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James and the Giant Peach

 
James and the Giant Peach

 
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James and the Giant Peach
 
 
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James and the Giant Peach (1967
1967 in literature

The year 1967 in literature involved some significant events and new books....
) is a popular children's novel by English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 author Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a United Kingdom novelist, short story writer and screenwriter, born in Wales of Norwegian people parents. After service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, In which he became a flying ace, he rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both Children's literature and adults, and became one of the world's bes...
. Originally titled James and the Giant Cherry, Dahl changed it to James and the Giant Peach becaus a peach is "prettier, bigger and squishier", and a peach is a drupe
Drupe

In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovary....
.

Because of the story's macabre and occasionally frightening content, it has become a regular target of the censors and is no.






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James and the Giant Peach (1967
1967 in literature

The year 1967 in literature involved some significant events and new books....
) is a popular children's novel by English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 author Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a United Kingdom novelist, short story writer and screenwriter, born in Wales of Norwegian people parents. After service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, In which he became a flying ace, he rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both Children's literature and adults, and became one of the world's bes...
. Originally titled James and the Giant Cherry, Dahl changed it to James and the Giant Peach becaus a peach is "prettier, bigger and squishier", and a peach is a drupe
Drupe

In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovary....
.

Because of the story's macabre and occasionally frightening content, it has become a regular target of the censors and is no. 56 on the American Library Association
American Library Association

The American Library Association is a group based in the United States that promotes library and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 65,000 members....
's top 100 list of most frequently challenged books.

Synopsis

When he was four years old, James's parents were gobbled up by a rhinoceros. He has since been forced to live with his horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge, who treat him like a slave, keep him in the attic and only feed him fish heads. One afternoon when he is crying in the woods James stumbles across a friendly wizard, who mysteriously understands his situation and gives him some magic crystals that he promises will bring happiness. On the way back to the house James spills it onto a peach tree, which grows a peach to a giant size.

Venturing inside the cavernous fruit, he discovers a rag-tag band of anthropomorphic insects who take him on a weird but wonderful journey...

Characters

  • James Henry Trotter - The main protagonist, a seven year old boy who is forced into the care of his abusive aunts, Spiker and Sponge, after his parents are killed by a rhinoceros.


  • Aunt Spiker - A cruel, malicious and thoroughly repulsive human being, who derives a sadistic pleasure in tormenting young James.


  • Aunt Sponge - A morbidly obese and stupid woman, who is more or less dominated by Aunt Spiker.


  • The Centipede - A boisterous rascal with a good heart, his favourite things are food and music.


  • The Ladybug - A kind, motherly character who takes care of James as if he were her son.


  • The Earthworm - Blind and very pessimistic, he argues frequently with the more jovial centipede.


  • The Glowworm - An incessantly sleepy character, whose glow provides lighting for the peach.


  • The Silkworm - A shy, introverted creature who spends her time weaving beautiful, very fine silk patterns.


  • Miss Spider - A gentle, kindly insect not unlike the Silkworm.


  • Old Man - A friendly wizard.


  • The Grasshopper - A loving friend who has passion for music.


Editions

  • ISBN 0-375-81424-8 (hardcover
    Hardcover

    A hardcover is a book bookbinding with rigid protective covers . They may have flexible sewn spines which allow the book to lie flat on a surface when opened, although most modern commercial hardcover books have glued spines....
    , 2002)
  • ISBN 0-670-88577-0 (hardcover, 1999)
  • ISBN 0-7868-3105-7 (hardcover, 1996)
  • ISBN 0-670-85251-1 (hardcover, 1995)
  • ISBN 0-613-35965-8 (library binding
    Library binding

    Library binding is the term used to describe the method of binding Serial , and re-binding paperback or hardcover books, for use within libraries....
    , 2001)
  • ISBN 0-679-98090-3 (library binding, 1996)
  • ISBN 0-14-130467-7 (paperback
    Paperback

    Paperback, softback, or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its bookbinding. The book covers of such books are usually made of paper or cardboard, and are usually held together with adhesive rather than stitches or Staple s....
    , 2001)
  • ISBN 0-14-131135-5 (paperback, 2001)
  • ISBN 0-14-130756-0 (paperback, 2000)
  • ISBN 0-00-102494-9 (paperback, 1997)
  • ISBN 0-679-88090-9 (paperback, 1996)
  • ISBN 0-14-038234-8 (paperback, 1996)
  • ISBN 0-14-037424-8 (paperback, 1996)
  • ISBN 0-14-038297-6 (paperback, 1996)
  • ISBN 0-14-037156-7 (paperback, 1995)
  • ISBN 1-55734-441-8 (paperback, 1994)
  • ISBN 0-14-034269-9 (paperback, 1990)