Summary: this book is about a giant that goes around to different towns eating all their livestock and destroying their cities. He came across this one town that was in a valley and it was a happy and joyful little town. He was demanding all kinds of things. Many men were scared of him except one toy maker named Quillow. He told the giant stories which relaxed the giant one night he wanted to go to the sea and Quillow too him there. After Quillow left him there, nobody has seen the giant since.

Personal reaction: This book was interesting. I loved how one little man made a difference when everyone else was so scared of the giant. I was always the little one in a group and everyone thought I would not speak up for myself until one day I did. People stopped judging me.

Classroom extensions: 1. Have the students write about one time they were thought of as the smallest person.
2. Have the students write about what the giant could have done instead of destroying all those towns.
3. Have the students make up a story about a giant that would of done the right thing.

The tale is fairly predictable, but Thurber, as usual, tells it well. ( )

Charming tale from Thurber . . . though not as heavy on the clever wordplay and internal rhymes. Z loved it, and I am sad that we've now covered his whole "kid lit" oeuvre. ( )