James and the Giant Peach, Episode 2

Please listen to the reading of James and the Giant Peach.  Ask your parents to listen to it with you. They will love it, too.  This book was first published in 1961, so your parents may have fond memories of this book.  I know I do!

Anyways, this episode has Meryl Streep and Benedict Cumberbatch reading the parts of Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge and they are brilliant!  Meryl Streep changes her voice to sound so cranky that I got goosebumps up my arms listening to her, while Benedict Cumberbatch uses such great facial expressions that I found myself giggling while he read.

Click on Read More to get to the link.

Click on the picture to get to the link.

Let's have a book talk.  Discuss these questions and leave a comment with your answer if you wish.

1. Give 3 examples showing that Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker are unpleasant.

2. James has many 'wants' in these chapters.  What are they?  Compare them to your wants.  How are they different?  How are they the same?

3.  Roald Dahl does not name his chapters.  What titles would you give for chapters 4 - 8?

4.  From episode 1 & 2, whose reading of the nasty aunts have you enjoyed the most?  Why?