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The Giant That Sneezed (Child's Play Library)
The Giant That Sneezed - Child's Play Library Author:Norman Leach, Toni Goffe Picture this: It's two generations after Jack of the Beanstalk lore. Although his grandson of the same name imagines himself quite the giant-slayer, as we find out from his mother, he has actually never even seen one, only pretending to cut down giants in droves as he really goes about the much less violent business of chopping down trees and ... more »mercilessly whacking the heads off dandelions. Meanwhile, who should fall to the earth right down the proverbial beanstalk, but a real, live "whopper" of a Giant!! Unlike his predecessor, this Giant is gentle and fearful. He also has a most inconvenient reaction to fear - he sneezes, none of your garden variety sneezes, mind you, but our walloping twelve megaton, take cover, give-it-a-name sneeze: "A-a-a-tishoo!!"
When Jack meets the Giant, all he can think of is his duty to "chop him up into little bits." The Giant, who could have crushed Jack between his fingers, pleads for his life, apologizes for eating a few beans, promises never to bother them again and even hands Jack the ax after sneezing it out of his hands. In spite of all evidence to the contrary, Jack persists in his belief that all Giants are bad and should be killed. At last his mother takes matters into her own hands. She gives the Giant pepper-laced bean soup and he literally sneezes Jack right off the planet up into the Giant's own land where he is re united with his father who was himself sneezed there long ago. His father helps Jack to understand that his perception of Giants was based on rumors, fear and misunderstanding. Of course, in the tradition of fairytale ending, Jack's family and the Giants family-to-be live "happily ever after". There's nothing like a well-told tale and Norman Leach, who was tragically killed in a car accident as Michael Twinn was preparing beautiful and equally humorous illustrations of Toni Goffe.« less