The BFG

by Roald Dahl

Grades 5-6; Genre - Fantasy; GRL U; AR pts. 6.0

Kidsnatched from her orphange by a BFG (Big Friendly Giant), who spends his life blowing happy dreams to children, Sophie concocts a plan with him to save the world from nine other man-gobbling cannybull giants.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Describe Sophie. She’s an orphan; isn’t supposed to get out of bed but she did to close the curtain; couldn’t sleep; curious and looked out the window p.9

Chapter 2

1. Describe the thing Sophie saw. Very tall human like person that walked in the shadows, peeking in the second story windows; pale wrinkly face with huge ears, fierce and devilish eyes, wearing a black cloak and carried a thin trumpet p.14

Chapter 3

1. Predict what will happen to Sophie. Listen to your child’s answer p.21

Chapter 4

1. Describe the cave. The giant’s home; a gigantic rock blocks the opening; pitch black until the giant lit a light; gigantic with a high rocky roof; shelves on the walls filled with glass jars; a 12 foot table and chairs to match p.22

Chapter 5

1. What good news did Sophie hear in this chapter? The giant who captured her doesn’t eat humans p.34

Chapter 6

1. What did Sophie learn about giants in this chapter? They travel every night and eat humans p.40

Chapter 7

1. What can the BFG hear with his marvelous ears? Dreams; plants, trees, spiders, butterflies, etc. p.50

Chapter 8

1. Summarize this chapter. The BFG pulled out some food that he and Sophie thought was disgusting; giants aren’t born, they just appear and are only men; Sophie complimented the BFG and how he talks; he said he wouldn’t steal vegetables from gardens p.54

Chapter 9

1. How is Sophie clever in this chapter? She hid from the Bloodbottler in the snozzcumber p.65

Chapter 10

1. Describe frobscottle. A green fizzy drink; the bubbles go down instead of up; delicious; causes whizzpoppers (flatulence) p.72

Chapter 11

1. Did the BFG have a good argument on page 91? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 12

1. Describe how the BFG captures dreams? He uses his net like a butterfly net, puts them in jars with lids p.94
2. Why is the BFG so excited and then so upset in this chapter? He’d caught a wonderful dream, but then he caught a nightmare p.96

Chapter 13

1. How did the BFG put the nightmare to good use? He gave it to Fleshlumpeater; he dreamt of Jack the Giant Killer p.107
2. Why did Sophie smile that Fleshlumpeater thought the beanstalk killed giants? Jack used the beanstalk to climb up to the world of giants, not as a weapon to kill them p.108

Chapter 14

1. Summarize one of the dreams the BFG has captured. P.120-131
2. How has the BFG learned to write? He borrowed a human’s book p.131
3. Predict how Sophie and the BFG will stop the other giants from eating children in England. Listen to your child’s answer p.133

Chapter 15

1. Were you correct in your prediction? Listen to your child’s answer 
2. Describe Sophie’s plan. The BFG will mix a dream for the Queen of England; Sophie will be on her windowsill and when she wakes up, she’ll tell her giants are real; Sophie’s hoping the queen will send her army to defeat the giants p.141

Chapter 16

1. Why did the dream given to the queen need to be a nightmare? Giants eating children is nightmarish p.151

Chapter 17

1. Summarize this chapter. Sophie rode in the BFG’s ear to London; they saw the giants as they ran home from their feast and Sophie was resolved to go forward with the plan; Sophie guided the BFG to the palace p.157

Chapter 18

1. How did Sophie and the BFG find the queen’s room? The BFG can hear the difference between men and women breathing; when they looked in the room, it looked stately and Sophie recognized the queen p.168

Chapter 19

1. Did Sophie’s plan go as she hoped? Explain. Yes; there was an article in the paper about the children disappearing and bones below the windows that supported her and the BFG p.174

Chapter 20

1. What did the queen do to verify Sophie’s and the BFG’s story? Called the countries the giants had visited recently p.202

Chapter 21

1. How did the BFG help solve the issue of finding the giants? He said the soldiers in the helicopters could follow him p.211

Chapter 22

1. Summarize this chapter. The BFG led the helicopters to the giants’ land; they drove to the sleeping giants and tied them up only waking up one; Sophie stabbed him with her brooch from the queen and the BFG pretended the giant has been bit by a snake and tied him up; they loaded up all the dreams and the helicopters came to pick up the giants p.213

Chapter 23

1. What did the queen prepare for the giants when the helicopters arrived in London? A large pit they couldn’t climb out of
2. How did the BFG solve what would be fed the giants? He brought snozzcumbers and snozzcumbers plants to be planted p.237

Chapter 24

1. What did you like about the conclusion of this story? Listen to your child’s answer p.239