Books

James and the Giant Peach

Information   Teaser   Reviews   Awards   Fun Stuff   Merchandise   Teacher Resources   Cover Illustrations   French, Spanish, Norwegian Cover Illustrations

Information

• First editions:
  • Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1961, USA.
    • Illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert
  • Allen & Unwin, 1967, UK.
    • Illustrated by Michel Simeon
• Poems contained:
  • "'I look and smell,' Aunt Sponge declared..."
  • "We may see a Creature with forty-nine heads..."
  • "I've eaten many strange and scrumptious dishes in my time..."
  • "Aunt Sponge was terrifically fat..."
  • "Aunt Spiker was thin as a wire..."
  • "Once upon a time..."
  • "Down they go..."
  • "Oh, hooray for the storm and the rain..."
  • "My friends, this is the Centipede, and let me make it known..."
• Censorship:
  • Challenged at the Deep Creek Elementary School in Charlotte Harbor, Fla. (1991) because it is "not appropriate reading material for young children."
  • Challenged at the Pederson Elementary School in Altoona, Wis. (1991) and at the Morton Elementary School library in Brooksville, Fla. (1992) because the book contains the word "ass" and "promotes" the use of drugs (tobacco, snuff) and whiskey.
  • Removed from classrooms in Stafford County, Va. Schools (1995) and placed in restricted access in the library because the story contains crude language and encourages children to disobey their parents and other adults.
• Collected in:
  • Hey! Listen to This - Stories to Read Aloud
  • It's Heaven to be Seven
• Spanish edition:
  • Alfaguara, 1961.
  • Translated into Spanish by Leopoldo Rodriguez
  Movie:
  • "James and the Giant Peach"
• Play:
  • "James and the Giant Peach"
• Audio Books:
  • 2 Favourite Stories
  • 4 Favourite Stories
  • James and the Giant Peach read by Roald Dahl
  • James and the Giant Peach read by Jeremy Irons
  • The Roald Dahl Audio Collection read by Roald Dahl
  • The Roald Dahl Soundbook read by Roald Dahl

Teaser

"James didn't know where the little man came from. He was just there, thrusting a faintly glowing bag at James. 'Here! You take it! It's yours!' With a promise that the bag of 'little green things' is magic and will free James from life with his horrible, cruel aunts, Sponge and Spiker, the little man is gone––and James is dizzy with joy. But in his excitement James drops the bag, and the magic is lost, sucked into the ground around the old peach tree. Would things never go right for James?

But then he feels it. Something is going to happen. Aunt Spiker spots it first: a peach growing high in their single peach tree. Growing and growing till it's as big as fat Aunt Sponge, and then as big as their house! All greedy Sponge and Spiker can think is that the remarkable peach will make them rich. But James knows. 'Something else, something stranger than ever this time, is about to happen to me again soon.'"

Reviews

• "The Wonderful World of Dahl" (movie tie–in review) by Sean Kelly

Awards

• Massachusetts Children's Award (USA 1982)

Fun Stuff

• James and the Giant Peach Trivia Quiz
• First Edition Illustrations
• Original Cartoon Illustrations by artist Liz Manicatide
• Sotheby's Dahl Auction
• Book-A-Minute Bedtime Story
• Illustrations by Mr. Hutchinson's Fifth Grade Class

Merchandise

• Robertson's Jam Badge

Teacher Resources

• James and the Giant Peach
  • TeacherView Activities
    • Two different plans, including ideas for studying "minibeasts", comparing the book to the film, and discussing abuse
  • Peachy Ideas
    • Includes some peach-related ideas for teaching the book
  • Book Study Activities
    • Includes several questions and extension activities
  • Anticipation Guide
    • Web questionnaire designed to introduce issues and ideas found in the book
  • Book Review
    • PDF fill-in-the-blanks worksheet that helps the student write a book review
  • TeacherVision.com Resources
    • Includes several good ideas for enrichment activities, a list of Internet links, and a Dahl bibliography
  • Classroom Activities
    • Excellent resource containing lots of ideas for studying the book: vocabularly lists, quizzes, extension activities, diagrams, character chart, etc.
  • Project for Children & Parents
    • Includes summary, discussion questions, activities, and recipe

Cover Illustrations

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First Edition, Alfred A. Knopf, 1961

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French Cover Illustration – "James et la Grosse Pêche"

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Spanish Cover Illustration – "James y el Melocotón Gigante"

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Norwegian Cover Illustration – "Verdens Største Fersken"