James and the Giant Peach

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is one of my favorite children's stories, and I simply could not wait to express my adoration of the tale in my journal. As a child I only experienced the story through the film made in 1996, so it was enjoyable to relive the tale by reading the story book.

James and the Giant Peach features a young boy named James Henry Trotter. James is orphaned as a young child and is forced to live with his terrible aunts named Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. In the story, James happens upon an old wise man who gives him green jumping beans that are consumed with magic. Little does James know that these particular beans will change his life forever. On his way home from the encounter with the wise man, James spills the jumping beans onto the soil underneath a peach tree. James awakes to discover a giant peach in his backyard. It is not until later in the story that James actually travels inside the peach and discovers talking insects which include an intellectual green grasshopper, helpful ladybug, bossy centipede, grumpy earthworm, generous spider, and even a glow worm that lights up the entire giant peach. The tale is about James's journey with his new friends within the giant peach. James's travels includes sailing on the Atlantic Ocean, Cloudmen, and the excitement of New York City.

Overall, I enjoyed the tale immensely, and I am so glad that I had that opportunity to get in touch with the child within myself. The story is a perfect example of a fantasy that never loses its appeal to young readers. The story would be ideal to utilize in the classroom.