In the spring of 1997 I received email from Beverly Fox, an elementary school teacher at Solomon Schechter Day School in Northbrook, IL. Fox was involved with a project designed to teach the students about the election process by staging a mock contest between their favorite literary characters for the office of President of Never Never Land. The students nominated candidates, designed platforms, and composed songs and speeches to sway voters. The final vote was close, but in the end victory was awarded to “The BFG” and his running mate, “Amelia Bedelia”.
Following are some of the students’ speeches and songs in support of the “BFG/Bedelia” ticket. The materials are organized by class section. I’d like to thank Mrs. Fox and the students of Solomon Schechter for submitting their work and allowing me to post it at my site. If you’d like to ask Beverly any questions about the project, email her. If you’ve done a similar project in your own classroom, email me and let me know how it turned out!
Classes: 2A 2B 2C 2D 2E 3A 3B 3C 4A 4B 4C 5A 5B
2A
Ladies and Gentlement, Boys and Girls…
We are here to tell you to please vote for The BFG.
Why you might ask?
The BFG is awesome. He is a good friend to Sophie.
He treats people like Human Beans.
He loves children.
The BFG really likes books. He would make the best books in the world and e veryone would like to read them. He would especially write some new and interesting sports books. As you can see, he will write fiction and non–fiction.
He will give all children dreams so that they will want to read more. He will give them good dreams. He will take all nightmares and put them in the garbage. he will gave bad people, good dreams, and that will make them better people.
He likes people who are good and nice and kind and who believe in giants.
If you vote for the BFG, he’ll make the world better.
2B
Friends, voters and fellow citizens of Solomon Schechter,
we are here to tell you why to vote for the BFG.
The BFG will give you good dreams.
He blows good dreams into people’s ears and capures nightmares and puts them in his jars.
He’ll give you frobscottle and you’ll float up to the ceiling.
You should read BFG books because they are very fun to read, they are especially good to read outloud because the BFG talks so funny.
The BFG will open a lot of new libraries that have good books in them. He likes all kinds of books, but his library will have a special section for books by Roald Dahl.
And don’t forget the vice president, Amelia Bedelia. She would be a good vice president because if you’re hungry you all always know that Amelia is on the way to cook you a nice treat.
But, be careful what you say to Amelia, because she does everything that you say just the way you say it – remember she’s the “do what you say candidate.”
So remember, if you vote for the BFG and Amelia Bedelia Never Never Land will be lead by a good team.
2C
Today is election day
Vote for the BFG, hip hip hooray!
The BFG is the friendliest giant you’ve ever met
He’ll take all our sick animals right to the vet
The BFG and Amelia are the very best
It would be foolish to say they’re a pest
Amelia Bedelia is a great cook.
She will make you read a good book.
The BFG won’t eat anyone
And he’s so tall that he can reach the sun
Vote for the BFG and Amelia, they’re number one.
When they win, in the library, there will be snacks for everyone.
2D
BFG
Is good for me
He’s good for you, too
Hope he doesn’t make you blue
The great big BFG
He’s as tall as he can be
We like that big friendly giant
He won’t make you go on a diet
The BFG is as tall as can be
He can step over the sea
Amelia Bedelia is the best
Better than all the rest
Amelia Bedelia, she likes to clean
One thing about her, she isn’t mean
Amelia Bedelia is so awesome
She wants to have a pet opposum
Amelia Bedelia makes a great chocolate cake
Because what she’s best at, is being able to bake
Amelia Bedelia she does what you say,
She also has some time for play
Amelia Bedelia is so cool
She has her own indoor pool.
The BFG is as tall as a tree
Everything in the world he can see.
So, bring Mrs. Fox your library card
And Amelia promises to try very hard
To do the right thing
Planting bulbs in the spring.
This is what the BFG and Amelia wrote
We hope that you’ll give us your vote.
2E
We’re 2E and we’re for BFG
He’s the best for you and me
He is big and he is smart
If you drink Frobscottle you will really fart
Amelia Bedelia does whatever you say
But then she does it in a different way.
The BFG gives you good dreams
Even for the victory of our basketball teams.
Amelia Bedelia knows how to bake
She even makes strawberry shortcake.
BFG says read lots of books
He even recommends reading Captain Hook.
Amelia Bedelia can make a mistake
But then she fixes it with a cake.
The BFG will give you something to drink
Then Amelia’s cooking will make you think
So vote for Amelia & the BFG today
Then you’ll say Hurray Hurray
3A
Boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, voters and teachers:
we are here to discuss why to vote for the BFG and Amelia Bedelia.
BFG stands for Best For Government.
If elected, the BFG will provide free frobscottle in the library.
He will give us less homework.
He will get authors to write more interesting books.
He will be sure that every night every child in every counry will have wonderful dreams.
There will be no giants left to eat you. The Blood Bottler, the Bone Cruncher, the Child Chewer, the Fleshlumpeater, the Man Hugger, the Gizzard Gulper and the Butcher Boy will be deep in a pit behind the palace. You can come and throw them snozzcumbers and watch them suffer from starvation.
Remember the BFG is the best for government…
Vote for the BFG and Amelia Bedelia: the Book Ends party.
3B
We’re here to tell you why to vote for the BFG.
He’ll give you good dreams.
He’ll always watch over you.
He’s a great dream catcher and throws away all nightmares.
He’s tall, so he can see any crimes about to happen.
He’ll beat you in basketball.
He’s a good hockey player and wrestler.
He’s the big friendly giant. Oh Yeah!
So vote for the BFG!
(to tune of Lady with Alligator Shoes)
The BFG was lonely
He found a friend named Sophie
He caught a great big dream
And blew it through the window
It landed in the queen’s ear
It woke her with a fright
She looked upon the window sill
And saw a little girl
In came the butler
In came the guards
In came her maid
With the newspaper in her arms
She called up all the army
She called up all the navy
She sent them hunting giants
In the Giant Country
They brought back the Fleshlumpeater
They brought back Bone cruncher
They brought back Child Chewer
And threw them in the Sewer
They fed them snozzcumbers
They took away frobscottle
All due to Sophie and the BFG
Who made England safe for you and me
3C
If you vote for the BFG you can have a book for free.
You’re not even tall enough to reach his knee.
Vote for the BFG and get as much frobscottle as you desire.
When you drink it you’ll whizpop and go higher and higher.
He will wave his net and catch all your nightmares.
He will make sure you have no giant “scares”.
If you vote for the Friz
You will have a big math quiz.
The BFG is so big, he can dunk higher than Jordan.
He’ll help you get some money.
He can reach every bee hive filled with honey.
He likes people to read his books.
Because they show off his good looks.
The BFG has big ears.
So all the good dreams he can hear.
So don’t forget, vote for the BFG.
He’s the best for you and me!
4A
We think you should vote for the BFG because he can take you to a place where Ms. Frizzle has never been. It is called Giant Country. You’ll love it there. You can taste as much frobscottle as you want. BFG will protect you from all the other bad giants.
“I encourage more kids to read, and not to watch t.v. Once you’ve started one of my books, you’ll be so involved, you’ll forget about the TV.”
“And if you can’t read my books, because the words are too hard, have your parents read to you. Or try one of the books about my Vice Presidential candidate, Amelia Bedelia.”
“The BFG has nothing against Ms Frizzle. We used to be friends with Harriet the Spy until she wrote down our deep dark secrets and told them to everyone. And she’ll do the same to you, so be sure to vote for me, the honest president, the BFG.”
“BFG means Big Friendly Giant.
But it can also mean: Best President ever!
Feed and fights for the rights of the poor.
Great friend no matter what.”
“Also, you should keep in mind, I will make your dreams come true. Besides, my vice president is a great cook and promises great snacks in the library.”
“So remember, vote for us, the BFG and Amelia Bedelia.
Vote for the BFG – He’s Number 1!”
4B
Vote for:
Oh BFG da ta da ta da ta
Oh Amelia da ta da ta ta ta
You are our president
You are our candidate
And we’ll be voting for you
Oh BFG da ta da ta da ta ta
Oh Amelia da ta da ta ta ta
I just can’t believe how many people want you
I just can’t believe it’s true
I just can’t believe it’s you
Oh BFG da ta da ta da ta
Oh Amelia da ta da ta ta ta
You will give us free frobscottle
Amelia will add some pie
Oh Frobscottle da ta da ta da ta
Oh fruit pie da ta da ta da ta
Vote for the BFG da ta da ta da ta
And then you’ll be happy Hey
Speech: “Vote for the BFG.
He is very helpful.
He’ll give you frobscottle.
He cares about other people.
He’s friendly.
He won’t wear funny clothes.
He’ll give you more reading time in school.
He’ll add new books to the library.
Vote for the BFG!”
Oh BFG da ta da ta da ta
Oh Amelia da ta da ta ta ta
4C
To tune of Cocacola:
The BFG is so cool
He’ll build the school an indoor pool
Always BFG
The BFG is really great
He’ll take you on a perfect date.
Always BFG
Amelia Bedelia is a great cook
You’ll eat some pie and grab a book
Always Amelia
So vote for the BFG and Amelia
And then you’ll have your choice
Always BFG
Always Amelia
5A
“Hello. My name is Benjamin Sales and I’m voting for the BFG and so are some of my classmates. He’s really cool. He’ll tell you what your dream are in advance. You can also have this really cool drink that is really healthy, it is called frobscottle. In Never Never Land, he’ll give all the citizens good jobs and he’ll make sure that the libraries are full and that there are no empty spaces on the bookshelves. So vote for the BFG and Amelia Bedelia in the election.”
“Hello. My name is Kate and I’m voting for Amelia Bedelia and I think you should because there will be fun books in the library, stories and suspense. There will also be food in the library to eat when you are eating. “We will do fun things in your school. I promise to teach a cooking class on the secrets behind my favorite apple pie. We will take fun field trips to fun places. The BFG and I make a good team, so remember vote for Amelia Bedelia and the BFG.”
To tune of “I’ll do anything for you”:
The BFG will do anything for you
Dear, anything
Yes he’ll do anything to win
You know that he’ll protect you
From other big giants
Yes He’ll do anything you say
His friend Amelia
Is the best
She’s better than all the rest
You’ll taste her apple pies each day
You know that she’ll do anything
For you dear anything
Yes, she’ll do anything you say
Vote for the BFG
He’s best for you and me
and all the rest.
They’ll do anything anything anything for us.
5B
To tune of Brady Bunch:
There’s a story of a friendly giant
Who has really, really, really big ears.
He lives in Giant country
And he blows dreams all through the year.
The BFG, The BFG, that’s why we need the BFG.
If he were president,
He would get cookies from the top of the refrigerator.
He wouldn’t need space ships
Because he could see the planets from just standing there.
The BFG, The BFG, that’s why we need the BFG.
As Sophie walks through the valley of giant country
She explores the cave filled with all his dreams.
The BFG eats spaghetti and meatballs,
but before he became president he ate snozzcumbers.
In giant country, all he did was fight,
but when he’s president he’ll teach us all to write.
The BFG, The BFG, that’s why we need the BFG.
On election day
You do it this way
You vote for the BFG
Yah! The BFG
Don’t forget Amelia
Her last name is Bedelia
She’ll cook you great pies
Right before your eyes.
Vote for the BFG
Yah! The BFG
He’s so cool
He doesn’t go to the pool
Do what you see
And vote for the BFG
Yah! Vote for the BFG