A heart-warming tale, or an edgy warning of street fraudsters...you decide! (The Smartest Giant in Town - Julia Donaldson)

Member Name: mse123

Product:	The Smartest Giant in Town - Julia Donaldson
Date:	22/06/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kids love it

Disadvantages: You may not (especially the singing) but stick with it

Personally, I found this book a bit of a "slow-burner" rather than the instant hits of some of the other Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler collaborations. On the first reading, I was less than enthused, although my son loved it instantly and wanted it over...and over...and over again. And now it is amongst my favourite kids' reads.
The plot is sweet: Essentially George is a scruffy giant with a kind heart who smartens up and then ends up using all his smart new purchases to help various characters in distress that he meets along the way. (That was my reading of it, although my husband feels this is the tale of a gullible giant who is conned and cheated out of the shirt off his back (literally) by a series of animal fraudsters...)
I found myself warming to the story when I started to develop the characters by giving them amusing voices. One big challenge when reading this aloud however, is that George sings after meeting each new character, and the song gets longer and longer...so prepare to improvise the tune, or chant, or just miss that bit out, as a friend of mine does!
Overall kids seem to love this book, and while it's not quite The Gruffalo, it is a grower.

Summary: Should be part of your collection