The BFG
Roald Dahl
●
1981
⚠️Content Warnings
Death
Captured by a giant! The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It’s lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater, the Bonecruncher, or any of the other giants-rather than the BFG-she would have soon become breakfast.
When Sophie hears that they are flush-bunking off in England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!
Tonight’s fit
Best for readers who enjoy: Intriguing · Action-Adventure-Fantasy · Steady
Intriguing
Cave
POV: Single POV
Published by Scholastic Press
Characters
•
Children
•
Friendly Giant
Sub-genre
•
Action-Adventure-Fantasy
•
Children's Fantasy
Experience
•
Intriguing
•
Lighthearted
•
Simple Language
Pace
Gentle
Adrenaline
Balanced
Tone
Light
Dark
Light
Book length
Short
Epic
Short
More nuance
Violence
Soft
Graphic
Soft
Romance
Background
Front and centre
Background
Worldbuilding
Light touch
Deep & dense
Light touch
Readability
Breezy
Dense
Breezy
Humour
Serious
Very funny
Balanced
Target audience
Younger
Adult
Younger
Roald Dahl
Adult Fiction, Children's Fantasy
Roald Dahl was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. He has been called "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century".
Books By This Author
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Reader Reviews
★
★
★
★
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3.40
10
ratings
10
reviews
5 stars
3 (30%)
4 stars
3 (30%)
3 stars
1 (10%)
2 stars
1 (10%)
1 stars
2 (20%)
Really enjoyed: The BFG
⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. I went into The BFG with pretty normal expectations and it surprised me. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. The ending resolves fast compared to how much it builds up. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
Spoiler ahead
Click to reveal this review.
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Mixed feelings: The BFG
⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. The BFG is the kind of book that hooks you early if you like its vibe. The atmosphere is the standout — it’s easy to sink into. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
Spoiler ahead
Click to reveal this review.
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Didn’t work for me: The BFG
I went into The BFG with pretty normal expectations and it surprised me. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. Overall, I’d recommend it to the right reader.
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Not for me: The BFG
The BFG has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
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