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The BFG is a fantastical and heartwarming story about a young orphan named Sophie and her extraordinary friendship with the Big Friendly Giant. Dive into the whimsical world of Giant Country and explore their incredible adventures.
1. The BFG originated from Roald Dahl’s ‘Ideas Book.’
Like many of Dahl’s beloved works, The BFG emerged from his Ideas Book. Dahl meticulously recorded his creative thoughts and inspirations in these notebooks, which he later transformed into the full-fledged story published in 1982.
2. The book is a tribute to Dahl’s late daughter.
In 1962, Roald Dahl faced the tragic loss of his eldest daughter, Olivia, to measles. At a time when vaccines were unavailable, she passed away at the tender age of seven. Dahl, who read to her daily, honored her memory by dedicating The BFG to her. In 1986, four years after the book’s release, he penned an open letter urging parents in Britain to vaccinate their children, which can be found here.
3. The BFG appears in another of Dahl’s stories.
Before starring in his own tale, the BFG had a brief appearance in Dahl’s earlier work, Danny, the Champion of the World. He features in a bedtime story told by Danny’s father, sharing the same distinctive traits—large ears and a kind heart. Similar to Sophie, Danny’s father once spotted the giant quietly delivering dreams to sleeping children.
4. The protagonist was nearly named “Jody.”
An early draft stored in The Roald Dahl Archive reveals that the main character was initially a boy named Jody. Dahl later reimagined the protagonist as a girl named Sophie, inspired by his granddaughter.
5. The Gobblefunk language boasts a vocabulary of over 238 words.
Gobblefunk, the whimsical language used by the giants, is filled with quirky terms like babblement, whizzpopping, and schnozzles. Dahl meticulously compiled a comprehensive list of Gobblefunk words, which is now housed at the Roald Dahl Museum. Some notable entries include pongswizzler, scumscrewer, bagblurter, troggy, and schweinwein. For a clever insult, consider using squeakpip.
6. Roald Dahl enjoyed role-playing as The BFG.
Years before writing the story, Dahl would entertain his children with tales of the Big Friendly Giant, who used a pipe to deliver pleasant dreams. Before his daughters, Lucy and Ophelia, fell asleep, he would poke a bamboo shoot through their window, pretending to be the giant. Though his daughters were skeptical, they kept it to themselves. Ophelia later shared with The Telegraph, “He seemed to me, even then, to have a vulnerable core. So I said nothing.”
7. The BFG’s footwear is inspired by a real-life pair.
In the book, the BFG is depicted wearing brown leather sandals, a detail that might seem minor but was specifically requested by Dahl. The author himself owned a pair of brown suede sandals with mismatched laces, and he sent one to illustrator Quentin Blake to serve as a reference for the giant’s footwear.
8. The story has been adapted into a stage play.
The BFG has been transformed into a theatrical production by David Wood, with recent performances in Chicago. “Director Morgan Ashley Madison brings the tale to life with vibrant energy and assured staging for Emerald City Theatre, featuring lively pacing, playful performances, and remarkably realistic puppets (crafted by Rough House Theatre) in various sizes,” as noted by The Chicago Reader.
9. Quentin Blake and Roald Dahl’s collaboration began with The BFG.
It’s difficult to picture a Roald Dahl story without Quentin Blake’s eccentric illustrations. Their collaboration began in 1978 and lasted until Dahl’s passing in 1990. Despite Blake illustrating earlier works like The Twits and The Enormous Crocodile, the two had never met face-to-face until they worked together on The BFG.
“The BFG is my favorite Roald Dahl book to illustrate because I spent considerable time discussing it with him and carefully planning the drawings. By the end, I felt deeply connected to the story,” Blake shared on his website. Interestingly, The BFG was also Dahl’s favorite book.
10. Both Dahl and Blake received accolades for the book.
In 1983, Roald Dahl was awarded the Silver Slate Pencil for writing The BFG, while Quentin Blake received the Silver Slate Paintbrush for his illustrations the same year.
11. The BFG’s original design was strikingly different.
When the BFG first appeared as a character in Danny, the Champion of the World, he was brought to life by Jill Bennett, Dahl’s initial illustrator who also contributed to The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Bennett crafted her depiction based on the book’s descriptions, earning Dahl’s enthusiastic approval. This illustration, along with others from Danny, Champion of the World, was auctioned for £85,000 in July at The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England.
