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Description edit
A work of genius! Brings out the kid in everyone.
A funny, entertaining, exciting book about a giant who has lots of marvelous adventures with an orphan girl named Sophie. Great read for everyone!
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
Sophie is an orphan who can't sleep. The night of the "witching hour" she looks out the window and spots the BFG, and he spots her. He captures Sophie and takes her back home to giant country. She discovers that the BFG is is a vegetarian, so he won't eat her, and is anomaly in Giant Country... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters/People edit
- Sophie: Add a description of this character.
- The BFG
- The Queen of England: She is a nice lady that Sophie and the BFG see at the end of the story.
- Mary: The Queen's maid.
- Mr. Tibbs: The Palace Butler.
- The Head of the Army: Fights in wars for the queen.
- The Head of the Air Force: He drives the Queen's airplanes.
- The Fleshlumpeater: The largest and meanest of the Giants.
- The Childchewer: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Bonecruncher: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Manhugger: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Meatdripper: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Gizzardgulper: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Maidmasher: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Bloodbottler: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
- The Butcher Boy: One of the 9 people-eating giants.
Quotes edit
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“"The witching hour, somebody had once whispered to her, was a special moment in the middle of the night when every child and every grown-up was in a deep deep sleep, and all the dark things came out from hiding and had the world all to themselves."”
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“"Cheers Big Ears!"”
Setting & Locations edit
- Giant Country: Where the giants live.
- England: The country where Sophie is from and where the giants went to eat children
- London: Where the Queen's Palace is
- Wellington: Where Sophie is from
- Sweden: Where the giants ate some kids
- Baghdad
- Chile: Giants lode for people from Chile because they taste like chilli
- Turkey: giants hate to eat people from turkey because they taste like turkey
- Dream Country: The place where the BFG goes to capture dreams.
First Sentence edit
Sophie couldn't sleep.
Table of Contents edit
1. The Witching Hour
2. Who?
3. The Snatch
4. The Cave
5. The BFG
6. The Giants
7. The Marvellous Ears
8. Snozzcumbers
9. The Bloodbottler
10. Frobscottle and Whizzpoppers
11. Journey to Dream Country
12. Dream-Catching
13. A Trogglehumper for the Flesheater
14. Dreams
15. The Great Plan
16. Mixing the Dream
17. Journey to London
18. The Palace
19. The Queen
20. The Royal Breakfast
21. The Plan
22. Capture!
23. Feeding Time
24. The Author
Glossary edit
- Murderful: Full of murderous intent
- whoppsy-whiffling: Describe this term.
- scrumdiddlyumtious: Delightful, mind-blowing, especially with regard to flavor
- uckyslush: Unpalatable, dirty. Antonym: scrumdiddlyumptious
- bundongle: A container so small that it is hardly useful for holding anything, and is often left to gather dust in a trinket cabinet. Not to be confused with boondoggle
- babblement: Conversation
- whooshey: To a great extent.
- Snozzcumber: A vegetable in Giant Country that looks like a huge, black/white striped cucumber and has a slimy structure. It's absolutely disgusting.
- Frobscottle: A sweet drink that the BFG loves. It's got bubbles that go down and make you Whizpop
- Whizpopping: Flatulating; passing gas; farting
- Trogglehumper: A nightmare
Themes & Symbolism edit
Series & Lists edit
This is book 97 of 96 in Waterstone's Top 100 Books of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)
Preceded by The Van, and followed by Earthly Powers.
This is book 56 of 196 in BBC 'Big Read' Top 200 Novels, 2003. (authoritative list)
Preceded by A Suitable Boy, and followed by Swallows and Amazons.
This book is in 100 Fantabulous Book Challenge. (community list)
This is book 53 of 45 in 100 Books Every Child Should Read - Part 02: The Middle Years (The Telegraph). (authoritative list)
Preceded by His Dark Materials Boxed Set, and followed by Swallows and Amazons.
This is book 624 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)
Preceded by Ronia, the Robber's Daughter, and followed by The Haunting.
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Puffin
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 1982
ISBN: 0141301058
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Puffin
Country: United Kingdom
Publication Date: 1982
ISBN: 0141301058
Page Count: 208
Awards edit
- Federation of Children's Book Groups Award (UK 1982) (1982)
- Deutsche Jugend Literatur Preis, Germany (1984)
- International Board on Books for Young People awards for Norwegian and German translations (1986) (1986)
- Good Book Guide "Best Books of the Past 20 Years" (UK 1997) (1997)
- Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 (2011) (2011, #6)
- BBC's Big Read (April 2003, #56)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PZ7.D1515Bf
- Dewey: 823.914
Subjects edit
Popular Tags
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Links to Supplemental Material edit
- Wise Owl Factory Reading Page: The Wise Owl Factory has free PDF work pages with a key for the BGF. It has free lessons for elementary teachers.
- Roald Dahl Fans (complete site with teacher resources): Teacher Resources
Movie Connections edit
- The BFG (IMDb): Animation
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