James and the Giant Peach facts for kids
First edition (US)
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| Author | Roald Dahl |
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| Illustrator |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel, Fantasy |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. |
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Publication date
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17 July 1961 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 160 |
| OCLC | 50568125 |
| [Fic] 21 | |
| LC Class | PZ8.D137 James 2002 |
James and the Giant Peach is a famous children's book written in 1961. It was created by the British author Roald Dahl. The very first version of the book had pictures by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. Later, other artists like Quentin Blake also drew new pictures for it.
This amazing story was also made into a movie in 1996. A musical version came out in 2010.
The book is about a young English orphan boy named James. He goes on a wild and magical adventure inside a giant peach. He meets seven special garden bugs who become his friends. Roald Dahl first thought about writing about a giant cherry. But he changed his mind to a peach because it was "prettier, bigger and squishier."
Some parts of the story are a bit unusual or scary. Because of this, the book has sometimes been discussed by people who review books. Roald Dahl wrote this book for his six-year-old daughter, Olivia. Sadly, she passed away just one year after the book was published.
Contents
Story Summary
James Henry Trotter lives happily with his parents by the sea. But when he is only four years old, a sad accident happens. His parents are lost because of an escaped rhinoceros. James then has to live with his two mean aunts, Spiker and Sponge. They are very unkind to him. They don't feed him well and make him sleep on hard floorboards.
After three years with his aunts, James meets a mysterious old man. The man gives him a bag of magical crystals. He tells James to use them to make a potion that will change his life. On his way home, James trips. The crystals spill and disappear into the ground.
Suddenly, a nearby peach tree grows a single peach. This peach quickly grows to the size of a house! Spiker and Sponge build a fence around it. They make money by selling tickets to people who want to see the giant peach. James is locked inside the house. He can only see the peach through his bedroom window.
After the tourists leave, James is told to clean up. He finds a secret tunnel inside the peach. He crawls in and meets some amazing new friends. These friends are a Centipede, Miss Spider, Old Green Grasshopper, Earthworm, Ladybug, Glowworm, and Silkworm.
The next day, the Centipede cuts the peach stem. The giant peach rolls away and crushes James's aunts. It rolls all the way to the sea. There, hungry sharks surround it. James uses Miss Spider and Silkworm to make strong threads. The Earthworm helps by acting as bait. This brings 501 seagulls close to the peach. The threads are tied to the seagulls' necks. The peach is then lifted out of the water!
High above the clouds, the peach meets Cloud-Men. These Cloud-Men are in charge of weather like hailstorms and rainbows. The Centipede makes fun of the Cloud-Men. But James is smart and moves the peach lower. This helps them avoid any trouble. James then realizes they have reached New York City!
The huge peach lands right on top of the Empire State Building. At first, people think it's a bomb. Police and firefighters rush to the scene. James calms everyone down and tells his whole story. He becomes friends with many children in New York. They all eat the giant peach. James and his bug friends find new jobs and live happily ever after.
Main Characters
- James Henry Trotter – He is the seven-year-old main character of the story.
- The Old Man – A friendly and mysterious man who starts James's adventure.
- Aunt Spiker – A thin, tall, mean, and cruel woman. She is Sponge's sister.
- Aunt Sponge – A fat, tricky, greedy, and evil woman. She is Spiker's sister.
- The Centipede – A male centipede. He is loud and proud of his "hundred legs," even though he only has 42.
- The Earthworm – A male earthworm who often argues with the Centipede.
- The Old Green Grasshopper – A male grasshopper. He is the oldest and most polite of the animals.
- The Ladybug – A kind, motherly female ladybug.
- Miss Spider – A good-natured female spider who cares for James.
- The Glowworm – A female glowworm. She helps light up the inside of the Peach.
- The Silkworm – A female Silkworm. She helps Miss Spider make thread for their adventures.
Book Adaptations
Film Versions
A TV show based on the book was shown on BBC One on December 28, 1976. Paul Stone directed it. The actors included Simon Bell as James and Bernard Cribbins as Centipede.
Roald Dahl did not want a movie made of James and the Giant Peach during his lifetime. But after he passed away, his wife, Felicity Dahl, agreed to a movie with Disney. This film was directed by Henry Selick. It was produced by Denise Di Novi and Tim Burton. They had also worked on The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The movie used both live action (real actors) and stop-motion animation. This helped save money on making the film. Pete Postlethwaite was the narrator and also played the wizard. The movie came out on April 12, 1996. It didn't make a lot of money at first. But it got good reviews and became a "cult classic," meaning many people loved it over time.
The movie changed some parts of the book's story. But Felicity Dahl said, "I think Roald would have been delighted with what they did with James." The movie was nominated for an Academy Award for its music. It also won an award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival for Best Animated Feature Film.
In 2016, there were talks about making another live-action movie. Sam Mendes was going to direct it for Disney. But in 2017, he left the project. He decided to work on a live-action Pinocchio film instead.
Musical Version
The book was also turned into a musical. The music and songs were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The musical first opened at Goodspeed Musicals on October 21, 2010. It is now often performed in local theaters and by youth groups.
Charity Readings
In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taika Waititi helped organize special audio and video readings of the book. He worked with the Roald Dahl Story Company. Many famous actors joined him, like Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong'o, and Cate Blanchette. Also, Benedict Cumberbatch, Liam and Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Reynolds, and even the Duchess of Cornwall took part. These readings were put on the official Roald Dahl YouTube Channel.
This event helped raise money for Partners In Health. This is a global charity started by Dahl's daughter, Ophelia Dahl. The charity was helping people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Roald Dahl Story Company promised to match donations up to $1 million.
Waititi was already working with the company. He was writing and directing a new TV show for Netflix based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Book Editions
Over the years, James and the Giant Peach has been printed in many different versions. Here are a few examples:
- 2011 – ISBN: 0-14-310634-1 (A special 50th-anniversary paperback edition with new illustrations.)
- 2003 – ISBN: 0-06-054272-1 (An audio CD version read by the actor Jeremy Irons.)
- 1996 – ISBN: 0679880909 (A paperback with pictures by Lane Smith.)
- 1995 – ISBN: 0-14-037156-7 (A paperback with pictures by Quentin Blake, a very famous Roald Dahl illustrator.)
See also
In Spanish: James and the Giant Peach para niños
