The BFG

AUTHOR: Roald Dahl
ILLUSTRATOR: Quentin Blake

From the Publisher:

From the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda! 

One of TIME MAGAZINE’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

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, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to 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!

“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.” —TIME Magazine

Leah’s Thoughts:

One of my boys’ all-time favorite read-alouds. They love re-listening to it on their Yoto players! It is packed with Roald Dahl’s signature mix of silly language, larger-than-life characters, and whimsy.

Funny, clever, and full of made-up words (snozzcumber, anyone?), The BFG makes for a magical read or listen that captures the imagination and keeps kids giggling.

Note for Moms (Content Considerations):
Because it’s set in the world of giants, there are repeated references to giants eating humans, which could be unsettling for sensitive readers. Sophie is snatched from her bed in the opening scene, and the other giants are bullies who call the BFG names and treat him harshly.

There are also whimsical fantasy elements like dream-catching, the Witching Hour, and a special soda that causes the BFG to pass gas instead of burp (cue giggles). Mild name-calling, references to beer, and some morally gray moments (like lying to protect a friend) offer great opportunities for conversation if you’re reading this aloud.

Despite those things, I still find this book age-appropriate for most 8–12 year olds. If your child is sensitive to scary content or injustice, reading it together gives space to process the tricky bits, while still enjoying the humor and heart at the center of this classic.

TIP: If you have a Yoto player, you can purchase it from Libro.fm and add it to a “Make Your Own” Yoto card.