The Bookworm Club Review
Created | Updated Nov 10, 2005
All reviews are written by members of The H2G2 Bookworm's Club. We hope this review is helpful, and that we'll see you airing your views at the Club soon.
The Story Giant by Brian Patten
Sometimes a book comes along that claims to be enjoyable for both children and adults. ‘The Story Giant’; which I found in the adult’s section, is one such book. In this case, its claim is true. While the main characters are children, this story has timeless and ageless appeal.
The title character is dying, along with his castle where all but one of the stories in the world are kept. There is one way for the giant to survive; he must find the missing story. One night, across different time zones, four children fall asleep and dream their way into the giant’s castle. He weaves their dreams together and gets them to tell each other stories. But do they tell the missing story?
The plot twist is quite guessable, but that’s not the point of the book. At its heart, ‘The Story Giant’ is a collection of tales from different cultures, from Aesop’s Fables to the panda who observes the differences between the way members of heaven and hell use extra long chopsticks. However, this collection should not be mistaken for a lesson in morality. It is more a touching story of friendship and survival. The stories illustrate the power of the spoken (or indeed written) word. The idea that collectively we can change things; improve them, is surely something which we all need to focus on.
This book may only be short, but that shouldn’t diminish its simple power. Sometimes a book comes along that can educate both children and adults. ‘The Story Giant’ is one such book.
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