Poor James. A rhino kills his mum and dad and he is sent to live with his repulsive aunts at the top of a lonely hill. Just when life can’t get any worse, a dropped packet of magical crocodile tongues make the tree in the garden spout a gigantic peach, which is where the fun begins. There is something so delightfully wicked about Roald Dahl’s books. We rejoice when the baddies come to a sticky end – what could be stickier than being squashed to death by a giant peach? Be gone repulsive aunts! Not everyone feels the same though – the book is number 56 on the ‘100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: 1990–2000’ according to the American Library Association. I find it hard to believe people seriously object to this book – enough for it to make a list. I guess Grimm Fairy Tales would probably be off the menu for those folks.
The only objection I have to the book is that I always thought the giant peach looked like a giant bottom. See what I mean?
James and the Giant Peach Published: 1961
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Nancy Ekholm Burkert
Fruity fact one: I love blackberry picking in autumn.
Fruity fact two: Banana milkshake rocks my socks.
Fruity fact three: I once scrumped apples. They were wormy and horrible.
Fruity fact four: Segments of orange go lovely with smoked salmon fillets.
Fruity fact five: Strawberries and grapes are nice in salads.
