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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This story wasn't bad, but unfortunately the whole narrative of a girl hating on a bunch of hunters didn't quite agree with me, since I read this book right after Danny the Champion of the World which spent more than 200 pages to explain how cool poaching is. This wasn't as bad as the other one; the story was actually kinda cute, but I am so disappointed at Roald Dhal right now for disliking all his works I recently read that I might just rate this book lower for that reason. So yeah, don't listen to me, I am just angry at my childhood's favourite author for not actually being as good as I remembered. It happens! :(

This is a book about a girl who punishes a family who hunts using her magic finger. In the end, the family vows never to hunt again. But my question still remains: plenty of people who read this book eat meat, yet agree that the hunters should be punished. But should they? What's the difference between eating meat and hunting your own meat? At least they know the animals weren't tortured or abused. Maybe I'm reading too much into this...

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.

Oh I loved the theme of this one! It's a story about how humans shoot animals for food and a little girl doesn't like that and then she takes revenge on that family who is shooting and made sure they became victims in a sorta way to learn that it's not okay to shoot other living creatures. I LOVED IT. I also love the magic element in it and the storytelling in general.

کودک درونم یک عالمه لذت برد. تقویت دیدن موضوع از نگاه طرف مقابل و اهمیت دادن به پرندگان و حیوانات را عالی به تصویر و قلم کشیده بود.
با تشکر از رولد دال!

Ποτέ ο Νταλ δεν ήταν πιο αυστηρός, αλλά, συνάμα. και πιο ξεκαρδιστικός ! Ένα σύντομο σε έκταση μυθιστόρημα που δίνει 'τροφή' στη φαντασία των μικρών και των... μεγάλων.

Βαθμολογία: 4,3/5 ή 8,6/10.

This is anti-gun, anti-hunting propaganda wrapped up as a children's book. It misrepresents hunters (at least, the vast majority of them), who do not hunt simply for sport, but actually eat what they kill and do not waste it. Frankly, while I have no issue with Roald Dahl holding those views, even if I disagree with them, I take great issue with him propagandizing children like this.

Great book for teaching empathy to children! Also, as a pescatarian, I appreciate the point that humans get to walk a mile in the shoes of a bird family. Very clever. I'd give it a 3 for my own personal enjoyment as an adult, but my 6.5 y/o said she thinks it's just as good as The BFG and Matilda. (Also, as a noteworthy side note, I am floored and curious about the fact that a man of his generation had heroines, as opposed to heroes, in all three of those books-Sophie, Matilda, and "the girl with the magic finger" whom he never gives a name, but identifies as an 8 y/o little girl.) Because it's meant to be a children's book, I am giving this book a 5 because it's my kid's rating that I think should matter and not mine. Plus, upon reflection, I realize I would've loved this book too as a kid. Another hit out of the ball park, Mr. Dahl! Such a talented and remarkably creative author!

Simplistic:
This book has an agenda which is anti-gun and anti-hunting. The affected family is taught a lesson by a young girl who cannot control either her temper or her "magic finger". I have seen many farm families in my life growing up in both rural England and rural America. None of these have taken pleasure in harming animals and have considered their lifestyle including hunting as a necessity in feeding their families.

Deeper:
Is it too simplistic to think that there is only one "lesson" to be learned? The unnamed girl seems to be taking pleasure in pointing her finger at others. You know what they say about pointing at someone else? There are three fingers pointing back at you!

A pleasant reminder of my childhood when the library lady used read us such stories. I really wish we can revive this in our community ~ there's so much in a work of fiction that can turn a child's life all around!

Dahl does indeed have a celebrated imgination!

Е, да, дете въоръжено с вълшебен пръст крие потенциала за отприщването на пълна анархия, но също така гарантира и своевременно и безкомпромисно действие срещу всяка неправда. На всеки, който някога се е чувствал малък, безпомощен и безсилен „Вълшебният пръст” ще вдъхне кураж и мечти! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":

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