James and the Giant Peach

Infobox Book
name = James and the Giant Peach
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Roald Dahl
illustrator = Nancy Ekholm Burkert
cover_artist = Nancy Ekholm Burkert
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
subject =
genre = Children's novel
publisher = Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
release_date = 1961
media_type = Paperback
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-375-81424-8
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"James and the Giant Peach" is a children's book by Welsh author Roald Dahl, originally illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, first published in the USA in 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and then in London in 1967 by Allen & Unwin. Because of the book's content it has been the frequent target of censors and appears on the American Library Association list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number fifty six. [http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm]

ynopsis

James Henry Trotter, a four-year old boy, has had a happy life but is orphaned as a result of a bizarre accident: his parents are killed and eaten up by a rhinoceros which has escaped from the London Zoo (although rhinos are, in truth, herbivores). He is sent to live with his two mean old aunts, Spiker and Sponge, who abuse him frequently.

One day, three years later, while crying in the forest, James, now age seven, meets a strange man who mysteriously knows James's plight and gives him a small sack containing the ingredients for a magic potion, which the stranger promises will bring James happiness. Unfortunately, while running back to the house to make the potion, James trips and drops it. It bursts and the magic green slithery 'things' sink into the ground and vanish without a trace – or so it then seems. James is horrified at the loss of what seemed to be his only opportunity for escape from his wretched aunts.

But things take another odd turn when a peach tree in the garden puts forth a single fruit which grows to almost twice the size of the tree. Spiker and Sponge realize they can make money, so they charge people to see the giant peach. One night, James, who has been shoved out of the house to pick up the litter from the crowd, crawls inside the giant peach, where he finds a most bizarre group of friends – all giant creepy-crawlies: the Centipede, Miss Spider, the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the Silkworm, the Earthworm, Ladybug and the Glow-worm. The peach, with the help of the Centipede, breaks off the tree, rolls over, and flattens and kills James's two aunts, cuts a swath of destruction through the countryside, and tumbles into the Atlantic Ocean.

Seeking to float to New York City to begin new lives, the friends embark on an adventure across the sea on the giant peach. Among the things they encounter before reaching the city are a swarm of sharks and air-elemental creatures called Cloud Men, who are responsible for painting rainbows. Also, they meet a large batlike creature. In the end, upon reaching the city, James and his friends have wonderful lives in America. The stone of the marvelous peach is enshrined in Central Park along with the peach, James Henry Trotter's new home for the rest of his life.

Characters

*James Henry Trotter - An ordinary 7-year-old boy, the main protagonist has had a happy life but is orphaned as a result of a bizarre and terrible accident. He is sent to live with his two aunts, Spiker and Sponge, who subject him to a variety of physical and mental abuse.
*The Old-Green-Grasshopper - is an old, wise musician (he plays the fiddle).
*The Centipede - is a boisterous but good-natured rascal, fond of eating and singing.
*The Earthworm - is blind and very pessimistic. He frequently argues with the Centipede.
*The Ladybird (or in American versions of the book, Ladybug) - is a kind, motherly character.
*The Glowworm - is a living-lighting-system for the peach's interior. She is fond of sleeping, and sometimes needs to be woken up so she can switch herself off.
*The Silkworm - is a quiet, inactive creature who helped very much with her amazing "power" to weave very fine gossamer/silk. (She is missing from the movie.)
*Miss Spider - is a gentle creature (whose web-silk replaces that of the missing character of the Silkworm in the film).
*Old Man - A wizard-like magician who helped James.
*Aunt Sponge - A dimwitted, obese aunt.
*Aunt Spiker - A cruel, thin-as-a-stick aunt.

References in the book to other Roald Dahl works

James and the Giant Peach possibly references Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the beginning and end of the novel. When the peach rolls off the tree, it rolls through a "famous chocolate factory", possibly a reference to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory (the illustration even depicts the word "WONKA" on the side of the building). Towards the end of the book, people in New York City accuse the passengers aboard the peach to be Vermicious Knids, Whangdoodles, Snozzwangers or even Hornswogglers. All of those animals (except the former) are mentioned by Willy Wonka to live in Loompaland, which is also the home of Oompa-Loompas. Vermicious Knids are extraterrestrials, and feature in the sequel book, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.

Editions

* ISBN 0-375-81424-8 (hardcover, 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, 2001)
* ISBN 0-679-98090-3 (library binding, 1996)
* ISBN 0-14-130467-7 (paperback, 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)