This book is enjoyable for those children who are beginning to read due to it's excessive amounts of repetition.

The only thing the same about the book and the movie is the name. I enjoyed the story in the book and think it would make a great movie. But it is so different from the movie that it would have to have a different name. maybe Gen ii, The name of the car in the book. It is a fun book to read. ( )

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one of my childhood favorites, and revisiting it as an adult reminded me why. It's a jolly story about an unusual family, the Potts, and their supercharged Paragon Panther of a car. The Potts can't do anything like ordinary people; when they buy a car, it turns out to be the only one of its kind ever made. When they take a picnic, they discover a secret lair of weapons and criminals. And only Chitty Chitty Bang Bang can get them out of this one!

The writing is simply delightful, with plenty of asides to the reader ("I do hope this isn't the first French word you've ever learned" and "transmogrifications (which is just a fancy word for big changes)"). It reminded me a great deal of Roald Dahl's exuberant and comic style. Occasionally Fleming uses lots of EXCLAMATION POINTS AND CAPITAL LETTERS!!!!!!! for effect, and it's quite funny. He doesn't overdo it, and I can imagine how fun it would be to read this story aloud to children with the exaggerated drama those exclamation points and capital letters imply.

I think I saw the movie a long time ago and though I barely remember it, I do think it's quite a bit different from the story of the book. Stick with the book — it's humorous, well-written, and imaginative. ( )

This book was my first experience with loving a book, then being horribly disappointed in the movie. I read this book before it was a movie - something like 4th grade, and I loved it! Fun, adventure, mystery, and good writing (to my 9 or 10 year old mind, anyway!) Then I remember being excited that they were making a movie of it - and imagine my disappointment when it was a ~musical~ starring Dick van Dyke! It wasn't anything ~like~ the book, and they not only changed the plot, they changed the whole feeling of the book - I hated it! It was an early lesson in not expecting a movie to be anything like a book, or risk deep disappointment. I'd still recommend the book to young readers, though!! ( )

Full review: ( http://bachlab.balbach.net/coolread4.... ) in summary: mercifully short genre fiction more known for its famous author, clever title and movie adaptations; a gateway for kids into the swamp of popular culture period pieces. ( )