The Magic Finger |
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Roald Dahl
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Pages: 80 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0141322683
Pub: Puffin
Pub date: 2008-09-04
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1715
Reader Reviews:
Hunters are horrid (11/11 people found this helpful)
The Greggs are hunters who will shoot anything in the woods for fun. The little eight year old girl (who is always unnamed) who lives next door can't stand hunting of the ducks - and one day, she gets so mad that she puts the "magic finger" on them. The next morning, the Greggs wake up bird sized, complete with wings ... and that's just the beginning of their problems. I would rate this book a fabulous 7/ 10 because I think Roald Dahl should have named the girl. Overall, this book is just over the rating of a standard book. This book is a classical Roald Dahl which is much loved by millions!
The Hunters Become the Hunted (10/47 people found this helpful)
This book is about empathy and fairness. An 8 year-old girl is annoyed when she sees people causing hurt. She zaps her teacher for telling the girl she is stupid when she misspells cat (kat). The teacher starts to turn into a feline-like creature with whiskers and a tail. The girl also "can't stand hunting." Annoyed by the Greggs who hunt for deer and ducks, suddenly the Greggs find themselves changing places, roles, and body features with a duck family. The Greggs quickly decide they don't like being prey very much. Most young people will relate well to this book during their period when they think carefully through the implications of eating meat. The book contains many black-and-white pen and pencil sketches by Quentin Blake to illustrate the key shifts taking place.
I thought that the story and the illustrations just didn't quite pull off the theme. It's clearly bad to hurt people's feelings and to hunt, as this story evolves. But what about having a hamburger? The book needs to broaden its message in order to make it clear what is being condemned. I wasn't sure where the book intended to draw limits on what people can do to animals. The illustrations sometimes look like scribbles done by someone in the back of a car that was hitting potholes. I suspect that the intent was to mimic a child's style. I would have preferred choosing a better child artist as a model, if that is the case. The beneficial changes occur because the girl has a magic finger. Well, I didn't have one when I was 8. What should an 8 year-old really do?
When you and your child read this book together, I suggest that you plan to spend some time describing or developing a moral system that makes sense to both of you. This book's strength is that it will raise many valuable questions, that require better answers than are provided here. For example, if someone makes an error, what is the best way to respond in various situations? What are the rights of animals in terms of providing food and medicines for humans and as experimental subjects? What is each person's responsibility in this regard?
Always ask yourself, would I like others to do unto me as I do unto them now?
This book was brilliant! (20/22 people found this helpful)
This amazingly,funny book put together with Quentin Blake's Hilarious illustrations is the most imganitive book ever!In first person,the girl of all magic and power,has a finger.Well of course she has a finger but not an ordinary finger,a finger of magic.She,the girl,turned poor Mrs Winter into a hairy pussy cat! But before long something dreadful happened she turned the Greg family into a family of... Well don't be so upset,you can read it yourself you know!
this is the best book i have ever read (1/2 people found this helpful)
I read this at a very bad part of my life were nothing ever went right for me , but it cheered me up a bit , thats why i like it more than ever . If i was to give this book marks out of ten i would give it 9 and a 1/2 . this is the best book i have ever read and i hope more people liked this book.
this is the best book i have ever read (1/4 people found this helpful)
I read this at a very bad part of my life were nothing ever went right for me , but it cheered me up a bit , thats why i like it more than ever . If i was to give this book marks out of ten i would give it 9 and a 1/2 . this is the best book i have ever read and i hope more people liked this book.
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Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Ages 5-8 -> Authors -> Dahl, Roald
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Ages 9-11 -> Authors -> Dahl, Roald
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Fiction -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> Authors, A-Z -> D -> Dahl, Roald
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin) -> Ages 12-16
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