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The BFG is the story of a little orphan girl, Sophie, who late one night witnesses a giant outside her orphanage blowing something into the windows of houses on her street. Realizing he has been seen, the giant reaches into Sophie’s bedroom and snatches her, carrying her far away to his cave where he plans to hold her captive forever. It turns out that this Big Friendly Giant has been blowing dreams into the bedrooms of children all over the world.
The nine other giants living in this faraway land, however, are not so benevolent. In fact they are positively horrid, venturing out in the dark of night to gobble up boys and girls all over the world. When Sophie discovers that these gruesome creatures have left the very next night to eat several boys and girls in England, she and the BFG decide to plead their case to the Queen of England herself. To convince the queen they mix up a dream for her royal highness, so she will be convinced that their story is indeed true.
Gaining an audience with the queen, Sophie and the BFG’s story is quickly confirmed by the newspapers and the queen’s military men. The BFG and Sophie then lead an expedition back to the country of the giants to capture the nine cannibals and put them away forever.
....Questions continued in book club kit packet....
Roald Dahl is one of the world’s most successful and popular writers of novels for young readers. He is the author of other classics such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Danny the Champion of the World, and James and the Giant Peach. The BFG is another story told by this master storyteller. Shortly before his death in 1990, the top five selling children’s books in Great Britain were all authored by Dahl.
Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales, in 1916 to Norwegian immigrants. He was the only boy and the third child of five in the family. Despite the death of his father when he was only four, Roald claimed his childhood was happy and eventful. Although he excelled at sports he was not a good student and didn’t enjoy his early school days. During World War II he flew for the Royal Air Force and was badly injured when he crashed his fighter plane during a dangerous mission.
Dahl married the actress Patricia Neal in 1953. They had five children together but were divorced thirty years later. Although quite a successful short story writer (with several featured on television), he wrote his first children’s book in 1961 – James and the Giant Peach. This was followed by several best-sellers, including The BFG (1982). The BFG was also made into an animated film in 1989.
Roald died in November 1990 at the age of 74 of a rare blood disease. In Great Britain the anniversary of Dahl's birthday on September 13 has recently become widely celebrated as Roald Dahl Day.