Fred W. (frwarner) - , reviewed on + 12 more book reviews
Walker presents seven classic giant stories. His choices, both familiar ("Jack and the Beanstalk," "The Cyclops," and "David and Goliath" ) and lesser-known ("Kana the Stretching Wonder," "Coyote and the Giant Sisters," "The Cannibal's Wonderful Bird," and "The Giant Who Had No Heart" ) hail from Europe, Africa, North America, the Middle East, and the Pacific. Walker has researched the better-known variants of each tale; his own retellings represent composites of several versions. Each story is appended with source notes that will be of interest to children as well as adults, and a bibliography of original editions. James Bernardin's gouache paintings and pencil drawings make for elegant bookmaking, although the stories will be just as successful presented orally. A solid choice for family reading or as a resource for storytellers.
