James and the giant peach - wikipedia James and the giant peach For the 1996 film adaptation, see James and the Giant Peach ( film ). For the musical adaptation, see James and the Giant Peach ( musical ). James and the Giant Peach. First edition ( US ) Author Roald Dahl Illustrator Nancy Ekholm Burkert ( first US edition ) Michael Simeon ( first UK edition ) Emma Chichester Clark ( 1990 UK edition ) Quentin Blake ( 1995 edition ) Lane Smith ( 1996 US edition ) Country United Kingdom Language English Genre Children 's novel Publisher Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Publication date 1961 Media type Hardcover Pages 160 OCLC 50568125 Dewey Decimal ( Fic ) 21 LC Class PZ8. D137 Jam 2002 James and the Giant Peach is a popular children 's novel written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. The original first edition published by Alfred Knopf featured illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. There have been reillustrated versions of it over the years, done by Michael Simeon for the first British edition, Emma Chichester Clark, Lane Smith and Quentin Blake. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 1996. The plot centres on a young English orphan boy who enters a gigantic, magical peach, and has a wild and surreal cross-world adventure with seven magically - altered garden bugs he meets. They set off on a journey to escape from James ' two mean and cruel aunts. Roald Dahl was originally going to write about a giant cherry, but changed it to James and the Giant Peach because a peach is `` prettier, bigger and squishier than a cherry. '' Because of the story 's occasional macabre and potentially frightening content, it has become a regular target of the censors. The actors Jeremy Irons, Andrew Sachs, and Julian Rhind - Tutt provide the English language audiobook recordings. Contents 1 Summary 2 Characters 3 References in the book to other Roald Dahl works 4 Film adaptations 5 Musical adaptation 6 Editions 7 References Summary Four - year - old James Henry Trotter lives with his loving parents in a beautiful cottage by the sea in the south of England, until his parents are killed by an escaped rhinoceros during a shopping trip in London. As a result, James is forced to live with his two cruel aunts, Spiker and Sponge, in a run - down house on a high, desolate hill near the White Cliffs of Dover. For four years, James is treated as a drudge, forced to do hard labor, beaten for hardly any reason, improperly fed, and forced to sleep on bare floorboards in the attic. One summer afternoon, after a particularly upsetting altercation with his aunts, James stumbles across a mysterious stranger, who gives him magic green `` crocodile tongues '' which, when drunk with water, will bring him happiness and great adventures. On the way to the house, James spills the crocodile tongues onto a barren peach tree, which then produces a single peach that quickly grows to nearly the size of a house. The next day, the aunts sell tickets to neighbors and tourists to see the giant peach while James watches from the window of his room in which he is locked up, to prevent him from getting in the way of his aunts ' business. When night comes, the aunts release James and send him to collect rubbish discarded by the crowd. James goes to take a closer look at the giant peach, but he discovers a tunnel, which leads to a secret room inside the peach 's seed, inhabited by a rag - tag band of human - sized, talking invertebrates ( an old green grasshopper, centipede, earthworm, spider, ladybug, silkworm, and a glowworm ), also transformed by the magic of the crocodile tongues given him earlier. These bugs then become James ' companions in his adventure, and the companionship is prompted by a common hatred of the aunts. Upon James ' arrival, the Centipede bites through the stem of the peach, whereupon it rolls down the hill early next morning, crushing and killing Spiker and Sponge on the way. Everyone inside the peach feels it rolling over the aunts and bursts out cheering. It rolls through villages, houses, and a famous chocolate factory before falling off the cliffs of Dover into the sea. James and the bugs emerge to find themselves floating in the sea but manage to sustain themselves on the delicious flesh of the peach. Hours later, near the Azores, the peach is surrounded by sharks. Using the Earthworm as bait, James and the others of the peach lure five hundred seagulls to the peach from the nearby islands, which they tie to the broken stem as a source of flight. Now airborne, the peach crosses the Atlantic Ocean. At one incident, the Centipede entertains the others with ribald dirges to Sponge and Spiker, but in his excitement, he falls into the ocean and is rescued by James. That night, thousands of feet in the air, the giant peach floats through mountain - like, moonlit clouds, where the bugs and James discover the ghostly `` Cloud - Men '', who control the weather. As the Cloud - Men form hailstones to throw down to the world below, the Centipede insults them, and an army of Cloud - Men pelt the giant peach with hail. They escape and then encounter a rainbow which they smash through. One Cloud - Man pours a tin of `` rainbow paint '' onto the Centipede, briefly turning him into a statue before he is freed by a Cloud - Man who pours water on him. One Cloud - Man almost boards the peach by climbing down the silken strings tied to the stem, which the Centipede severs to release him. Thereafter, James and the bugs approach New York City ; whereupon the military, police, fire department, and rescue services are all called, and people flee to air raid shelters and subway stations, believing the city is about to be destroyed. A huge passenger jet flies past the giant peach and severs the silken strings connecting the seagulls to the peach, which is then impaled upon the tip of the Empire State Building. The people on the 86th floor at first believe the inhabitants of the giant peach to be monsters or extraterrestrials ; but when James appears and explains his story, the people hail James and his friends as heroes. The remains of the giant peach are brought down to the streets, where it is consumed by the town 's children, and its seed is established as a mansion in Central Park, where James lives, while his friends establish careers in the human world. In conclusion, James is said to have written the preceding story. Characters James Henry Trotter -- The protagonist of the book, who wants nothing more than to have friends and be happy. Though something of a dreamer, James is clever, kind - hearted, innocent, and ever - resourceful throughout his adventure in the giant peach, and his intuitive plans save his friends ' lives on each occasion. The Old Man -- A friendly yet mysterious individual, who initiates James ' adventure. In the 1980 re-printing of the book, with illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, he can be seen in the final illustration, amongst the New York City crowd. Aunt Spiker -- A dominating, cruel, malicious, and thoroughly repulsive woman ; possibly the older of James ' aunts. Spiker is described as tall and thin -- almost emaciated -- with steel glasses, and her speech produces spit whenever she gets angry or excited. James never hears her or her sister Sponge laugh, and they never call him by his name, but always refer to him as insults such as `` you nasty little beast '' or `` you miserable creature ''. She seems to be the smartest of the aunts. She is destroyed by the giant peach in its escape. It is unknown if she and her sister Sponge are the sisters of James 's mother or father, or ( since the illustrations depict them as elderly ) his great - aunts. Aunt Sponge -- Spiker 's sister : a greedy, selfish, and morbidly obese woman, and equally as cruel and repulsive as Spiker, but seems to be less smart, and destroyed concurrently. The Centipede -- A male centipede, depicted as a boisterous rascal with a good heart, and perhaps James ' closest friend in the peach. He is generally optimistic and even brave, but outspoken and rash. His sources of pride are his `` 100 legs '', even though he has only 42, and his ancestral status of garden pest. He often asks for help with putting on his many boots, or taking them off, or shining them. In the last chapter of the book, it is revealed that he becomes Vice-President - in - Charge - of - Sales of a high - class firm of boot and shoe manufacturers. The Earthworm -- A male earthworm who often quarrels with the Centipede, and is frequently the most pessimistic of the protagonists, though on amicable terms with nearly all. In New York City, he becomes the mascot of a skin - cream company. The Old Green Grasshopper -- A male grasshopper, who ( as the eldest ) assumes an almost paternal role to James and the others. He is an accomplished musician ; wherefore, he ultimately becomes a member of the New York Symphony Orchestra where his playing is greatly admired. The Ladybird -- A kind, motherly female ladybird who takes care of James. In the last chapter of the book, it is revealed that the Ladybird `` married the head of the New York City Fire Department and lived happily ever after ''. Miss Spider -- A good - natured female spider who takes care of James. Generally friendly and decent in manner, but described by Dahl as having `` a large, black and murderous - looking head, which to a stranger was probably the most terrifying of all ''. She has particular resentment toward Sponge, who caused the deaths of Miss Spider 's father and grandmother. On the journey, Miss Spider makes hammocks for the others to sleep ; and in the final chapter, becomes a tightrope manufacturer. The Glowworm -- A female glowworm, who quietly hangs from the ceiling at the center of the giant peach and provides lighting for the interior. After the adventure, she illuminates the Statue of Liberty 's torch. The Silkworm -- A female Silkworm, who assists Miss Spider in the production of thread, both before and after the adventure. She is never seen to speak and is also the only one of James ' travelling companions not to appear in the film adaptation. References in the book to other Roald Dahl works This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. ( February 2015 ) James and the Giant Peach possibly references Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the beginning and end of the novel ( although its copyright date is three years earlier ). When the peach rolls off the tree, it rolls through a `` famous chocolate factory '' : a reference to Willy Wonka 's chocolate factory. Towards the end of the book, people in New York City identify the protagonists, incorrectly, as Whangdoodles, Snozzwangers, Hornswogglers, or Vermicious Knids. All of those animals ( except the last ) are mentioned by Willy Wonka as predators of the Oompa - Loompas ; and Vermicious Knids feature in the sequel book, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, when they try to link up with the Space Hotel U.S.A. It also references `` the BFG '' in the end of the novel : on the last page, James writes a recount of his adventure ( the illustration shows him smiling with a book in his hands ). This is also how the BFG ended. In both cases, the recounted stories are purported to be the books themselves. Film adaptations Main article : James and the Giant Peach ( film ) Though Roald Dahl declined numerous offers during his lifetime to have a film version of James and the Giant Peach produced, his widow, Liccy Dahl, approved an offer to have a film adaptation produced in conjunction with Disney in the mid-1990s. It was directed by Henry Selick and produced by Denise Di Novi and Tim Burton, both of whom previously produced The Nightmare Before Christmas. The movie consists of live action and stop - motion to reduce production finances. It was narrated by Pete Postlethwaite ( who also played the wizard ). The film was released on 12 April 1996. There are numerous changes in both the plot of the film and the plot of the book, though the film was generally well received. Liccy Dahl said that, `` I think Roald would have been delighted with what they did with James. '' Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a positive review, praising the animated part, but calling the live - action segments `` crude. '' The movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score ( by Randy Newman ). It won Best Animated Feature Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. In August 2016, Sam Mendes was revealed to be in negotiations with Disney to direct another live action adaptation of the novel. In May 2017, however, Mendes was no longer attached to the project due to him entering talks with Disney about directing a live - action film adaptation of Pinocchio. Musical adaptation Main article : James and the Giant Peach ( musical ) The book was made into a musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and book by Timothy Allen McDonald that premiered at Goodspeed Musicals in 2010 and is currently frequently produced in regional and youth theatre. Editions ISBN 0 - 06 - 054272 - 1 ( audio CD read by Jeremy Irons, 2003 ) ISBN 0 - 14 - 037156 - 7 ( paperback, 1995 ) ISBN 1 - 55734 - 441 - 8 ( paperback, 1994 ) ISBN 0 - 14 - 034269 - 9 ( paperback, 1990 ) ISBN 0 - 553 - 15113 - 4 ( Bantam Skylark paperback, 1980 ) ISBN 0 - 394 - 81282 - 4 ( hardcover, 1961 ) ISBN 978 - 0 - 394 - 91282 - 0 ( library binding, 1961 ) References Jump up ^ Roald Dahl Fact Sheet : Puffin play ground Puffin Books Jump up ^ Clarie Heald ( 11 June 2005 ) `` Chocolate doors thrown open to Dahl ''. BBC News Jump up ^ The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990 -- 2000. American Library Association. Jump up ^ `` Why is China banning Winnie the Pooh and other foreign picture books ? ''. Newsweek. Jump up ^ `` James and the Giant Peach Audiobook ''. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 26 June 2015 ^ Jump up to : Roberts, Chloe ; Darren Horne. `` Roald Dahl : From Page to Screen ''. close-upfilm.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2008. Jump up ^ Evans, Noah Wolfgram. `` Layers : A Look at Henry Selick ''. Retrieved 12 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` James And The Giant Peach ''. bcdb.com, 23 March 2011 Jump up ^ Gleiberman, Owen ( 19 April 1996 ). `` PITS A WONDERFUL LIFE ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 12 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` Sam Mendes in Talks to Direct Disney 's Live - Action ' James and the Giant Peach ' ''. Variety. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016. Jump up ^ `` Sam Mendes in Early Talks to Direct ' Pinocchio ' Live - Action Movie ''. Variety. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017. Mendes will no longer direct the `` James and the Giant Peach '' remake for Disney, which he was attached to less than a year ago. Roald Dahl Children 's fiction The Gremlins ( 1943 ) James and the Giant Peach ( 1961 ) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 1964 ) The Magic Finger ( 1966 ) Fantastic Mr Fox ( 1970 ) Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator ( 1972 ) Danny, the Champion of the World ( 1975 ) The Enormous Crocodile ( 1978 ) The Twits ( 1980 ) George 's Marvellous Medicine ( 1981 ) The BFG ( 1982 ) The Witches ( 1983 ) The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me ( 1985 ) Matilda ( 1988 ) Esio Trot ( 1990 ) The Vicar of Nibbleswicke ( 1991 ) The Minpins ( 1991 ) Children 's poetry Revolting Rhymes ( 1982 ) Dirty Beasts ( 1983 ) Rhyme Stew ( 1989 ) Adult novels Sometime Never : A Fable for Supermen ( 1948 ) My Uncle Oswald ( 1979 ) Adult short story collections Over to You : Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying ( 1946 ) Someone Like You ( 1953 ) Kiss Kiss ( 1960 ) Lamb to the Slaughter ( 1953 ) Switch Bitch ( 1974 ) The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More ( 1977 ) The Best of Roald Dahl ( 1978 ) Tales of the Unexpected ( 1979 ) More Tales of the Unexpected ( 1980 ) The Roald Dahl Omnibus ( 1986 ) Two Fables ( 1986 ) Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life : The Country Stories of Roald Dahl ( 1989 ) The Collected Short Stories of Roald Dahl ( 1991 ) The Roald Dahl Treasury ( 1997 ) The Great Automatic Grammatizator ( 1998 ) Skin and Other Stories ( 2000 ) Roald Dahl : Collected Stories ( 2006 ) Non-fiction The Mildenhall Treasure ( 1946 ) Boy : Tales of Childhood ( 1984 ) Going Solo ( 1986 ) Memories with Food at Gipsy House ( 1991 ) Roald Dahl 's Guide to Railway Safety ( 1991 ) My Year ( 1993 ) Film adaptations 36 Hours ( 1965 ) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory ( 1971 ) Danny, the Champion of the World ( 1989 ) The BFG ( 1989 ) The Witches ( 1990 ) Four Rooms ( 1995 ) James and the Giant Peach ( 1996 ) Matilda ( 1996 ) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) Fantastic Mr. Fox ( 2009 ) Roald Dahl 's Esio Trot ( 2015 ) The BFG ( 2016 ) Revolting Rhymes ( 2016 ) Tom and Jerry : Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ( 2017 ) Film scripts The Bells of Hell Go Ting - a-ling - a-ling ( 1966, unfinished ) You Only Live Twice ( 1967 ) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ( 1968 ) The Night Digger ( 1971 ) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory ( 1971 ) Television series Way Out ( 1961 ) Tales of the Unexpected ( 1979 -- 88 ) Musicals and plays The Honeys ( 1955 ) Matilda ( 2010 ) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2013 ) Fantastic Mr Fox ( 2016 ) See also Quentin Blake Roald Dahl bibliography Roald Dahl short stories bibliography Roald Dahl 's Book of Ghost Stories ( 1983 ) List of Tales of the Unexpected episodes Related Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre Roald Dahl Children 's Gallery Patricia Neal ( wife ) Tessa Dahl ( daughter ) Ophelia Dahl ( daughter ) Lucy Dahl ( daughter ) Sophie Dahl ( granddaughter ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_and_the_Giant_Peach&oldid=806784260 '' Categories : 1961 British novels Children 's books by Roald Dahl British novels adapted into films Alfred A. Knopf books Novels about orphans British children 's novels Novels by Roald Dahl Insects in fiction Novels set in England 1961 children 's books Hidden categories : Use British English from December 2012 Use dmy dates from August 2015 Pages to import images to Wikidata Articles that may contain original research from February 2015 All articles that may contain original research Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Català Cymraeg Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano עברית Nederlands Norsk ភាសា ខ្មែរ Русский Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 24 October 2017, at 03 : 48. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what killed james parents in james and the giant peach
Answer: escaped rhinoceros