As a vegetarian, I highly support this story!

I really enjoyed this story! It was a fast, easy read that was very entertaining.

This story would be a perfect fantasy story about animal rights. The main character lives next door to a family that loves to hunt birds. She doesn't like that they are hurting animals, so she tries to talk them out of it, but they only laugh at her. Then one day the family goes too far and kills a ton of birds. This makes the main character angry and when she is angry her finger starts to tingle. She didn't mean to turn her magic finger on the family, but when the little girl is angry her Magic Finger takes over. It turned the family into birds! This forces them to live in a nest, eat nonhuman food and more. Then more problems keep arising...

I suggest this book to anyone that likes short stories and Roald Dahl's amazing writing :)

Review by Jonah (age 4 years and five months)
Good.
I’ve read it with my mum. I think the book is about ducks. Book’s about ducks. Book’s about ducks.

Review by Jonah’s mum
Imaginative story which emphasises treating others as we ourselves would like to be treated. A quick read over two bedtime story sessions. Captivating illustrations by Quentin Blake as always.

Remind me not to piss off this girl

The Girl with the Magic Finger often lashes out. She can't help it - if she gets mad at an injustice, her finger does something...magical. She did it once to a terrible teacher - with disastrous consequences. She tries her best to avoid using it but sometimes, it just happens.

The Gregg family loves to hunt - oftentimes for sport rather than need - and the poor girl has to watch them bring in all these dead animals every week. She witnesses the Gregg family kill bird after bird (bringing home sixteen of them one day) and in her anger, she points at them with that magic finger. And thus begins the Gregg family's harrowing journey and path to redemption.

The plot felt more than a little heavy-handed - with the Gregg family painted as complete and utterly evil. I do agree that over-hunting for fun should always be avoided but to paint the family as that bad? And the plight they are forced to suffer seemed more than a little extreme.

Overall, not Dahl's best but certainly better than the worst.

Audiobook
Narrated by Kate Winslet, this story was delightful to listen to. She does an excellent job with tone and characterization!

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“My two little children are up here with us. You wouldn’t shoot my children!”

“Yesterday you shot my children. You shot all six of my children.”

Mrs. Gregg/A Duck

A young girl lives next door to the Greggs family, they love to hunt- especially just for fun. Where the young girl absolutely hates it. When things get too out of hand the young girl sets her magic finger on them. But she doesn't know the consequences or what was going to happen.
A good story to help teach children about thinking about your actions and what you do to others as you wouldn't always like if it was done to you.

Reread 2023 I was having trouble sleeping due to fibro pain so decided to listen to the audiobook read by Roald Dahl himself.

On this mini-binge of Dahl writing, I came across this short story that speaks volumes to the younger generation. Our young narrator speaks about the Gregg family, known for their hunting trips that scare much of the wildlife in the area. The reader learns of a secret power possessed by the narrator, whereby an itching feeling from the tip of the finger leads to a small white flash and then all is changed for the better. During one of their hunts, the Greggs are unknowingly zapped by this 'magic' finger while the narrator watches, which turn the hunted ducks into a small flock of pests that chase the Gregg family back to their cottage. After a night of fitful rest, all four members of the family arise to find that their hands have been replaced with wings and they are banished outside, forced to fend for themselves. For the following day, the Greggs must fly around and try to find food, while a family of four human-sized ducks inhabit their home. Having learned their lesson, the Greggs try to regain some sense of normalcy in their lives, while also seeking to make a change for the better. Dahl impresses with this story that teeters on the edge of silliness, while also instilling some valuable lessons for the reader. Perfect for a coffee break or a snuggle up with some younger ones before bed.

Dahl knows how to pull on all aspects of story writing to keep children interested while also bringing forth important lessons. The reader will see some of the humour and silliness within this story, but also sense a serious side that Dahl wants to express, in this case the importance of respecting all that lives in the community, be it other humans, flora, or even fauna. If memory serves, this was one story that earned Dahl a significant amount of money when he was still getting into the children's genre (before Charlie Bucket and The BFG). It shows in the writing, as he was still more serious in his delivery. Life lessons abound in this story and the reader is left to hope for more pieces with powerful moral undertones. An entertaining piece that should not be missed by readers young and old.
Kudos, Mr. Dahl for all your delightful work. Children of many generations can surely rely on being entertained and educated with these wonderful pieces.

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The child with the magic finger, getting revenge at those who anger her.
One day the Greggs -her neighbors- go too far, and the little girl turns her Magic Finger on them. When she's very, very angry, the little girl's Magic Finger takes over. She really can’t control it, and now it's turned the Greggs into birds! Before they know it, the Greggs are living in a nest and having troubles living, sleeping and being besieged by the ducks! Very funny and entertaining.
It's a moral story, very educating. Had fun listening to it.
Roald Dahl is definitely one of my favourite authors of all times.

This is a short story which can easily be read to a child in one sitting, with lots of pictures. The story is an anti-hunting for sport story, where a family who hunt get an idea of how it must feel to be their prey. My children (aged 8 and 6) really enjoyed this story.

I read this when I had nothing else to do and it was fun to read.

این دومین اثری هست که از رولد دال می‌خونم.
توی ژانر ادبیات کودک، رولد دال یکی از نویسنده‌های مورد علاقه‌ی منه.

داستانِ فانتزیِ زیبایی بود که همدلی و دوست‌داشتن حیوانات رو به کودکان یاد میده.

Cute little kids story

That is one magic finger. I'm glad it turned out alright in the end. I think she could use that magic finger on the NRA people.