James and the Giant Peach

My seven-year-old son and I are reading and loving Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach.  The book starts off a little dark for my overly sensitive little boy (whose real-life friend just lost his father--REALLY bad timing)--James' parents, who were shopping, were killed by a rhino.  The orphan had to pack up and live in an isolated area with two cruel, aging, and abusive aunts:  Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker.  Once James meets his friends inside the peach, the tone lightens dramatically. 

My son's favorite character is the caterpillar--"he's very sassy."  Of course I've exaggerated this sassiness with different inflections in voice while reading.  My son belly-laughed at a few portions.  We are anxious to finish this book in the next day or two.

My more apathetic readers (aka--teen daughters) have informed their little brother that there is a movie based on the book.  I am not sure he's done the book/movie comparison.  Sounds like a rainy day, popcorn sort of activity to do this summer.