Scruffy Or What? (The Smartest Giant in Town - Julia Donaldson)

Member Name: belfin

Product:	The Smartest Giant in Town - Julia Donaldson
Date:	25/01/07 (184 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic story with funny illustrations

Disadvantages: none

***Background***

Nick Sharratt has illustrated quite a lot of Julia Donaldson’s books that I’ve reviewed, but in this one, it is Axel Scheffler who joins her. He was also the illustrator for her best selling book The Gruffalo.

***The Story***

The story starts,

“George was a giant, the scruffiest giant in town.
He always wore the same pair of old brown sandals and the same old patched-up gown.
‘I wish I wasn’t the scruffiest giant in town,’ he said sadly.”

He then finds a new shop that caters for giants and he bought a whole new outfit for himself so that he was the now the smartest giant in town.

He leaves the shop in all his new clothes only to find a giraffe looking very sad because his neck is cold. George is so nice that he takes off his tie and wraps it round the giraffe’s neck. The result – one happy giraffe.

As we go through the book, George finds lots of other animals in trouble and ends up giving away all of his clothes including his shirt, one shoe, one sock and his belt. This doesn’t bother him as he hops along and sings a song,

“My tie is a scarf for a cold giraffe,
My shirt’s on a boat as a sail for a goat,
My show is a house for a little white mouse,
One of my socks is a bed for a fox,
My belt helped a dog who was crossing a bog,
But…..

My trousers are falling down!
I’m the coldest giant in town!”

He realises he needs some more clothes but finds that the shop is closed for the day. He is very sad until he notices a bag with his old clothes in and puts them on. He realises that he is now the cosiest giant in town and then gets a lovely surprise when all the animals he has helped turn up with a lovely card with a crown to go with his sandals and gown. They all agree he is the kindest giant in town.

***The Illustrations***

The pictures are drawn in a lovely manner and there are lots of funny things going on in the backgrounds such as the rabbit looking perplexed at the poster of the missing giraffe. The colours and bright and set of well against white background with the black text on.

***My Thoughts***

My son has loved every Julia Donaldson book that he has come across and I have to admit that she is a great favourite of mine too. The simple stories and repetition throughout the book makes for a great read with any youngster, who can help out by remembering the rhymes.

This one does have more of a story to go with the rhymes than some of her other books but it has to be said that it seems to balance out really well. The pictures in the book go brilliantly with the story and I love the way that the tales of woe are told by the animals in smaller 3 part drawings.

What is really good about this book is that the giant finds out that being the smartest giant in town may be nice, but being the kindest giant in town is ever better. When the animals give him the crown and the card, with all that he has done for them written on it he looks happier than he did, when he got all his new clothes.

It’s always good to read a book to a child that promotes acts of kindness, although I’m not too sure I’d be happy if my son came home one day telling me that he had given his clothes away. The thought is there though and is shows that helping others can bring great rewards and that friendship is more important than anything else.

This book is one that I’m sure any parent will enjoy reading to their children and I’m sure that their children will enjoy it just as much.


***Other Julia Donaldson Books***

The Gruffalo
The Gruffalo’s Child
The Snail And The Whale
A Squash And A Squeeze
Room On A Broom
Sharing A Shell
Wriggle And Roar
Chocolate Mousse For Greedy Goose

***Price and Availability***

This hardback version is priced at £9.99 but is available from Tesco for only £6.49. It is also available in paperback form for £5.99 but again Tesco have it for only £4.49.

Hardback ISBN No. 0333961447
Paperback ISBN No. 0333963962

Summary: Another Donaldson favourite.