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60th out of 71 books
—
11 voters
Are All the Giants Dead?
James, a young English boy, journeys to the fairy-tale world of princes and princesses, witches and fairies, giants and giant-killers, and invades the lair of the last giant to free a princess from an evil spell. “Here is a bright successor to Bed-Knob and Broomstick and the Borrowers books. Coupled with the inspired pictures, the story is witty, exciting, and most unusual...more
Paperback, 128 pages
Published
April 15th 1997
by Sandpiper
(first published 1975)
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A story about stories and fairy tales by a famous author with great illustrations (by Brian Froud)? Yes, please.
I picked up a paperback version at a local library sale for like a dollar. I think the kids calls this “winning.”
Familiar with Norton’s other books but not this volume, I was intrigued from the start. And sucked in by the back of the book blurb, I decided to read it right away not really knowing what to expect. It turned out to be a clever, if simple, story about courage and belief; a...more
I picked up a paperback version at a local library sale for like a dollar. I think the kids calls this “winning.”
Familiar with Norton’s other books but not this volume, I was intrigued from the start. And sucked in by the back of the book blurb, I decided to read it right away not really knowing what to expect. It turned out to be a clever, if simple, story about courage and belief; a...more
May 12, 2011
Lila Brantley
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
kids, kids at heart, and folks who just like a happy story every now and then.
Recommended to Lila by:
randomly found it browsing books online.
I was originally interested in this book because of the illustrations by Brian Froud. I’d never even heard of the author. I was expecting a child’s picture book, but received a chapter book with wonderful illustrations tucked inside. Imagine having your own adventure with all of your favorite fairy tale characters. What fun! A marvelous surprise is that Mary Norton is the author of Bedknob and Broomstick and the Borrowers. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never heard of her until after this book.
I was delighted to find out that this book holds up as well on adult re-reading as it did when I was a child. (Although, as they always do, it seems shorter now...)
Mary Norton creates a world of wonderful depth and texture, eerieness and menace, which makes it one of my favorite, classic takes on re-writing the world of fairy tales -- _Fables_ is no whit more complex or engaging. And she slots all the little pieces together in ways tremendously satisfying for a child (and impressively admirable...more
Mary Norton creates a world of wonderful depth and texture, eerieness and menace, which makes it one of my favorite, classic takes on re-writing the world of fairy tales -- _Fables_ is no whit more complex or engaging. And she slots all the little pieces together in ways tremendously satisfying for a child (and impressively admirable...more
I only picked up this book because Brian Froud is the illustrator, but it was actually quite a good read. Norton is actually the author of such classic children's stories as The Borrowers, so I was glad to be reading another one of her carefully crafted, but light-hearted, tales.
Imagine the heroes and heroines of fairy tales are the same age as your favorite grandparents - lacking those, use the cast of the 80s flicks Cocoon and Batteries Not Including - and you basically have Are All the Giants Dead? wonderfully illustrated by Brian Froud.
With the help of James, a boy who may or may not be dreaming, Jack-the-Giant-Killer and Jack-of-the-Beanstalk bag their 13th giant and Ducibel finds the courage to marry the toad. And we find that not all the witches have fled...they'...more
With the help of James, a boy who may or may not be dreaming, Jack-the-Giant-Killer and Jack-of-the-Beanstalk bag their 13th giant and Ducibel finds the courage to marry the toad. And we find that not all the witches have fled...they'...more
A cute book but it could have been a little longer, maybe. Or had a sequel?
I really loved this book as a kid. It was such a wonderfully creative book.
A fun fairy tale about faerie tales, with beautiful Froudian art.
Another one of my childhood favorites!
I love this book not only for the wonderful fantasy adventure that takes its protag, James, from his bedroom to the world of fairy tales, but for the fabulous early drawings of Brian Froud. Yes, I know it's from 1975, but for those who loved Mary Norton's "Bedknobs & Broomsticks" and "Borrowers" adventures, and those who marvel at Brian Froud's amazing illos (like me)- it's a true "find." By the way, it was written while the author lived in County Cork, Ireland - which perhaps explains its f...more
A quick read for adults. Delightful new twist on a fairy tale story. Love Brian Froud's illustrations.
Feb 26, 2007
Leah
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes Gregory Maguire
Shelves:
fiction
A really wonderful book! A new take on the children's fairytales we were all told. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are middle-aged gossips, Belle's husband, the Beast, spends his days hunting dragon and unicorn while Jack-the-Giant-Killer and Jack-of-the-Beanstalk while away their retirement telling yarns about slaying the last of the giants.
This book is superbly illustrated by one of my favorites, Brian Froud.
This book is superbly illustrated by one of my favorites, Brian Froud.
Short, sweet, a bit of a charmer. And I do, admittedly, adore Froud's early illustration work with pen and ink and hundreds of tiny lines.
Love, love, LOVE this book!
May 12, 2013
Maria Syed
marked it as to-read
May 09, 2013
Tanya Retief
marked it as to-read
Apr 17, 2013
Poupée Panita
marked it as to-read
Apr 01, 2013
Bab
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Samuel
marked it as to-read
Mar 24, 2013
Kendall
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Mar 15, 2013
Boekelfje
marked it as to-read
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Mary Norton (née Pearson) was an English children's author. She was the daughter of a physician, and was raised in a Georgian house at the end of the High Street in Leighton Buzzard. The house now consists of part of Leighton Middle School, known within the school as The Old House, and was reportedly the setting of her novel The Borrowers. She married Robert C. Norton in 1927 and had four children...more
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