A Book of Giants

by Ruth Manning-Sanders, Robin Jacques (Illustrator)

Giants are as old as story-telling itself - and as varied. The stories in this book come from many countries - England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Rumania, and Russia.

In these eighteen tales, Ruth Manning-Sanders writes of such old friends as the famous giant who lived above the bean-stalk, whose "Fee! Fi! Foh! Fum! I smell the blood of a Christian man!" has delighted generations of children. She also includes stories of less familiar giants such as Sneezy Snatcher and Cucullin.

Mrs. Manning-Sanders tells the stories with wit and good humor. There is not a word wasted: straightway you are at a giant's table sharing a feast conjured up merely by rapping on the table and saying, "The dinner of an emperor"; or taking bites from a loaf and seeing every mouthful turn to gold.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Folklore, Classics, Fairy Tales

125 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Ruth Manning-Sanders, youngest daughter of an English minister, describes her childhood as “extraordinarily happy. . . with kind and understanding parents and any amount of freedom.” She read omnivorously, and she and her two sisters wrote and acted their own plays. A Shakespeare scholar at Manchester University, she later married Cornish artist George Manning-Sanders. They began married life in a horse drawn caravan, and traveled to all parts of the British Isles.
Mrs. Manning-Sanders has collected folk and fairy stories from around the world and she published more than 90 books during her lifetime.

Reviews

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was yet another very fun collection by a wonderful author! Great stories, with a wide variety of plots. Even though each tale involved giants, no two stories felt exactly the same, and all were a pleasure to read!

My favorites include: "Fin M'Coul and Cucullin", "Jack the Giant Killer", and "Prince Loaf".