book report on the bfg

The book features several key characters who play a significant role in the story:

• An orphan girl with a strong sense of bravery and curiosity.
• She forms a deep bond with the BFG and displays remarkable courage throughout the story.

The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)

• A kind-hearted giant who is considerably smaller than his counterparts.
• Known for his gentle nature and habit of collecting and distributing dreams to children.

The Other Giants

• Fleshlumpeater and Bloodbottler are the menacing giants who pose a threat to Sophie and the BFG.
• They are depicted as cruel and child-eating, in stark contrast to the BFG's benevolent nature.

The Queen of England

• A key figure in the latter part of the story, as Sophie and the BFG seek her help to address the giant problem.

Friendship and Loyalty

The bond between Sophie and the BFG exemplifies the themes of friendship and loyalty. Despite their differences, they form a deep connection and work together to overcome challenges.

Courage and Bravery

Sophie's character demonstrates courage and bravery as she navigates the dangers of Giant Country and stands up to the other giants alongside the BFG.

Good versus Evil

The contrast between the BFG and the other giants highlights the theme of good versus evil. The story emphasizes the importance of standing up against injustice and oppression.

Imagination and Dreams

The BFG's collection and distribution of dreams underscore the significance of imagination and the power of dreams in bringing joy and comfort to others.

"The BFG" offers readers a delightful and whimsical adventure filled with friendship, bravery, and the triumph of good over evil. The story encourages children to embrace their imagination, stand up for what is right, and cherish the bonds of friendship.

Roald Dahl's "The BFG" continues to captivate readers with its enchanting narrative and memorable characters. Through its themes of friendship, courage, and the power of dreams, the book leaves a lasting impression on readers of all ages, imparting valuable lessons wrapped in a heartwarming and magical tale.

The BFG FAQ

What is 'the bfg' about.

The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) is a children's book by Roald Dahl about a young orphan girl named Sophie who befriends a gentle giant. The giant, known as the BFG, takes Sophie to Giant Country where they have to stop the other giants from eating human children.

Who is the author of 'The BFG'?

The author of 'The BFG' is Roald Dahl, a renowned British children's author known for his imaginative and whimsical stories.

What age group is 'The BFG' suitable for?

The book 'The BFG' is suitable for children aged 8 and above, but it can also be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Is 'The BFG' a scary book?

While 'The BFG' does contain some suspenseful and thrilling moments, it is ultimately a heartwarming and humorous story. Younger readers might find certain scenes a bit intense, but it is not overly scary.

Are there any movie adaptations of 'The BFG'?

Yes, there is a film adaptation of 'The BFG' directed by Steven Spielberg, which was released in 2016. The movie stays true to the spirit of the book and has been well-received by audiences.

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A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-8

Chapters 9-16

Chapters 17-24

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Introduction

British author Roald Dahl first made his mark as a leading writer of children’s literature in 1961, when he published James and the Giant Peach . His subsequent books include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Fantastic Fox , Matilda , and his 1982 novel The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), which was illustrated by Quentin Blake and based on a segment of Dahl’s 1975 book Danny, the Champion of the World . His books have been viewed as darker than traditional children’s tales, particularly with respect to the revenge that is at times wrought on adults by children. In all, Dahl has written 19 children’s books.

This study guide utilizes the 1984 Puffin Books version of The BFG.

Content Warning: This guide quotes and discusses the source text’s use of outdated and derogatory language to refer to people’s nationalities.

Plot Summary

The BFG opens with Sophie , an eight-year-old girl who lives in an orphanage in an English village, looking out into the street from her bed in her dormitory. At first the street is quiet and deserted, but then she sees a huge man slinking along, hiding in the shadows. Sophie watches the person approach. He has with him a suitcase and an object that looks like a trumpet; he blows his trumpet silently into the bedroom across the street. The giant notices Sophie and she runs to her bed and attempts to hide. The giant, however, approaches, reaches through the window, and carries her off in her blanket. He speeds off on foot, running for hours, and eventually carries her into a cave in a strange and barren country. Sophie later learns that she is in Giant Country. In the cave, which is the giant’s home, Sophie begs the giant not to eat her. This makes him laugh and he tells her that he is not going to eat her, as he is the Big Friendly Giant (BFG).

Although he does not plan to eat Sophie, he tells her that she has to now stay with him forever, because no one can ever learn that he—or the other giants—exists. He tells her she needs to be cautious because if she leaves his cave then the neighbors, nine man-eating giants far bigger than he is, will catch her and eat her.

The BFG tells Sophie that since he does not eat humans, he subsists on snozzcumbers, which are a disgusting variety of vegetable that look like cucumbers. When another giant, the Bloodbottler, arrives, Sophie hides in a snozzcumber and is almost eaten by the Bloodbottler, who takes a bite that includes Sophie, spits it out, sending Sophie flying across the cave, then leaves. Fortunately, the Bloodbottler does not notice Sophie.

The BFG takes Sophie to Dream Country in order to capture dreams. They encounter the nine man-eating giants on the way, who taunt the BFG and throw him and kick him. Once in Dream Country, the BFG shows Sophie how he catches dreams, but while doing so catches a nightmare. The BFG tells her about the items he carries with him every night. The suitcase contains jars in which he stores the dreams that he catches. He then blows them into the windows of children with the trumpet-like device. The good dreams are given to children throughout the world and the bad ones he usually destroys, although when they return to Giant Country, he decides to blow the nightmare he just caught into the Fleshlumpeater’s face, which causes a huge fight among the giants.

Sophie suggests that they involve the Queen of England to help imprison the other giants to prevent them from killing more people. The BFG mixes a dream which conveys the information about the existence of the nine man-eating giants, as well as himself. Sophie leads the BFG to Buckingham Palace. The BFG gives the Queen the nightmare containing the man-eating giants. Included in the dream is an awareness of Sophie being present on the windowsill of the Queen’s bedroom, which leads the Queen to believe in the information contained in the dream, and she wakes up to see Sophie. She invites Sophie and the BFG to breakfast and they discuss a plan to vanquish the other giants.

A battalion of helicopters is dispatched to follow the BFG and Sophie to the homeland of the giants, where they tie them up while sleeping. They are not very difficult to capture, with the exception of Fleshlumpeater, who awakens while the British forces try to tie him up. Sophie and the BFG dupe Fleshlumpeater into putting his limbs in position to be tied by telling him that a poisonous snake has bitten him, when in actuality, it was Sophie stabbing him with her brooch.

The helicopters transport the giants to London and imprison them in a deep pit. A castle is built as a home for the BFG, and a cottage for Sophie, both on the grounds of Buckingham Palace next to the Queen’s castle. They are, for many years, the recipients of gifts from all of the countries around the world that were ever threatened by giants. The novel, it is learned at the end, was written by the BFG as a record of his adventures with Sophie.

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Book Review

• Adventure , Fantasy , Humor

Readability Age Range

• Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group
• Booktrust 100 Best Books for Children, 2014

Year Published

This book has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

Eight-year-old Sophie peers out the window of her orphanage one night and sees something terrifying. A huge, dark shadow is coming down the street. A gigantic hand reaches through the window and plucks her from her bed. She squirms as the giant man holding her hurries to his cave in Giant Land.

Sophie soon discovers the giant isn’t planning to eat her as she’d feared. He is a big, friendly giant (or BFG). Unlike the other nine much larger and more horrifying giants that live in Giant Land, the BFG is fairly civilized. While the others are big, smelly, hairy and wear loincloths, he dresses in regular clothes. While they scour the world each night in search of people to devour, he doesn’t eat humans. But like all the giants, he has a strange, mixed up way of speaking that sometimes baffles the little girl.

The BFG tells Sophie if she wants to be safe, she must never let the other giants know she exists. He feels sad for her as she tells him about losing her parents and the sorrows of orphanage life. She asks him what he was doing in her town, walking the streets at night with a long, thin trumpet and a suitcase. He explains that he can hear things very keenly with his big ears. He can even hear dreams floating in the air. He collects them and, with his trumpet, blows good dreams into children’s rooms at night.

A giant named Bloodbottler enters the BFG’s cave, and Sophie hides inside an unpleasant vegetable called a snozzcumber. Bloodbottler takes a bite of the snozzcumber and spits it out, spewing Sophie across the room. After the unsuspecting Bloodbottler leaves, the BFG cleans Sophie off. The two begin hatching a plan to get rid of the other giants.

One day after being tossed around by the other giants as they would a toy, the BFG takes Sophie with him to Dream Country. He shows her how he catches dreams with his net and bottles them, labeling them so he’ll know what each is about. He even catches one bad dream and gives it to a giant named Fleshlumpeater back home. The giant’s thrashing during his nightmare ignites a brawl between the nine giants but still does nothing to eliminate them.

Sophie suggests they tell the Queen of England how the giants are snatching and eating people. She and the BFG decide to create a dream for the queen. In it, the queen will see giants eating English children. The dream will tell her about the BFG and how he can help her capture the giants. Finally, the dream will reveal a little girl sitting on her windowsill, who will lead the queen to the BFG. Once she awakens, she will find Sophie on her windowsill and know the dream was true. The giant mixes many dreams together to get just the right story for the queen’s dream.

The plan goes off without a hitch, and the surprised queen allows Sophie to introduce her to the BFG. After the queen makes arrangements for Sophie and the BFG to have breakfast with her, she calls a few other countries to confirm that they, like England, have had groups of humans go missing in the past few days. She is convinced the BFG’s story is true.

The queen sends her military with nine helicopters to follow Sophie and the BFG to Giant Land. The sleeping giants are tied up and carried by helicopter back to England, where an enormous pit has been dug to contain them. The BFG brings his collection of dreams back to England with him, as well as a bag of the horrible snozzcumbers. He says he will help the royal gardener grow them so the giants can eat them forever.

World leaders send gifts of thanks to the BFG and Sophie. The queen has a special home built for the BFG and a cottage next door for Sophie. The BFG also gets a special room for storing his dreams, and people all over the world write him letters asking him to visit them. Tourists come at feeding time to hear the giants eat their snozzcumbers. The only tragedy occurs when three drunk men climb over the safety fence and fall in to the giant pit. Sophie teaches the BFG to read and write properly. As the book ends, readers discover the author is the BFG.

Christian Beliefs

The BFG tells one of the giants to say his prayers as the BFG pretends to remove a viper from the brute’s leg.

Other Belief Systems

Lying in the darkness, Sophie remembers how someone once told her about the witching hour. They said it was a moment in the middle of the night when all the dark things came out of hiding and had the world to themselves. The BFG tells Sophie that giants aren’t born. They simply appear, the same way as the moon and the stars. The BFG collects dreams to give to children. He takes Sophie into Dream Country and shows her how to catch and bottle them. Later, he and Sophia give the queen a dream of giants eating English children and how the BFG can help her capture the giants.

Authority Roles

Sophie’s parents died when she was a baby. Mrs. Clonkers, who runs the orphanage where she lives, punishes the children by locking them in a dark, rat-filled cellar without food or drink. The gentle BFG protects and cares for Sophie, who thinks of him as a father. Despite the strange circumstances, the queen handles the BFG’s visit with decorum. She wants to ensure justice is done, but she refuses to set a bad example by ordering the giants be murdered.

Profanity & Violence

The words gosh, darn and golly appear once or twice.

Sexual Content

The BFG kisses Sophie on the cheek.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

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The BFG by Roald Dahl Review

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Roald Dahl was a GIANT of an author as well as a man, being 6ft 6” (1.98m) tall. He was a master storyteller who has been delighting children and adults alike with his writing for decades (his books have sold upwards of 250 million copies worldwide). His scrumdiddliumtious tales are still delighting readers today, long after his death in 1990.

In 1982 he published The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) as a full children’s novel, with a short version of it originally being told as a bedtime story in the 1975 children’s book Danny, Champion of the World.

Sophie is an eight-year-old orphaned girl who lives in an children’s home with several other girls. One night when she cannot sleep, and despite the orders of the cruel disciplinarian orphanage owner Mrs Clonkers, she gets out of bed and looks out of the window over the deserted London streets. But the witching hour is no time for people to be awake, especially young children, and she sees something she shouldn’t! A 24ft giant with a wrinkly face, enormous ears and a dark cloak is wandering around carrying a suitcase and a trumpet, looking in windows and occasionally blowing in something he takes from his suitcase into the rooms of the sleeping occupants. Scared, Sophie jumps back into her bed and hides under the covers. But she has been noticed by the giant who promptly reaches into her window and plucks her off her bed, whisking her away to his cave in a desolate strange and distant land – a faraway land known as Giant Country.

Sophie is only a small girl, and the giant is, well, a 24ft giant of a man so she is terrified that he is going to eat her. She pleads for life, but the giant just laughs. The giant explains that whilst most giants eat human beans, The BFG prefers eating snozzcumbers and has no interest in eating her but the other nine man-eating giants outside of his cave most certainly will if they see her. The nine other giants are not so nice though and are twice the size of The BFG, who spends his days catching dreams, letting loose with the most tremendously loud whizzpoppers (farts to you and me), and eating the vilest food ever created in the form of snozzcumbers. As giants need very little sleep, he spends his nights blowing good dreams into the windows of sleeping children (at least he is not blowing whizzpoppers through the windows).

The other giants don’t even have as nice and friendly names as The BFG, they are:

• The Fleshlumpeater
• The Bloodbottler
• The Manhugger
• The Meatdripper
• The Childchewer
• The Butcher Boy
• The Maidmasher
• The Bonecruncher
• The Gizzardgulper

Sophie is told, in muddled speech (the giants speak in a language known as Gobblefunk), that she is now in Giant Country for the rest of her life as if she were to be taken back home she would tell everybody about the giants, and they would be hunted. If that wasn’t upsetting enough, she is also told that the nine 50ft man-eating giants just outside the door travel to different countries throughout the world every night devouring human beans (that would be human beings in English), especially children human beans.

Sophie is appalled at the news of the giants travelling around devouring chidlers (children) and hatches a plan with The BFG to visit London and the Queen and stop the other giants.

Overall, bash my eyebrows, The BFG is an excellent GIANT of a story that young readers will find delumptious. With Dahl’s expressive and inventive use of language, children will love the tale of Sophie, The BFG and the nine man-eating giants.

Whilst it is a dark tale of child kidnap, bullying (The BFG is bullied by the other giants because he is a lot smaller than them and doesn’t eat human beans), man-eating giants and friendship, the story is delightfully told using eight year old Sophie as the brave, sassy, intelligent and curious hero.

If I were to speak like The BFG in Gobblefunk then I is thunking that this is an excellent tale of friendship and doing what is right, one that even Dahl’s Chickens may enjoy – sorry, that pesky giant again, I obviously mean Charles Dickens.

A very clever story with interesting and well-developed characters written with Dahl’s trademark dark humour and expressive use of language that we all love. You will have to read it and let me know Am I Right or Am I left (if you can’t speak in Gobblefunk, that means right or wrong).

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £9.99 (Hardback) / £6.99 (Paperback) / £4.99 (Kindle)

Available to buy from Amazon here .

DISCLOSURE:  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you purchase through the link.

Click here to read more reviews of books by Roald Dahl

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The BFG Summary & Study Guide

The BFG Summary & Study Guide Description

Sophie, a young orphaned girl, is lying awake one night with a moonbeam shining in her eyes. She gets up from her bed in the dormitory of the orphanage where she lives to close her curtains and sees a giant coming down the street. She watches as the giant sticks something that looks like a trumpet through the bedroom window of some neighbor children and blows. When the giant turns he sees Sophie and snatches her from her room. The giant takes Sophie to Giant Country where he lives in a cave.

Once there, Sophie learns that the giant is called the Big Friendly Giant (the BFG) because he does not eat people, unlike the nine other giants living in Giant Country. The other giants are much larger and uglier than the BFG and they often bully him. These giants travel nightly to countries around the world to eat people. Sophie isn’t able to go back to the orphanage because the BFG is afraid she’ll tell others about the existence of giants and he’ll be forced to live in a zoo.

The BFG tells Sophie that he often travels to Dream Country to collect dreams, which he places in jars and blows into the windows of children. This is what she saw him doing with the trumpet in her village. He takes her to collect dreams and she finds out he can also catch nightmares. The two devise a plan to mix up a nightmare for the Queen of England to convince her of the existence of giants so that they can stop the giants from ever eating another human being.

Sophie and the BFG deliver the dream to the Queen who treats them very kindly. She orders the Army and the Air Force to follow the BFG to Giant Country to capture the giants. The BFG and Sophie lead the military there and they tie up the giants to bring them back to England where they will live out their lives in captivity.

Upon their return to England, the giants are placed in a huge pit where they will eat nothing but snozzcumbers, a terrible tasting vegetable, for the rest of their lives. The Queen has a huge house built for the BFG and a small cottage built for Sophie. Sophie teaches the BFG how to speak, read, and write better and he becomes an author.

Read more from the Study Guide

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The BFG by Roald Dahl

D edicated to Roald Dahl’s late daughter Olivia, who died of measles encephalitis at the age of 7, The BFG , maybe more than any other Dahl book, offers children an escape from reality in which the young and kind triumph over darkness and hardship no matter the odds. After an orphan named Sophie is snatched from her bed in the dead of night by a mysterious 24-foot-tall behemoth who refers to himself as the BFG, or Big Friendly Giant, the pair form an unlikely friendship. But when Sophie learns that the large-eared, sensitive and silly-speaking (think “hopscotchy,” “whizzpopping” and “crodsquinkled”) BFG is the lone vegetarian among his child-eating brethren, she determines to put a stop to their murderous ways. This warmhearted tall tale, published a year before Dahl picked up the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, artfully whisks readers away on a magical journey through London, Giant Country and beyond, to a realm of wild imagination. — Megan McCluskey

Buy Now: The BFG on Bookshop | Amazon

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The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) short summary & analysis

The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) - Roald Dahl

The bfg (big friendly giant) analysis, the bfg (big friendly giant) short summary.

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8 Reasons Why You Should Read THE BFG by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl’s  The BFG  was one of my absolute favorite books when I was younger. My fourth and fifth grade teacher read it aloud to us both years and I was enchanted by the heartwarming, magical story. I desperately wished that a Big Friendly Giant would scoop me up in the middle of the night– as long as it brought me home safely, of course!

After recently rereading  The BFG,  I’ve been filled with an overwhelming love for this childhood favorite of mine. In an effort to persuade you to pick up this spectacular little book, here are  8 Reasons Why You Should Read  The BFG:

1. The BFG Himself

The BFG certainly lives up to his abbreviated name: he’s kind, caring, and incredibly thoughtful. He’s smart in his own way and isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in. Plus, he’s hilarious! Who wouldn’t want to be friends with this jolly giant?

Sophie is such a sweet, witty, smart protagonist. She’s mature for her age but still has that lovable childhood innocence about her. I wanted to be Sophie’s best friend when I was younger (and to be honest, I still do!).

3. The Plot is WILD!

Man-eating giants, jars upon jars of dreams, and breakfast with the Queen of England– what more could you want? Everything about this unique story is unexpected, but it somehow goes together perfectly.

4. Made-Up Words

Snozzcumbers, frobscottle, and whizpopping, anyone? The BFG uses a plethora of hilarious words that always make me chuckle. If only our everyday vocabulary was as fun as his!

5. Settings

From the BFG’s cave and the land of dreams to Buckingham Palace, this story takes the reader on a wild adventure to many different places– and all by traveling in the enormous ear of the BFG. What a way to get around!

6. Lovely Illustrations

I absolutely  adore  the illustrations in this book. Just look at the BFG. Isn’t he the cutest thing ever?! AND THOSE EARS. ❤

7. Life Lessons

As with any good children’s book (or book in general),  The BFG  teaches many valuable life lessons. One of my favorites is when the BFG discusses the senselessness of violence, the way humans frequently kill each other but other species rarely do. It also teaches kindness, compassion, empathy, and emphasizes celebrating and loving our differences. This story sure packs a powerful punch!

8. The Clever Ending

I’m a sucker for a clever ending, and  The BFG  is probably what started it all for me. I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say that I love when books end like this! It’s simple, but it always takes me by surprise and brings a smile to my face.

The BFG  is and always will be one of my favorite children’s books. I highly recommend giving this Big Friendly Giant a chance. You won’t be disappointed!

What was your favorite book when you were younger? What do you think of  The BFG?  Have any other Roald Dahl recommendations? Let me know in the comments section below!

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35 responses to “8 Reasons Why You Should Read THE BFG by Roald Dahl”

Great post! I’ve found it deep and, yet, brief while arguing for it.

One question, though, if you will. Would you say there’s a strong, personal bond between Sophie and the giant throughout the book? Based on your words, I’d say there is but I’d love to read your opinion.

Congratulations and lotta thanks 😀

Like Liked by 1 person

I definitely think there’s a strong bond between Sophie and the BFG, despite the briefness of their time together in the short novel. Sophie understands and accepts the BFG’s quirky ways, and in turn the BFG is a source of comfort and support for Sophie that she has lacked in the orphanage.

What a great question! Thanks so much!

That’s exactly what my question was about -and what your post led me to wonder. I know which my next novel is going to be once I finish my current one. Thank you very much and keep on! 😀

Glad I could help! 🙂

Indeed, the cutest thing ever 😍

So adorable! ❤

I will definitely pick this up at my local library during my next visit! Thanks for sharing this!

Happy reading!

AWW! I have been planning to go watch the movie and I was wondering if I should read the book but now I think I will 😛

I highly recommend it– it’s such a fun read 🙂 I still need to go see the movie!

Sounds lovely! I’ve never read a Roald Dahl, but the BFG sounds like a good place to start. Thanks for highlighting it! 🙂

Never read a Roald Dahl?! Definitely do! His books are absolutely fantastic! ❤

Yes, I think it’s time! 🙂

Those were all such great reasons and really convincing ones too! Do you think you will watch the movie when it comes out?

I’m really hoping I get a chance to! The movie looks fantastic. Fingers crossed 🙂

Ahh I used to love this book when I was younger!

It’s so good to hear that other people loved this as well! ❤

I love this book! And can’t wait for the movie to come out… However, now that you mention the ending, I suddenly can’t remember it. An excuse for me to read it again I guess :p

Exactly, another reason to reread it 🙂

I haven’t read The BFG yet but I love Roald Dahl, and these illustrations are to die for. So cute! And I love the word whizpopping. 😛

I adore Dahl’s made up words– they’re so fun, and authors don’t do it nearly enough nowadays! 🙂

Hi Holly, this is one of my favourite books 🙂 Thanks for sharing –Sam

Glad to know I’m not the only one who loves this book! ❤

My teacher in grade 3 read it aloud to us! I don’t remember much at all about it, but I do remember enjoying the times she’d read it

It’s such a great read-aloud book. I loved it when my teacher read it to us, especially when she did a funny voice for the BFG 🙂

All wonderful reasons to read it Holly! 😀 Great post!

Thanks so much!!

I agree with everything!! I love BFG. I have always tried to imagine what frobscottle would taste like

Someone should develop a recipe for frobscottle– I would love to taste it!

[…] incredibly clever, witty, and well-written. If you’re not convinced, here are my top 8 reasons why you should read this lovely little gem (but believe me, there are way more than just […]

This book is the best. my grade 3 teacher used to read it to us and we did it in novel study

I love it so much!! ❤

[…] The BFG by Roald Dahl […]

I love this book! It taught me so much!

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i’m holly — former english major, current twenty-something book lover, allergic to nuts. drop me a line at [email protected] or on instagram .

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BFG Book Report

Description

This is literally a "Giant" book report. Students can use the patterns to create the depiction of the BFG which I created. They can fill in parts to go along with the book. This is a fun and educational way to write a report on the BFG book! It will make a nice display for a bulletin board or hall.

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Cindy jacobs.

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by Roald Dahl

The bfg summary and analysis of chapters 24-27: the plan, capture, feeding time, and the author.

The Head of the Army and the Head of the Air Force toss around ideas about how to stop the giants. The Queen decides not to kill the giants but to bring them back alive. They decide to use helicopters to fly them back after sedating the giants. The BFG can't point to Giant Country on a map so he has to lead the helicopters to the giants, with Sophie in his ear.

The helicopters have a hard time keeping up with the BFG. One pilot is very concerned that he can't find where they are on a map anymore. The BFG warns the troops to be very quiet as they capture the giants.

They get everyone bundled up except the Fleshlumpeater , who wakes up. The BFG tries to fend him off and Sophie stabs the Fleshlumpeater with the sapphire brooch that the Queen gave her.

The Fleshlumpeater thinks that he has been bitten by a viper and listens to the BFG's advice, holding his ankle tight in order to stop the venom from spreading. This allows the troops to finish what they started. The BFG grabs all the dreams as well as a sack and carries them back to England. The helicopters fly back with the giants dangling from ropes beneath them.

Back in England, workers dig a hole in the ground to place the giants in to make sure they don't escape and start eating people again. The BFG feeds the giants the snozzcumbers he brought in his snack, and gives them to the gardener to plant so that there will always be food for the giants to eat that isn't people.

The BFG and Sophie get many presents from the leaders of the world for their help in capturing the giants. Things are going well, with the exception of one incident where three drunk men fall into the giant pit and are eaten.

Afterwards, a sign saying not to feed the giants is put up. Sophie teaches the BFG to speak and read better and suggests that he write a book about his adventures. In fact, the BFG wrote the very book that you have just finished reading.

Here the author brings the story back to reality, mentioning things that would be familiar to readers, such as helicopters, leaders of the world, and the military operation.

The BFG shows his cunning again by suggesting that the giants be put to sleep before the soldiers tie them up in order to lessen the amount of trouble they will have. The BFG also shows that he has evolved throughout the course of the story.

Previously, and on several occasions, it was shown that the BFG was afraid of the other giants and reluctant to help humans. However, in this section, the BFG has gone from trusting one human, Sophie, to trusting several.

He also goes up against all the giants he fears, even teasing them and saying that they should have listened to him before. Then maybe they could have avoided this fate.

Both Sophie and the BFG have a happy ending, learning from each other. Sophie learns more about the world and the BFG learns to read and speak better from her.

The BFG Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The BFG is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The mood is mysterious and exciting.

How many dreams did the BFG mix together?

The BFG mixed about fifty dreams together.

Sophie sat watching him but said nothing. Inside the big jar, lying on the bottom of it, she could clearly see about fifty of those oval sea-green jellyish shapes , all pulsing gently in and out, some...

The BFG's name?

The BFG introduces himself as the Big Friendly Giant, but the other giants call him Runt.

Suddenly, a tremendous thumping noise came from outside the cave entrance and a voice like thunder shouted, ‘Runt! Is you there, Runt? I is hearing you...

Study Guide for The BFG

The BFG study guide contains a biography of Roald Dahl, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The BFG
• The BFG Summary
• Character List

Essays for The BFG

The BFG essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The BFG by Roald Dahl.

• The Cannibalization of Youth in Classic Fairy Tales from Grimm, Dahl, and Others

Wikipedia Entries for The BFG

• Introduction

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The BFG Kindle Edition

"Human beans is not really believing in giants, is they? Human beans is not thinking we exist." One dark, silvery moonlit night, Sophie is snatched from her bed by a giant! Luckily it is the Big Friendly Giant (the BFG), who is no ordinary bone-crunching giant, but instead prefers snozzcumbers and frobscottle to children. But there are other giants in Giant Country. And those giants have a plan to gallop far and wide to find some tasty human beans to eat. Can Sophie and the BFG stop them? The text in this edition of The BFG was updated in 2022 for young independent readers.

• Print length 350 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Puffin
• Publication date September 6, 2007
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• ISBN-13 978-0241558348
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com review.

The BFG is one of Dahl's most lovable character creations. Whether galloping off with Sophie nestled into the soft skin of his ear to capture dreams as though they were exotic butterflies; speaking his delightful, jumbled, squib-fangled patois; or whizzpopping for the Queen, he leaves an indelible impression of bigheartedness. (Ages 9 to 12)

About the Author

Excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved., product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002VISNH6
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Puffin; 1st edition (September 6, 2007)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 6, 2007
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 61652 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0754060543
• #293 in Children's Humorous Action & Adventure
• #371 in Children's Classic Literature
• #1,397 in Children's Humorous Literature

About the author

The son of Norwegian parents, Roald Dahl was born in Wales in 1916 and educated at Repton. He was a fighter pilot for the RAF during World War Two, and it was while writing about his experiences during this time that he started his career as an author.

His fabulously popular children's books are read by children all over the world. Some of his better-known works include James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, Matilda, The Witches, and The BFG.

He died in November 1990.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 84% 10% 3% 1% 2% 84%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 84% 10% 3% 1% 2% 10%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 84% 10% 3% 1% 2% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 84% 10% 3% 1% 2% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 84% 10% 3% 1% 2% 2%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the humor very funny and fascinating. They also describe the book as a great read aloud, character study, and fun to introduce. Readers describe the storyline as heartwarming, engaging, and strong. They say it's a wonderful book for children and adults alike, with vivid and beautiful imagination.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book delightful, entertaining, and great to listen to. They also appreciate the vivid and beautiful imagination of Roald Dahl. Readers also mention that the story develops at a nice steady pace.

"I liked the movie better, but the book is good too . Very funny! I'm a fan of Dahl!" Read more

"Roald Dahl has such a vivid and beautiful imagination . His writing cannot help but enchant its readers. I feel so lucky to have grown up in his time." Read more

"A classic book. Awesome to read . Kids love this author. Started with Matilda, moved to this, and will continue to read his books." Read more

" Great illustrations " Read more

Customers find the children's books a great read for young children, delightful for the whole family, and fine for older kids and adults. They also say it keeps their daughter interested and is a perfect set for a classroom. Readers also mention the author is able to draw great pictures.

"...he has his own book to follow along or read ahead on his own , Good book for this age ,8 yrs old." Read more

"...This book is a great way to get your kids to enjoy reading !..." Read more

"...He is an amazing story teller and his books are delightful for the whole family to read...." Read more

"...A great read for kids & grownups alike, with large text and all the excellent illustrations throughout, and an attached ribbon bookmark...." Read more

Customers find the book very funny with funny mixed-up words. They also appreciate the language used by the BFG.

"I liked the movie better, but the book is good too. Very funny ! I'm a fan of Dahl!" Read more

"This book is charming and funny ! My 10 year old daughter loves the book and also loves the movie!" Read more

"... It's funny and has an interesting plot...." Read more

"This book is very funny/good ...." Read more

Customers find the book easy to read. They say the actor does a great job reading the different characters and voices. They also appreciate the unique way of talking and the large font. Customers also mention the book is written on at least two levels and is fun to introduce.

"...The font was easily readable , large enough for ease of reading by children and adults alike...." Read more

"...The BFG is a must-read for all kids. Makes a great read aloud if you do silly voices. ;)" Read more

"...not know that fairy tales like that are not even true?The characters were funny and nice . Well but the other giants, the BFGs enemies, who are evil...." Read more

"...I also struggled with the giant's garbled language . However, I do think kids would find that part silly and fun." Read more

Customers find the storyline heartwarming, interesting, and magical. They also say it brings back childhood memories and has lessons to learn.

"... It really is magical -- there was no one like him." Read more

"...Sophie hides in a "snoz-cumber" but it is such a good story about friendship between different people. Listening to it only made it better." Read more

"We love the BFG book because it has lots of details and it's really really interesting . We loved it super much!..." Read more

"...No matter why you buy it the book is loaded with teachable moments and lots of heart." Read more

Customers find the book has a lot of adventures, questions, and quizzes to go with it. They also appreciate the details and say the book is delightful in its own way.

"Bought this book after seeing the animated movie. Each is delightful in its own way , and the book is a treat, as Dahl always is, and the play with..." Read more

"We love the BFG book because it has lots of details and it's really really interesting. We loved it super much!..." Read more

"...It is a somewhat challenging read for this age group, but it was interesting enough to motivate her to get through it...." Read more

"...as a novel study book the chapters are short and was able to find great questions and quizzes to go with the book" Read more

Customers like the author. They say Ronald Dahl is a great author and Natasha Richardson does a good job.

" Ronald Dahl really is a genius . I never read any of his books...." Read more

"...Every one is a hit. Fantastic author , great bonding opportunity and reminds me of when I was a child being read to by my parents...." Read more

"... Ronald Dahl is a great author . Read The Twits if you have a chance!" Read more

"... Great for Roald Dahl fans !" Read more

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Oklahoma revokes license of teacher who gave class QR code to Brooklyn library in book-ban protest

FILE - Former Norman High School English teacher Summer Boismier holds up a T-shirt with a QR code link to the Brooklyn Public Library at the Green Feather Book Company in Norman, Okla., on Oct. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy, File)

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Oklahoma’s education board has revoked the license of a former teacher who drew national attention during surging book-ban efforts across the U.S. in 2022 when she covered part of her classroom bookshelf in red tape with the words “Books the state didn’t want you to read.”

The decision Thursday went against a judge who had advised the Oklahoma Board of Education not to revoke the license of Summer Boismier, who had also put in her high school classroom a QR code of the Brooklyn Public Library’s catalogue of banned books.

An attorney for Boismier, who now works at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York City, told reporters after the board meeting that they would seek to overturn the decision.

“I will not apologize for sharing publicly available information about library access with my students,” the former teacher posted on X. “My livelihood will never be as important as someone’s life or right to read what they want.”

Brady Henderson, Boismier’s attorney, and the office of Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment Friday.

Boismier, a fervent reader with a passion for fantasy novels, had been teaching English for nine years when she was involuntarily thrust into the center of Walters’ campaign for statewide office in August 2022. She received threats on social media and was accused of being part of a broader movement led by teachers to influence children’s political beliefs. Boismier resigned soon after.

She said at the time that she had hoped to spark a discussion about Oklahoma legislators’ book restrictions and a new law prohibiting lessons on critical race theory and other concepts about race and gender. Instead, she was summoned to a meeting with school administrators after a parent complained.

Walters, who was a candidate for Oklahoma’s top education office when Boismier was teaching, had called on the board in 2022 to revoke her teaching license in a letter he shared on social media.

“There is no place for a teacher with a liberal political agenda in the classroom,” Walters had wrote. He accused her of providing “banned and pornographic material” to students.

Walters said at Thursday’s meeting that Boismier violated rules that prohibit instruction on topics related to race and gender. He told reporters that she “broke the law.”

Boismier has maintained that she did nothing wrong.

Teachers in public schools across the country continue to face scrutiny at the local and state level as lawmakers in Republican-led statehouses push forward with book bans and restrict curriculum on issues related to race, gender, and sexuality such as in Iowa and Utah .

Lathan is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.