My daughter has been “reading” graphic novels since before she could read. My son is the same way, he’ll sit with a graphic novel for hours and he has no idea what the speech bubbles say. They both follow the stories in pictures, and have even been known to make up their own scenarios to fit the action. I am fortunate to also have a good friend who is a graphic novel enthusiast, and she keeps my kids and I on the cutting edge of what’s out there. I believe it is important to offer various types of books to children, and graphic novels are a great way to help with literacy – especially if you have a reluctant reader. I am a huge fan, myself. So, when I was asked to take a look at one for kids that recently hit the stands, I was psyched. I was even more psyched when I was told it was illustrated by a local author – yep, Columbus is cool and full of interesting and talented people. The graphic novel is called “Giants Beware!” and is getting rave reviews by publications such as the NY Times and Graphic Novel Reporter. I, also, shall rave about it.
“Giants Beware!” is written for the elementary school aged crowd with a strong female lead, lots of action, and some silliness that’ll get kids giggling. I would have preferred to read it in two, maybe three sittings, but my kids didn’t let me stop. They enjoyed Claudette, the lead character who is outspoken, head strong, and very ambitious. She doesn’t wear dresses and has short red hair. My four-year-old called her a boy at first, which was a great opportunity to discuss how everyone is different and how being ourselves is important. To my son right now, girls seem more like his sister – kind of “girly” and more into playing princess and kitty than slaying giants…which takes me to the other characters.
Claudette has two side-kicks. Her wanna-be-a-princess buddy and her little brother. What I loved about the relationship between the characters was their willingness to support each other and allow each other to make mistakes. They were examples of what true friendship should be about – to forgive shortcomings, support ridiculous ideas, and to simply love each other. This would be a great book to pick up if you have a child struggling with how to deal with friendships AND a great book to pick up if you want to read a fun adventure.
The story is about Claudette who wants to kill monsters, and the first on her agenda is a baby-feet-eating giant. She talks her wanna-be-princess buddy and brother into going with her, much against their better judgement. The three leave their kingdom on a giant-hunting adventure and come across many obstacles, such as an old witch who wants to eat them and an underwater sea king who wants a bride for his fish son. The story reminded me of The Princess Bride or Clash of the Titans where the lead character has to face challenges to get what he/she really wants. And, I won’t spoil the ending, but the story reminds us that not everything is always what it seems to be.
The artwork is fun, colorful, and full of great scenes. The reader gets a real sense for each character and their fears and passions, proving that we are all unique individuals. I really liked how there were teachable moments throughout “Giants Beware!“, that truly was just enjoyable to read. The language is geared toward children, and there are a few added base humor moments that made my kids laugh. For example, Claudette lets out a huge burp and she has really stinky feet. Hey, they’re kids…they like talking about bodily functions and things that smell.
“Giants Beware!” is a super fun book that I think should be on your must read list. Be a great gift, too! I’ve seen it at Barnes and Noble in store and online, you can buy it on Amazon, and many other places. Happy reading!
