Chocky facts for kids
1st edition
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| Author | John Wyndham |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Michael Joseph |
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Publication date
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1968 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 160 |
| ISBN | 0-7451-0059-7 |
| OCLC | 11366251 |
| Preceded by | Trouble with Lichen |
Chocky is a science fiction novel written by the British author John Wyndham. It first appeared as a shorter story in Amazing Stories magazine in March 1963. Later, in 1968, it was made into a full novel. The BBC also created a radio play based on the book in 1967. Many years later, in 1984, a children's TV show inspired by the novel was shown on ITV in the United Kingdom.
Contents
What is Chocky About?
This section tells you about the main story of the book.
Matthew's Imaginary Friend
The story begins with David Gore worrying about his twelve-year-old son, Matthew. Matthew has an "imaginary friend" named Chocky. David thinks Matthew is too old for such a friend. Matthew starts to get very upset, saying he is arguing with Chocky. This makes David even more concerned about his son.
Chocky's True Identity
As the story continues, it becomes clear that Chocky is not imaginary at all. Chocky is actually an alien being. This alien communicates directly with Matthew's mind. This amazing discovery soon catches the attention of some powerful people.
Chocky's Mission on Earth
Chocky explains that it is a scout from another planet. Its job is to find new planets or help intelligent life grow. Chocky tells David, through Matthew, that it became too close to Matthew. It even saved Matthew and his sister from an accident. This act broke the rules of its mission. Because of this, Chocky must stop talking to Matthew. Chocky's future work on Earth will be done in a much more secret way.
Chocky on Screen and Radio
The story of Chocky has been told in many ways.
Radio Adaptations
The novel was turned into a 60-minute radio play for BBC Radio 2. It was first heard on November 27, 1968. The actors included Eric Thompson as David Gore and Judy Bennett as Matthew Gore.
Later, BBC Radio 4 read the novel in seven short episodes. These were broadcast daily in May 1975.
Another radio play, 90 minutes long, was made for BBC Radio 4. It first aired on March 18, 1998. This version featured Owen Teale as David Gore and Sacha Dhawan as Matthew Gore. The voice of Chocky was played by Kathryn Hunt. This radio play has been repeated many times since 2007.
Television Series
The novel also inspired a popular children's TV series. This series included Chocky (1984), Chocky's Children, and Chocky's Challenge. Anthony Read wrote the shows, and Thames Television produced them. Andrew Ellams played Matthew, and Glynis Brooks was the voice of Chocky.
You can find these TV series on DVD. The first series was released in March 2010. The second, Chocky's Children, came out in June 2010. The third, Chocky's Challenge, was released in August 2010.
Proposed Film
In September 2008, the famous director Steven Spielberg bought the rights to make a Chocky film. He said he was interested in directing it himself.
See also
In Spanish: Chocky para niños
