How to Make Friends With a Giant

by Gennifer Choldenko, Amy Walrod (Illustrator)

The other first-graders make fun of the new boy Jacomo because he is so tall, but his short classmate Jake helps him fit in. By the author of Al Capone Does My Shirts.

Genres: Friendship, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 6, 2006

About the author

There’s a Lego in my bum which fits with the Lego in my chair and when I sit down to write, I hear the satisfying snap of the two pieces fitting together. I love words, dictionaries, thesauruses, sharp pencils, the smell of book ink and the delicious art of carving out sentences on clean white paper. I love to slip into another person’s skin and feel what it’s like to live another life. I love when characters come to me out of nowhere and make me cry so hard my mascara runs or laugh until my stomach hurts. I love the crazy fun and infinite possibility of storytelling.

What prepared me for a life of writing fiction? Though I have a BA from Brandeis University in English and American Literature and a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, the true answer is probably genes. I come from a long line of Irish storytellers on my father’s side and theatre people on my mother’s. I always knew I loved to write, but it took me a long time to summon the courage to chase the dream. I finally went for it when I realized I would prefer to be a failure at something I wanted to do, then a success at something I didn’t.

While I was pretending I wasn’t a writer, trying to be a nice person with a nice quiet job somewhere, I sold lingerie, lipstick and lamp shades. I wrote junk mail. I taught visually and hearing-impaired kids horseback riding. I held a prestigious job in rubbish removal and I worked in a factory wearing a paper gown while wielding a large mallet on small serving packages of ketchup.

One Third Nerd, my funniest novel yet, is due out in January 2019. My most famous novel, Al Capone Does My Shirts, garnered 20 awards, one of which was the Newbery Honor. The Tales of Alcatraz series has sold more than 2 million copies. What will probably be the last book in the series: Al Capone Throws Me a Curve is the best of the fifteen books I’ve written so far.

I am a fitness fanatic; a book-obsessed, tennis-playing woman who thinks like a twelve-year-old. If I ever get the good fortune to meet you, offer me coffee and I will be your friend for life.

Reviews

[Jillian Cryder]

The storyline of the book was meant to be cute and make you feel a certain way, but I didn't like that they made the beginning of the story to be mean. How to Make Friends With a Giant is about a giant boy who goes to school and is hated on because she cant fit on the bus, he cant sit in the front row of the class because no one can see around them and he cant fit on the carpet with everyone else because there isn't enough room. One boy befriends him though because it isn't fair for everyone to be mean to him just because he is a giant, so this boy sit with him at lunch, plays with him outside at school and then again at home. At the end of the book they call each other their best friend and the book ends. I don't like books like this because the teacher or adult in the book doesn't tell the kids to be nice, they just let it happen and I don't like that there isn't an end to the kids being mean, there is just always a hero to be nice and befriend the different kid. I would have this book in my class because I liked the illustrations and the level of reading that it was at, but I wouldn't use it as a teaching book.

[Jennifer Zaragoza]

This was a cute book about a "giant" kid who makes friends with others although it was hard at times. They share things in common and bond over these. Despite the differences and hardships they become friends!

[Libby]

Great message, but not our favorite illustrations.

[Mae]

3.5 stars

[Selma Ruiz]

I thought this was a cute book with a good message about friendship. The illustrations weren't my favorite, but I liked the color.

[Mel Secor]

This was a pretty cute book about Jake, a really short kid, and Jacomo, a really tall kid. They both get teased by the other kids at school but end up becoming best friends.

[N]

Kind of reminded me a little of Freak the Mighty, except this is just a picture book and there aren't really any major issues, just a really short kid and a really tall kid join forces.

[Matthew]

This book is fun. I like the whole acceptance angle of the book. It was a strong text. The illustrations were light and fun, but the text itself was very compelling. I liked it. Choldenko's picture books are every bit as good as her chapter books.

[Brittany]

This story is a good example of creating friendship and giving people a chance.I think that the book has a very good message behind it. I would have this in my library, so the students will be able to read about how to accept new friends!

[Cindy]

Cute story about a boy and the new kid next door who happens to be a giant.

[Leyla]

I liked it especially because my 6-year-old read it herself and also because she felt sorry for the giant.