James and the Giant Peach

James and the Giant Peach 

James and the Giant Peach was a children's literature fanastsy novel that was written by Ronald Dahl. This was the first of his novels to be for children. The first illustrations were done by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, over the years the book as reillustrated but serval different people including Michael Simeon for the first British edition, Emma Chichester Clark, Lane Smith and Quentin Blake. A few years later there was a movie produced in 1996. The novel is for children ages 9 through 12.

James and the Giant Peach is the story of a young boy who escapes an abusive home in a magical peach. Along the way, he makes new friends, and discovers the joys of freedom and friendship, which he never thought he would experience.

In summary, James is a young boy who lost this parents in a tragic accident at the zoo, upon the death of his parent he is sent to live with his two terrible aunts. Moving in with his aunts changed his life dramatically, the started to be abused but them immediately. His aunts treat him terribly, forcing him to work all day long, denying him any friends or schooling, and calling him names. He became very lonely and lost all hope. to his surprise  he finds a mysterious old man hiding in the bushes one day after work. The man gives James a bag full of magic beans and warns him to be very careful with them as they are extremely powerful. While he is running back to his house, James trips and spills the beans in his Aunts' garden. Shocked and scared he just sat there wondering how is was going to explain this to his aunts. Surprisingly, the beans immediately burrow their way into the ground and produce a massive peach at the top of the peach tree. When no one is around, James sneaks up to the peach and finds a magical tunnel there. Confused and interested he climbs inside and is greeted by a host of giant insects, including a Grasshopper, a Ladybug, a Spider, and a Centipede.

 

He encounters a lot of adventures with his new friends and the giant peach, fighting all sharks and other animals in the ocean. he magically arrives in New York City and starts a new life for himself. He starts a great future for himself, he made the giant peach into his home and told his story to visitors that would come through daily. He once had no friends, was lonely and scared but now is has too many friends to count and he is the happiest he has ever been.

Class Questions:

1. How long did James live with his aunts before he met the old man who gave him the seeds?
2. How did James parents die?
3. What were the names of Jame's aunts and how did he describe them?

Classroom Activity:

Have the class of students explore metaphors and similes in the descriptions of Aunt Sponge
and Aunt Spiker and the rest of the characters in the book.

If you liked this story check out more stories written but Ronald Dahl:

• Over you 
• Kiss Kiss
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• The Twits 

Dahl, Roald, and Lane Smith. James and the Giant Peach: A Children's Story. New York: Penguin Puffin, 1996. Print.