JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

London: George Allen & Unwin, 1967. First printing. Near fine.. First UK edition of Dahl's escapist fruit adventure - a beautiful copy. Originally published in the U.S. in 1961 and newly illustrated by Simeon for this first British edition, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH was described in Allen & Unwin's foreword as Dahl's "first book for children" (somewhat accurate, if one disregards his earlier THE GREMLINS (1943), originally intended as the basis for a Disney film).

Dahl's genius as a writer for all age groups lies in his refusal to strip his children's books of the pure, unadulterated nastiness at the core of his most memorable adult short stories; sex is absent, but the vulgarity and meanness in the darkness of the human heart is, if anything, greater and more fearsome here: for Dahl, hatred of injustice is born early in a child's spirit and festers until it finds some awful, Aunt-crushing catharsis. The gruesome revenges taken by the weak upon the strong are correspondingly satisfying, unfettered by impulses to mercy, and as deeply transgressive as ever: Dahl's works for children have often been objected to by adults and this particular book regularly features on lists of banned or challenged books in American libraries - but for many children, it is the spark of fantasy within bleak settings that appeals to the imagination without becoming saccharine. Tim Burton famously told Dahl's widow he wanted to turn JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH into a film because "it's the only book that ever gave me any hope when I was a child" (D IS FOR DAHL).

Given the laminate boards, this book is extremely difficult to find in such lovely condition. 9.25'' x 6.5''. Original laminated pictorial boards. No jacket as issued. Illustrated by Simeon in black and white. 110, [2] pages. Laminate beginning to pull a tiny bit near joints (though entirely intact), else sound and bright. Faint marginal toning to leaves.