The Princess and the Giant

Reviewed by: Jan Hamilton - Little Dolphin School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 12, 2016

Review

In spite of her dress and petticoats this princess is a role model for all little girls. Not only does she climb the bean stalk but Sophie challenges the giant and tries to help him sleep. Her royal parents have reversed typical family task and she is encouraged to think for herself. Once Sophie realized that the giant needs to hear a bed time story the solution to his problem is clear. But wait, our heroine goes beyond reading to the giant, she teaches him to read!

Although this fractured fairy tale is about Jack and the Bean Stalk; several other fairy tales are mentioned in the text or shown in illustrations. There is an incredible amount of detail in the illustrations. Children will love hearing the story but will go back over and over to look for the mouse or perhaps the cat. By the end of the story all who hear it will long to climb that bean stalk just to see how it feels to reach the top. This colorful and fun story should appear on all primary grade media center shelves and be added to public library collections.

Overall Book Score: very good