Iain Lawrence. The Giant-Slayer
Delacorte Press $21.00 ISBN 978-0-385-73376-2 291 pg.
Reviewed by An-Mei, Age 12

For days, the giant fretted in his castle. He stood at the ramparts, staring across the mountains, over the valleys, toward fields and forests. From sunrise to darkness he stood and stared, leaning his elbows on the great stone blocks.

There are two main characters in this story. The first is Laurie Valentine. She is eleven years old, very shy, and has a big imagination. Laurie’s dad works with a group that is hunting for a cure for polio. Laurie has been raised by her housekeeper/nanny, Mrs. Strawberry. She has kindled a fear in Laurie of almost everything: from streams, to public toilets, and even daffodils! This story really starts when polio strikes close to home.

The second main character is Jimmy, who is brave but small, twelve years old, and is only thirty-one and three-quarter inches tall. Jimmy has a greedy father who cares only for money.

The story was very interesting and grabbed my attention from the first page. I also liked that the two stories intertwined with each other, although one was only imaginary and the other was real. Both stories have a challenge that the main characters must rise to meet. I really liked how the characters in the main story transfer into the fantasy story, and vice-versa. In the end the stories spark your imagination all over again. If you liked this book, then Iain Lawrence has written eighteen other books.

I give The Giant-Slayer a four-and-three-quarter star rating.