The BFG Review Part 2

From start to finish, The BFG was full of imaginative characters and a balance between whimsical and fright. Through the second half of the story, Sophie helps the Big Friendly Giant gather his courage and create an ingenious plan to put a stop to the giants' nightly terror. With a little help from the Queen of England and nine "bellypoppers", Sophie and the BFG end their adventure with an exciting capture and a funny twist at the end (it involves snozzcumbers). 

Bravery is a major part of this book and I loved in the chapter, The Great Plan, how Sophie and the BFG worked through their discouragement and dismay to come up with a brilliant plan that would solve everything. The portrayal of bravery, perseverance, and encouragement is incredibly important for young readers! Although the book does have a darker side, it is definitely an ultimate adventure. I wish I had a giant who could run so fast that I felt like I was flying while I hid in his pocket. Roald Dahl's style of writing and descriptions make you feel like you're actually seeing everything unfold as you read.

The feelings that this book invoke are also amazing. On page 154 the story reads, "Dawn came at last, and the rim of a lemon-colored sun rose up behind the rooftops somewhere behind Victoria Station. A while later, Sophie felt a little of its warmth on her back and was grateful. In the distance, she heard a church clock striking. She counted the strikes. There were seven." I could see the lemon-colored sun coming up, almost feel the warmth of the morning sun, and hear a loud English clock striking. Passages like this fill the book and capture the reader's imagination. 

One of my favorite themes in the book was the importance of dreams. I love the idea of dreams being real things that are floating around and I would absolutely love to visit the land of dreams and find my own! A fun art project for students would be to create a dream jar like the ones the BFG used to store dreams that he captured. You could make them in so many different ways using all sorts of things like: glow-in-the-dark paint, glitter, glue, cotton balls, food coloring etc. They would be such a fun project and kids would have their own dream jar! Starry Night Luminaries Glitter Jars 

It could be just because I love breakfast but The Royal Breakfast was a fantastic chapter! Imagining Mr. Tibbs and servants scurrying around to build a table and make breakfast for the BFG was absolutely comical. "That was only one titchy little bite." Perspective can be hard for kids (even me) so I appreciated these parts of the book that helped put the size of the BFG into perspective. He experiences coffee, eats all of the eggs and bread, and has a grand time! This book is full of so much emotion and entertainment that I think it's a great read for kids!