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The Magic Finger
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The Magic Finger (1966) (edit title/settings)

by Roald Dahl (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

The Gregg family loves hunting, but their eight-year-old neighbor can't stand it. After countless pleas for them to stop are ignored, she has no other choice -- she has to put her magic finger on them. Now the Greggs are a family of birds, and like it or not, they're going to find out how it... read more

Summary edit see section history

The story is about the Gregg family that hunts ducks for fun, and is narrated by an unnamed eight-year-old girl, who live next door to them. The girl possesses a power to punish people who make her cross called "the magic finger" but she has no control over what it does or when it... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The story is about the Gregg family that hunts ducks for fun, and is narrated by an unnamed eight-year-old girl, who live next door to them. The girl possesses a power to punish people who make her cross called "the magic finger" but she has no control over what it does or when it happens.

The girl becomes so annoyed at the Greggs shooting and killing ducks she places the magic finger on them. The next day the Greggs wake up as tiny people with wings instead of arms and their house is taken over by four human-size ducks with arms instead of wings. The Greggs are forced to build a nest in one of the trees in their garden, where they spend the night. The next morning they wake up to find the large ducks with the Greggs' guns, standing under their tree. They make the Greggs promise not to hunt shoot ducks anymore. They are changed back into normal humans.The next day, the girl goes to their house and find the family smashing their guns and setting up graves for the birds that they killed. The girl hears a gun fire as a neighboring family, the Coopers, start shooting. Running in that direction, she shouts back to the Greggs that the Coopers will be nesting in the trees that night.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • The Gregg Family: The Gregg Family has a lot of trouble going on in their lives when the magic finger gets in their business.
  • William: The youngest son of Mr. Gregg. He is eight years old
  • Philip: William's older brother aged ten.
  • Mrs Winter: The teacher in the class.
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First Sentence edit see section history

The farm next to ours is owned by Mr and Mrs Gregg.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 571 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Ash Road, and followed by Gegege no kitarou (vol 1).

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Roald Dahl (Author) - Born in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander. He rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors. His short stories are known for their unexpected endings, and his children's books for their unsentimental, often very dark humour.

Other Contributors:

  1. Tony Ross (Illustrator)
  2. Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: 1966
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 40

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • George's Marvelous Medicine
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox
  • The Twits
  • Danny, the Champion of the World
  • Dirty Beasts
  • The BFG
  • James and the Giant Peach
  • Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes
  • Matilda
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • The Witches
  • Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
  • Boy
  • The Enormous Crocodile
  • The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More
  • Going Solo
  • Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes
  • Esio Trot

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