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A review by katykelly
The BFG by Roald Dahl
5.0
My first re-read with my son. Via audiobook (David Walliams narrating), this captured me as much by Dahl's word-play as it ever did when I was a child.
My five-year-old loved it too and now keeps happily mentioned 'bellypoppers' at random times of the day.
This is arguably Dahl's best novel. Matilda is my favourite, but in no other book does he quite manage the amazing talent for language that he does with the Big Friendly Giant.
Sophie, the orphan girl, is snatched from her bed by a giant dream-blower, the BFG of the title, who lives in Giant Country as a runt among child-killing giants, alone with only repulsive snozcumbers for sustenance. And the dreams he collects to blow into children's windows at night.
The BFG is the father figure Sophie does not have, one with imperfect English (self-taught) who hates his fellow giants and their human-eating ways. It takes the little girl to conjure up the plan (involving dreams, a trip to London and the Queen of England) that will stop their evil ways for good.
What a lovely, lovely story to read together. With perfectly evil characters to despise, and a wonderfully heroic pair in little Sophie and her giant friend, you have the perfect set-up for a strong plot - where the story takes its time to get back to the killer giants. We have chapters meandering through the BFG's learning of English through books (always an important thing with Dahl), collecting dreams, looking at dream bottles, having giggles with whizzpops) until finally Sophie's plan must be acted on, and the Queen of England plays second fiddle to the twosome and helps them capture the child-killers for good.
My son didn't always understand the BFG's mistakes (in language), but I could see he was enjoying listening to the story, and was following the general plot. I'm sure as he grows older he will catch on and read this on another level. It was charming to listen to this as an adult and see the BFG as an overgrown child with no parental guidance, a good soul who tries to bring happiness to children but by himself is helpless to stop them.
Little Sophie is like Matilda in that she is the small person charged with defeating the mighty 'grown up' characters, calling in support, but providing the impetus needed to start events on their course.
Walliams voiced this very well, nothing overdone, appropriate and amusing voices for each character, the BFG given a quaint south-eastern farmer voice that doesn't become a stereotype, the Queen's closest to this but still amusing rather than annoying.
The Dahl everyone should read. And hopefully after this summer's (2016) film, it's the one everyone will be clamouring for copies of. Share it with them now.
One for all ages - if my 5-year-old can listen to 4 hours of the BFG, then anyone will love it.
My five-year-old loved it too and now keeps happily mentioned 'bellypoppers' at random times of the day.
This is arguably Dahl's best novel. Matilda is my favourite, but in no other book does he quite manage the amazing talent for language that he does with the Big Friendly Giant.
Sophie, the orphan girl, is snatched from her bed by a giant dream-blower, the BFG of the title, who lives in Giant Country as a runt among child-killing giants, alone with only repulsive snozcumbers for sustenance. And the dreams he collects to blow into children's windows at night.
The BFG is the father figure Sophie does not have, one with imperfect English (self-taught) who hates his fellow giants and their human-eating ways. It takes the little girl to conjure up the plan (involving dreams, a trip to London and the Queen of England) that will stop their evil ways for good.
What a lovely, lovely story to read together. With perfectly evil characters to despise, and a wonderfully heroic pair in little Sophie and her giant friend, you have the perfect set-up for a strong plot - where the story takes its time to get back to the killer giants. We have chapters meandering through the BFG's learning of English through books (always an important thing with Dahl), collecting dreams, looking at dream bottles, having giggles with whizzpops) until finally Sophie's plan must be acted on, and the Queen of England plays second fiddle to the twosome and helps them capture the child-killers for good.
My son didn't always understand the BFG's mistakes (in language), but I could see he was enjoying listening to the story, and was following the general plot. I'm sure as he grows older he will catch on and read this on another level. It was charming to listen to this as an adult and see the BFG as an overgrown child with no parental guidance, a good soul who tries to bring happiness to children but by himself is helpless to stop them.
Little Sophie is like Matilda in that she is the small person charged with defeating the mighty 'grown up' characters, calling in support, but providing the impetus needed to start events on their course.
Walliams voiced this very well, nothing overdone, appropriate and amusing voices for each character, the BFG given a quaint south-eastern farmer voice that doesn't become a stereotype, the Queen's closest to this but still amusing rather than annoying.
The Dahl everyone should read. And hopefully after this summer's (2016) film, it's the one everyone will be clamouring for copies of. Share it with them now.
One for all ages - if my 5-year-old can listen to 4 hours of the BFG, then anyone will love it.