SLIS 5420 Module 13 - Graphic novels and series books

SLIS 5420 - Module 13 Graphic Novels and Series Books

Giants Beware!

by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre

 

Bibliography

Aguirre, J., & Rosado, R. (2012). Giants beware!. New York: First Second.

Summary

Years ago in Mont Petit Pierre, a giant supposedly raided the town looking for baby feet to eat.  As the story is told to its townspeople, the father of the current Marquis chased the giant back up the mountain.  Claudette, a strong-willed tomboy,is determined to slay the giant.  She solicits the help of her brother, Gaston, and her best friend, Marie, who aspires to be a princess.  She convinces them to go by telling Gaston that if they kill a giant, her father is going to teach him the art of sword-making and Marie that it is an automatic princess-ship.

They set out and along the way they encounter the ugly apple-hag where Gaston saves Claudette and Marie from being boiled and eaten.  Next they meet the Mad River King where Marie promises to marry his son, the prince, in order to save Claudette and Gaston.  Claudette and Gaston save her by creating a dam and cutting off the river’s water.  They restore it once the King returns Marie and promises to allow them to cross anytime. 

In the meantime, both fathers are racing to rescue the children from their pursuit of the giant.  The children met the giant and find he is a big baby who likes to tickle baby-feet, not eat them. When the dads catch up, the kids put on a show to convince them that they are indeed slaying the giant.  Claudette, Marie and Gaston are heroes when they return to Mont Petit Pierre.  They remain friends with the giant.

Reviews

Willey, P. (2012, May). Giants Beware!. School Library Journal, 58(5), 133

Gr 3-6--A blacksmith's daughter is unsatisfied with her peaceful life within the fortress of Mont Petit Pierre. Rambunctious and loudmouthed, Claudette yearns for action, like killing the giant that lives on the mountain outside of town. With her timid brother, Gaston, and her ladylike friend, Marie, she blusters her way through the fortress gate and into the Forest of Death, beyond which lies the Mad River, and then Giant's Peak. Can these three kids, armed with a wooden sword, Marie's intelligence, Gaston's fortitude, Claudette's stinky feet, and a pug named Valiant, survive in the wilderness and defeat the giant? Of course they can, but not in the ways they might have expected. The adults in the story are distinguished by exaggerated characteristics, but their actions are driven by realistic, largely generous motives. The story strikes a fine balance between being action-and friendship-driven. The art is similarly well-balanced: Rosado's ink drawings are strong and lively, with expressive characters and well-drawn landscapes. Digitally applied color is natural, bright, and nonintrusive. Fans of Jimmy Gownley's "Amelia Rules" (S&S) and Jeff Smith's "Bone" series (Scholastic) will snap this title up.

 

Giants Beware. (2012, March). Publishers Weekly, 259(11), 63.

Comedy and fairy tale sensibilities balance perfectly in this exciting debut by writer Aguirre and illustrator Rosado. Delightfully spunky Claudette is set on becoming a monster slayer like her father (who is missing limbs due to his earlier adventures). When she hears the story of a giant on the loose, she is determined to leave her home--accompanied by her cowardly brother, Gaston, and best friend Marie--in order to set things right. Driven by Claudette's courage, Marie, who wants nothing more than to become a princess, shows proper heroic wits, and Gaston reveals inner strength and determination. When Claudette discovers that not all stories are as they seem, she and her friends must fool the adults who have come to bring them home to protect an innocent monster. The rich world and engaging characters are a surefire hit--and the glorious full-color illustrations, which pack a novel's worth of expression onto cartoon faces, should bring readers back for multiple reads of this many-layered story. One can only hope that Aguirre and Rosado have more adventures planned. Ages 7-up. (Apr.)

My thoughts

The artwork was refreshing and fit the story very well.  The story was cute and entertaining.  It had a strong theme of friendship saving the day.  I liked the fact that it featured a female as the brave pursuer of the giant.

How this could be used in the library

Older elementary or middle school students could be asked to write and illustrate a story about friends going on an adventure together.