The BFG, by Roald Dahl (1982)
The BFG is one of eight novels written for children by Roald Dahl. Some children have read them all. But most have only read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and/or James and the Giant Peach. And that makes The BFG a perfect choice for One School, One Book. A beloved author with accessible, reader-friendly prose, but a story mostly unknown to parents.
And what a playful and entertaining story it is. Sophie, an orphan (like most Dahl protagonists), is kidnapped by a huge giant, who turns out to be an eccentric and charming fellow, the BFG - the Big Friendly Giant. There is a plot and an adventure - centering on an effort to protect other chilldren from other dangerous giants - but the heart of The BFG is the giant's speech, his inventive, mixed-up, funny, yet charming lingo. Dahl invents a host of neologisms - adjectives, nouns, verbs - that come off even funnier when read aloud. This makes The BFG a perfect book for families to discover and enjoy together, as Dahl and the BFG charm and enthrall children of all ages.
