Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang [Paperback]

Ian Fleming (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 22, 1989

Inventor Caractacus Pott and his family embark on a fun-filled adventure in their flying car.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The car is magical. So is the book. Vogue From the same stable as Thunderball et al: same excitement, same wonderful imagination. The car really lives Scotsman Super-wicked villains ... hairsbreadth escapes Telegraph --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

Ian Fleming, best known for his James Bond novels, wrote only one children?s book?and it is a classic! Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the name of the flying, floating, driving-by-itself automobile that takes the Pott family on a riotous series of adventures as they try to capture a notorious gang of robbers. This is a story filled with humor, adventure, and gadgetry that only a genius like Fleming could create. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (April 22, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394819489
• ISBN-13: 978-0394819488
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,192,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE this book BUT..., January 8, 2005

By 

Cat Rescuer (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Library Binding)

...I was so angry when I saw this new version that I sent off a letter to Random House, which I'll copy here since it clearly states my issue with the "new" version (and I also highly recommend that if you intend to purchase this book you find an "old" copy from the 60's):To Random House-I recently bought a few books I fondly remembered from my own childhood so I could introduce my friend's 9 year old grandson to some timeless classics. One of these books was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. When the copy I ordered from amazon.com arrived I open the package in breathless anticipation only to quickly descend into horrified shock at what I saw before me. The beautifully illustrated book I so fondly remembered was gone and in its place was paper with print, a hard cover, and a few pathetic, poorly drawn cartoons that serve only to disfigure, in an unimaginable and horrific travesty of art sense, what was once a gloriously illustrated treasure....The beautiful, original John Burningham illustrations were an integral and ***irreplaceable*** part of this book and without them you've destroyed what was a perfect marriage of art and story. ... This reissue is a miserable failure and a nasty insult to the readers who will never experience the true joy of what was once a perfect book...Needless to say, this "new" copy is going in the garbage and I've ordered a used copy from 1964.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars HUMOR IN HIGH GEAR!, June 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (Paperback)

This book is perfect for your summer Escape into pure Fantasy--KID LITE enough to fly!!! This is a very special car--one of a kind both in chassis and heart--not to mention that it actually thinks, has feelings and gives orders to the driver when necessary. Yet totally unselfish--only with the owner's best interests in mind.

This almost-defunct car which barely missed the wrecker yard shows its gratitude to the Pott family many times over, for she possesses Super-Mechanical powers which no one suspects. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (so named because of her unique starting up sounds) can even fly (just call her Aerocar) and hover over water with ease. Plus she knows when to give instructions (pull down, push up) to the driver, who admits that even he does not know what all the buttons on the dash do. When ignored, she flashes hints like "Idiot!", ensuring immediate results and prompt obedience. She even has built-in radar to track missing persons (she cares about).

One day Professor Caractacus (Crackpot) Pott finally invents something clever--a candy whistle--which he sells for enough British pounds to buy his dream car. After spending most of the summer tinkering and refurbishing the rare Panther, he unveils the automotive marvel to his adoring family: trembly Mrs. Pott (Mimsie) and the twins, Jeremy and Jemima. Chitty takes charge of their summer adventures from then on, obligingly transporting them to their own private beach when the coastal road is gridlocked--a distant sandbar no less. Barely escaping the encroaching tide, the car whisks them across the Channel to France, where they discover a cave which has mysterious warnings to would-be explorers. What secrets lie buried beneath the chalky cliffs? Possibly treasure?

This action-packed fantasy reads swiftly; chidlren will enjoy the way the twins outwit the badguys. Amidst all the humor and high-jinks Fleming offers pieces of scientific information gleaned during his career. He includes advice about the need for flotation de! vices in boats and other safety suggestions, but he slips them in slyly, like a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. A cute story (though my paperback version had disappointing b/w sketches) which will entertain elementary kids--a great summer read. Honk if you like kid and car heroism!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and delightful, February 7, 2004

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Hardcover)

This is the story of Commander Caractacus Pott, a highly eccentric inventor, and his family. When they acquire a broken-down old automobile, Commander Pott goes to work on it, and seemingly with the help of the automobile itself, he rebuilds it into a car that is more than a little bit magic. Due to the sound it makes when it starts up, the Pott children name the car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! However, a trip in this car is like nothing you can imagine, anything can happen, and something fantastic invariably will! And so it's off to adventure and danger!

This is a charming and delightful children's story, one that you could hardly imagine was written by Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond books! My kids love this whimsical story and yours will too. My family highly recommends this book to yours. 5 stars.