Grandad's Secret Giant

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David Almond introduces his new picture book, A Way to the Stars, a story about perseverance and finding a way to make dreams come true. From acclaimed author, Hiawyn Oram, comes the tale of a boy called Arthur, who, like most boys and girls, becomes angry when his mother doesn’t let him stay up late. He creates angry thunderstorms and hurricanes before the storm calms and he drifts off to sleep. A fun way to explore familiar emotions before bedtime with a young class. A GIANT story of belonging and friendship from David Litchfield, author ofThe Bear and the Piano. \"He has hands the size of tables,\" Grandad said, \"legs as long as drainpipes and feet as big as rowing boats. Do you know who I mean?\" \"Yes,\" sighed Billy. \"The Secret Giant. But he's not real!\" Billy doesn't believe his Grandad when he tells him there's a giant living in his town, doing good deeds for everyone. He knows that a giant is too big to keep himself hidden. And why would he want to keep himself a secret? But as time goes on, Billy learns that some secrets are too BIG to stay secret for long... Can you think of other books that include giants? How are they similar / different? Could you write your own story about a giant (or a group of them)? This week, Coram Beanstalk's first Liverpool BookFest took place at The Very Group's head office, bringing author sessions with Marie Basting and Mark Powers to Coram Beanstalk partner schools in the North West.

Imagine that Billy and the giant are looking at the same place. Can you draw their different views (from different heights)? Author Anna Kemp introduces The Hollow Hills, the sequel to her dark magical tale, Into Goblyn Wood. Find the similes that Grandad uses to describe the giant. Can you think of any more? Make a simile notebook to collect examples that you find in other books. The people living in the town couldn’t finish the mural, so the giant completed it for them. Could you start a picture or painting and ask a friend to complete it?

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Thank you to @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. The Boy and the Giant was published in November, 2018. The cover is stunning! The title and stars are embossed in silver; The palette features dark blues & greens — and cozy warm red tones. The village/neighborhood appears gingerbread-like! The endpapers turn from cold blue, at the beginning, to joyful warm hues — at the end: Mirroring the acceptance of the Giant. Litchfield uses pen, pencil crayons, watercolor - and digital tools to create the illustrations. The focus, in many of the spreads, lends a sparkling lifelike (and magical!) effect. Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... Grandad says ‘We all make mistakes sometimes’. Can you think of times when you have made mistakes? How did you deal with them? This month our #BeanstalkBrilliant Book of the Month is a 60 year old classic - 'Where the Wild Things Are' by Maurice Sendak. We're exploring how classic books can have appeal across the generations and deepen a child's connection with the story...

The plot is a thinly veiled spin on those less welcome in mainstream culture. Read: Unseen workers (dare I say: “illegal” immigrants?) that perform the gritty work that keeps society functioning. The Giant even wears patchworked overalls - perhaps symbolizing work ethic or diversity in society? Pazientzia apur bat gehiagorekin, bere aitonak beti kontatzen dionari buruz, baina sekula ikusi ez duenari buruzko zerbait gehiago ezagutuko du istorio honetako protagonistak. Eta, bide batez, oso garrantzitsua den zerbaitez jabetuko zara. Ilustrazio politak!

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Last week, I recommended Super Manny Stands Up, as it had been a favorite when I stuffed our front-facing bookshelf with books about kindness and inclusivity. Today, I bring you another favorite from that huge collection of books: The Boy and the Giant, written and illustrated by David Litchfield. The prolific writer, Jeanne Willis, penned her first story aged 5. She has now written more than 80 titles and has won numerous awards. She teamed up with illustrator Gwen Millward to create The Bog Baby: a tale about a curious creature found by two sisters in a magic pond. The book is an exercise in reminiscing about a childhood event and how to write an engaging narrative for primary-level readers. The author uses many different words instead of ‘said’. Can you find them all? Could you change some of them and describe how this might change the meaning of the text? (e.g. ‘“Yes, Grandad,” mumbled / screamed / cried Grandad)

Look at the illustrations in which the giant is hiding. Could you create your own pictures that include hidden objects (or people) that others have to find? Make a stop-motion animation that retells this story or tells a similar story about somebody who is ‘different’. But, what you really want to know is what makes The Boy and the Giant so special, and why was it on our kindness and inclusivity bookshelf? My girls love that Litchfield tells the story of a boy who doesn't believe there is a gentle giant living close by, one who does extraordinary acts of kindness for the townspeople. And, they love that the boy discovers the giant actually does exist! But, mostly, they are able to identify with what the giant wants most in the world: to connect, to fit in, and to feel loved. The charming illustration and captivating story of a little creature lost on Earth wins high praise from teachers for its uplifting message that small acts of kindness can have lasting effects. A great book to accompany a KS1 Education for Social Responsibility lesson plan about kindness, like our Being Kind to You and Me mini scheme.

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Coram Beanstalk's annual BookFest returned to London in October 2023 with very special guests, Liz Pichon and Maria Motunrayo Adebisi. Read more... With a little more patience, the protagonist of this story will discover something more about what his grandfather always tells him, but that he has never seen in person. And, by the way, you will realize something very important. Nice illustrations! We know from our volunteers that being a reading helper brings purpose and enjoyment into their lives. Find out more about the benefits of being part of our reading community here.