimate object, and perhaps there’s more the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang than we know. The other characters in the book were fun, too. Commander Pott, the father, was such a fun character, and I imagine that children would love to have someone so unconventional as the Commander as a father. And Jeremy and Jemima, the children, are definitely characters that children can relate to. I can’t say that any character is extremely developed, but there is definitely a personality to each character.
I haven’t seen the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but I think that the film is a bit different from the book. So if you are familiar with the movie, you might be surprised with the difference. I’m going to try to watch the movie this weekend. It’s on Netflix!
I’m a huge David Tennant fan. He’s my favorite Doctor, and he just seems like a really intelligent, nice guy. I listened to him narrator How to Train You Dragon by Cressida Cowell, which was a wonderful experience, so I was really excited to listen to Tennant narrate Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He uses an English accent, not his Scottish accent, and it really fit the story. I think adults and children would like his narration. At the end of the audiobook there were a few minutes of interview with David Tennant, and I really enjoyed that as well.
If you enjoy children’s literature and Roald Dahl’s books, I think you would really enjoy Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It’s an very quick read. In fact, the audiobook was only a few hours long. But I really enjoyed those two hours.
There were two reasons on why I decided to read Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming. The first reason was because I had read some more emotional books lately, and I needed something easy and cute to cleanse my palate. The second reason was because DAVID TENNANT (yes, that needed all caps!) narrated this audiobook. I really knew nothing about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I’ve never seen the movie, or really looked into the book. All I knew was that it was about a car, and that it was written by the same man who created James Bond. This sponanteous decision turned out be to perfection.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is most definitely a children’s book. It’s not middle grade, and I think you need to have an appreciation of children’s literature to enjoy it as an adult. In fact, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl books, with the adventurous children, and the unexplained magical aspects to the story.
My favorite part of this book was the personality that Fleming gave to the car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I always love when an author can give a lot of personality to an inanimate object, and perhaps there’s more the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang than we know. The other characters in the book were fun, too. Commander Pott, the father, was such a fun character, and I imagine that children would love to have someone so unconventional as the Commander as a father. And Jeremy and Jemima, the children, are definitely characters that children can relate to. I can’t say that any character is extremely developed, but there is definitely a personality to each character.
I haven’t seen the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but I think that the film is a bit different from the book. So if you are familiar with the movie, you might be surprised with the difference. I’m going to try to watch the movie this weekend. It’s on Netflix!
I’m a huge David Tennant fan. He’s my favorite Doctor, and he just seems like a really intelligent, nice guy. I listened to him narrator How to Train You Dragon by Cressida Cowell, which was a wonderful experience, so I was really excited to listen to Tennant narrate Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He uses an English accent, not his Scottish accent, and it really fit the story. I think adults and children would like his narration. At the end of the audiobook there were a few minutes of interview with David Tennant, and I really enjoyed that as well.
If you enjoy children’s literature and Roald Dahl’s books, I think you would really enjoy Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It’s an very quick read. In fact, the audiobook was only a few hours long. But I really enjoyed those two hours.
emiged's review against another edition
3.0
Fun adventure story with a touch of magic kept the kids interested and engaged (we read a few pages before bedtime every night). I like the narrator's asides to the reader, explaining terms or joking about the characters - my kids got intermittent history and geography lessons to make sense of the story.
The boys were disappointed that the movie (which they watched after we finished reading the book) is such a departure from the book, though.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
The boys were disappointed that the movie (which they watched after we finished reading the book) is such a departure from the book, though.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
nyx_who's review against another edition
4.0
First, a confession. I watched the 1960s movie adaptation of this book years ago and was fascinated. Without fail, every time I read the title of this book the songs from the movie play in a loop in my head. For once, this ear worm was pleasant background music to my read rather than just another annoying ear worm.
I was more than surprised when I realised the author of this book was the same as the creator of 007. Poles apart, this book covers the adventures of an inventor rather than international intrigue. With the Potts family, and the aptly named vehicle 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' we are taken on an exciting adventure which quickly turns problematic. Throw in a kidnapping in the midst, and you have a wonderful adventure that will keep a young reader thoroughly entertained.
While I did pick up this book as an easy way to fulfil a prompt in a reading challenge. I am not in the least disappointed. I was entertained throughout and Ian Fleming (of whom I am not the biggest fan admittedly) has done a great job with this book. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang indeed!
I was more than surprised when I realised the author of this book was the same as the creator of 007. Poles apart, this book covers the adventures of an inventor rather than international intrigue. With the Potts family, and the aptly named vehicle 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' we are taken on an exciting adventure which quickly turns problematic. Throw in a kidnapping in the midst, and you have a wonderful adventure that will keep a young reader thoroughly entertained.
While I did pick up this book as an easy way to fulfil a prompt in a reading challenge. I am not in the least disappointed. I was entertained throughout and Ian Fleming (of whom I am not the biggest fan admittedly) has done a great job with this book. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang indeed!
tcorder's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Took off half a star for the illustrations. When the book says a character has a dark beard, he should be drawn with a dark beard, not bare-faced.
eowynn01's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Fun little book by the James Bond author, the audio was fun since it had sound effects and such.
It is very different then the movie that stared Dick Vandyke but enough was the same to be considered based on the children's book.
It is an older book so it can be looked like a time piece, but still fun for children to read or listen to.
It is very different then the movie that stared Dick Vandyke but enough was the same to be considered based on the children's book.
It is an older book so it can be looked like a time piece, but still fun for children to read or listen to.
kirstycarson1's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
abookandaspotoftea's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
marciaokla's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
samwescott's review against another edition
4.0
This book was absolutely adorable. I like narrators who are a bit more present in the text and Ian Fleming does a great job of that here. The characters are cute and the stories are well-paced and funny. I wish the mother character had a personality, though. I can totally see why the movie killed her off. I do think it's kinda funny that the author is the guy who created James Bond, since they are so tonally different. But I guess he just really has a thing for cars with gadgets.