Have you read "The BFG" (Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl? You may be familiar with some of Roald Dahl's other children's fiction books such as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Matilda" and "James and the Giant Peach."
The BFG is a fantasy adventure tale sprinkled with humor along the way. It is a story about a girl named Sophie and the giant who kidnaps her. Sounds scary, huh? Well, thankfully he is a friendly giant, unlike the other loathsome giants in Giantland. Together, the two conspire to stop the other mean giants' detestable actions.
This summer (July 1st), Disney will be releasing a movie based on the book by Roald Dahl. Please view the trailer here - The BFG Movie Trailer. The timing of this is perfect! If "The BFG" movie is something you and your family will consider watching, I'd like to challenge you to read the book together first. As you read and discuss the book together, don't forget to document your reading on the summer reading calendar (a little plug for our summer reading program). Now that you’ve read the book, you’re ready to experience the movie together. Grab some popcorn, candy, and a soda and enjoy!
Having already pictured the setting and characters from "The BFG" book in your mind, you can now compare and contrast those visions with the movie’s interpretation. Comparing and contrasting the book and the movie will provide a great chance for your child to remember important details and other key information. How are the book and movie similar? How are they different? Do you prefer the book or the movie and why? These are great questions to get a conversation started.
I look forward to reading "The BFG" for the first time with my daughter, Elisabeth, and then going to see the movie in July. My older daughter, Kathleen, read "The BFG" a couple years ago and it was one of her favorite books at the time. I wonder if Elisabeth and I will enjoy the book. Will we prefer the book to the movie? My guess is that we will!
