James Henry Trotter was a happy kid with a peaceful life until his parents passed away due to a zoo accident at the age of four. His whole world’s then was about to turn around: everything that he once had and knew was now gone.

James was sent to live with the only family relatives he had, his two terrible aunts Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker.  They beat James, called him harsh names, isolated him, overworked him and fed him poorly. His life was a misery but that was going to change when a mysterious man appeared out of nowhere in the garden and gave James a magic bag of beans. Accidentally James dropped them and created a huge peach which begins his journey with the new friends he makes.  

In my opinion I think James and the Giant Peach is very fascinating and enjoyable. It includes character development, friendships, challenges James and his pals had to overcome and a wild adventure.   

For example, in this story we can see the character development of James, the main character. When James first saw the six creatures living in the giant peach, the Centipede, the Earthworm, the Grasshopper, the Glow-worm, the Spider, the Ladybug and the Silkworm, he was very frightened and terrified. In the book it says, “Poor James was backed up against the far wall, shivering with fright and much too terrified to answer,” as he tried to keep his distance from the dangerous giant monsters he met. James thought that since they were animals they were going to eat him, but after getting to know each of them and becoming friends with them he realized that you should judge others based on their personality, not their appearance.  Near the end James says, “Of course they’re not dangerous! They’re the nicest creatures in the world!”    

Throughout the book there were many challenges James had to face.  This made the book very engaging. It made you keep wanting to flip a page non-stop. While reading it, I personally couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. Would James overcome the challenges or would he give into them?

James and the Giant Peach is one of my top favorite books. Although it’s not very long, it has a great plot. I also love the illustrations because it allows the readers to imagine what’s going on.  If you’ve ever read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Matilda, or The Witches you’ll like James and the Giant Peach.  When I first read the book I was amazed at the details it had and I just didn’t want to stop reading, I was very hooked.    

I’d definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy and to younger readers. It’s a fantastic story about a boy’s brave journey with his friends. Overall the characters are all unique and most of them are amazing with their own personality that helps bring out the best in each other. It’s also inspiring and motivational about how a boy escaped from his abusive home. It’s a must read so if you ever do get the chance to read it, do read it!