Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - by Ian Fleming

About the Book

Published just after his death in 1964, the only children's book written by James Bond creator Fleming is beloved by generations of children, and has spawned a classic film and Broadway musical. Now Fleming's original text is paired with new illustrations by noted artist Berger.

Book Synopsis

Ian Fleming's beloved original text -- illustrated by Joe Berger!

"Crackpot" is what everybody calls the Pott family. So when they go to buy a new car and come back with a wreck, nobody is surprised. Except for the Potts themselves. First, the car has a name. And she tells them what it is. Then they find out that she can fly. And swim. . . . Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a car on a mission to stop a criminal gang in its tracks -- and she is taking the Potts with her! Jump into the world's most loved magical car for her first adventure.

Review Quotes

There's no improving on perfection--in this case Fleming's adventure story (featuring the unconventional family Pott and their magically refurbished motorcar) with the original, transcendent Burningham illustrations, first published in 1964. The confiding informality of the storyteller's voice; the nonstop and immensely child-pleasing adventures; the spunk of young Jeremy and Jemima; and of course the ingenious personality of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang herself--all combine to make an ideal family read-aloud. This handsome fiftieth-anniversary gift edition is ... so very welcome.
--Horn Book

This is why the book holds up, 50 years after its original publication: its sense of the world as an inexplicable but also miraculous place.
--Los Angeles Times Online

About the Author

Ian Fleming, famous for creating James Bond, also loved fast cars -- and this love spurred him to write his only children's book, for his little boy, Caspar, about a car that could fly. Published just after Fleming's death in 1964, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car became an immediate bestseller. It has been reinvented as a musical and as a film (with the screenplay written by Roald Dahl) and inspired two sequels written by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Joe Berger is an editorial cartoonist, animator, and illustrator. He has illustrated numerous books, including the Nosy Crow title Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy. Joe Berger lives in England.