Additional Information:
- Non-English author and illustrator
- Softcover, 64 pages
Synopsis: The Gregg family loves the thrill of hunting. To the girl next door, this is a horrid act. The Greggs only laugh at her when she tries to reason with them. One day, when the Greggs push it too far, the little girl discovers her very own magic finger, which she uses against them. When her anger becomes out of control, her finger takes over, and this time it has turned the Greggs into birds. The Greggs wind up living in a nest, but that is only the beginning of the problems in this story.
Book Notes: The Magic Finger is a great book for demonstrating Roald Dahl's writing style. It is whimsical and clever, which portrays Dahl's usual voice. It makes for an entertaining read aloud, or the children can read it on their own. It is appropriate for a variety of readers from third grade to fifth grade. The illustrations are common to Dahl's books, illustrated by Quentin Blake. It is a great book to read during an author study of Dahl and can be compared to his other children's books, such as James and the Giant Peach or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Critique: The Magic Finger is similar to many books written by Dahl in that it uses imagination and sarcastic charm throughout the story. This is a great read for young children, and it is very short, so primary readers can enjoy it too. It would also be a good book to read aloud. The book seems a little too short, so it would be difficult to use for a novel study.
Classroom Activities: This book can be used as supplementary reading material during a Roald Dahl novel study, or can be recommended to students who enjoy his writing. It can be used to teach theme, message, fantasy, or other plot elements. It would also be great to use in a primary grade classroom. Below are more links to classroom ideas.
- Lesson plans: http://www.roalddahl.com/create-and-learn/teach/teach-the-stories/the-magic-finger-lessons
- Resources: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/themagicfinger.htm
- Teaching themes: http://www.hkedcity.net/iclub_files/a/1/62/webpage/07-08/2007_RA/RA2007-TP412_MagicFinger.pdf
Additional Resources:
- Author website: https://www.roalddahl.com/
- Illustrator website: http://www.quentinblake.com/
- Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDzQGqp966Y
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