The BFG

The BFG

I fell in love with children’s books as an adult in a Children’s Lit class I took in college. The professor was so enthusiastic about the stories we studied that it was hard not to get excited too (My art history teacher was the same, plus some. I wish I could attend a class of hers every day for the rest of my life). We read fairy tales, Harriet the Spy, Alice in Wonderland, several others, and James and the Giant Peach. I hadn’t read Roald Dahl in my childhood and ended up really enjoying it.

I picked up my very loved and very used copy of the BFG at a library sale back in North Carolina and it has taken several years for me to get around to reading it. This book is about the Big Friendly Giant (BFG) and Sophie, a girl he kidnaps when she spots him in the middle of the night. The BGF is the only giant that doesn’t eat people, so Sophie is relatively safe with him.

The hilarious thing about this book is the way the giants talk. They never went to school and they know what they want to say but often switch words or mash them together. A few of my favorites:

  • Human “beans” instead of “beings.”
  • “Bellypoppers” for “helicopters.”
  • Instead of saying, “Am I right?” he says, “Right or left?”
Sophie ends up taking the BFG into helping her save humans from the other hungry giants that eat people and their plan involves a humorous interaction with the Queen. This is a fun, quick read I really recommend!
4/5 Stars