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Quick answer: If your child loved James and the Giant Peach, try Matilda, The BFG, The Witches, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Phantom Tollbooth and The Tale of Despereaux. They share Roald Dahl's mix of wonder, humor and wicked grown-ups.
Dahl's 1961 novel follows James, who escapes his cruel aunts by climbing into a giant peach full of friendly, oversized insects. It is funny, weird and full of adventure. Kids who love it want more imaginative tales with brave children and silly villains. These 15 books suit ages 6 to 12 and make wonderful read-alouds.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matilda | Roald Dahl | 7-11 | the top pick |
| The BFG | Roald Dahl | 7-11 | Dahl fans |
| The Witches | Roald Dahl | 8-12 | brave readers |
| Fantastic Mr Fox | Roald Dahl | 6-10 | younger readers |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Roald Dahl | 7-11 | readers who love sweets |
| The Twits | Roald Dahl | 6-10 | reluctant readers |
| George's Marvellous Medicine | Roald Dahl | 7-10 | readers who like chaos |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | Norton Juster | 8-12 | readers who like wordplay |
| The Tale of Despereaux | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | readers who like fairy tales |
| A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning | Lemony Snicket | 8-12 | readers who like dry humor |
| The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | L. Frank Baum | 7-12 | readers who want the original |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Lewis Carroll | 6-12 | readers who like nonsense |
| Pippi Longstocking | Astrid Lindgren | 6-10 | readers who like bold heroines |
| Fortunately, the Milk | Neil Gaiman | 6-10 | younger readers |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | 7-11 | readers who like nature |
1. Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda, a girl with telekinetic powers, outsmarts cruel adults. A short, funny classic about the power of books.
Best for: the top pick.
2. The BFG by Roald Dahl
Sophie befriends a Big Friendly Giant who blows dreams into children's rooms. Funny and warm, with invented words.
Best for: Dahl fans.
3. The Witches by Roald Dahl
A boy discovers that witches are real and want to destroy children. Dark and funny.
Best for: brave readers.
4. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
Mr. Fox outwits three farmers to feed his family. Short and clever.
Best for: younger readers.
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Charlie wins a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's factory. Sweet, strange and silly.
Best for: readers who love sweets.
6. The Twits by Roald Dahl
Two disgusting people get their comeuppance. Short, gross and funny.
Best for: reluctant readers.
7. George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl
George mixes a potion for his grumpy grandma. Silly and quick.
Best for: readers who like chaos.
8. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Milo drives through a magic tollbooth and visits lands of words and numbers. Witty and full of puns.
Best for: readers who like wordplay.
9. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
A tiny mouse who loves music and a princess is sent to the dungeon. Funny and moving.
Best for: readers who like fairy tales.
10. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
The Baudelaire orphans face the wicked Count Olaf. Dark, funny and clever.
Best for: readers who like dry humor.
11. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Dorothy is swept away to Oz and seeks the Wizard. A classic of friendship and courage.
Best for: readers who want the original.
12. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Alice falls down a rabbit hole into a strange world. Funny and strange.
Best for: readers who like nonsense.
13. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi, the strongest girl in the world, lives alone with a horse and a monkey. Funny and free.
Best for: readers who like bold heroines.
14. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
A dad explains his lateness with a wild tale of aliens and pirates. Short, silly and illustrated.
Best for: younger readers.
15. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot learns to live with animals on an island. Short and touching.
Best for: readers who like nature.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with James and the Giant Peach: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Dahl, start with Matilda, The BFG or Fantastic Mr Fox. For similar imagination, read The Phantom Tollbooth or Alice. For funny dark tales, choose A Series of Unfortunate Events. A simple plan is to read a chapter a night and ask your child what they would pick as their own giant peach. Some Dahl books have scary scenes and old-fashioned attitudes, so preview them. For a family project, make a paper peach with a door and draw each insect friend on a card. Reading aloud also lets you do the funny voices, and audiobooks narrated by Jeremy Irons or Stephen Fry are a treat.
Related: Lorelei James Printable Book List · James Rollins Books in Order Printable List
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is James and the Giant Peach for?
It is recommended for ages 6 to 10.
Is it scary?
The aunts are cruel and a rhinoceros attack is dramatic, but the tone is funny.
Is there a movie?
Yes. The 1996 stop-motion film combines live action and animation.
Which Dahl book should we read next?
Matilda and The BFG are the most popular.
Why do kids love Dahl?
He treats children with respect, makes adults silly and writes with vivid made-up words.
Are Dahl's books suitable for sensitive kids?
Some have cruelty and scary moments, so preview them for children under 7.