The BFG has been released as a movie this summer and my youngest son and I have enjoyed this book together prior to watching the movie.  It was an interesting read which highlights Roald Dahl’s creativity and imagination.

It begins with young Sophie looking out her orphanage window when she spotted a large giant.  He sees her watching and plucks her from her room.  Although he is enormous and has an interesting way of talking, she quickly learns that he is both gentle and kind.  He tries to share good dreams with children unlike 9 other giants who travel the world eating “human beans” each night.

Sophie and the BFG are both upset by the behaviour of the other giants and devise a plan to save the children of the world.  The plan includes involving the Queen who despite her surprise meeting the BFG is prepared for this shock through a dream shared with her by the BFG.

The story is creative and the text is augmented with black and white drawings of the giants.  The giants use an interesting speech pattern including curious words and speaking of themselves as “I”.  It is a tale which is reflective of the nightmares of children yet has a happy ending which is reassuring.

At the end of the book, there are some interesting facts about The BFG and the late Roald Dahl:

• there are big friend giant footprints leading to Roald Dahl’s grave
• Dahl wrote his books in a specially built brick hut which is exactly as he left it including cigarette butts in the ashtray
• the movie Gremlins was inspired by one of Dahl’s first children’s books
• he died in 1994 at the age of 74