Author: Janet Foxley
Publisher: Chicken House
Release Date: 3 Feb 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1906427030
Synopsis
Giants live on top of Mount Grumble, hidden from humans below. But not all of them are big. Muncle Trogg is so small that he's laughed at by the others for being human-sized. Fed up, he decides to take a look at the 'Smallings' that he's meant to look like. But what he discovers is very surprising indeed...Winner of The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2010, "Muncle Trogg" is the charming upside down fairytale about a tiny giant who saves the day.
My Review
This is another book that has been nominated for Children's Book of the Year with our Children's Book Group. I am reading all the shortlist first before they are given to the Children. Aimed at 8-12 year olds.
The story of how a small Giant saves the day. I found this book had quite a good message - you can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it, everyone has a unique talent don't let anyone tell you your not worth it. etc.
Because of the picture on the cover I kept picturing this little minuscule ball of a giant, not someone that is meant to be the size of a human child about a 10-12 year old so from the start my perspective was out.
The world was well created, the details of the living space and the food and habits etc were spot on, really brought it to life and I loved the pace of the book, I read it in about 2 hours, it was very easy to read and was even funny in places but there were some things that niggled me. For example when they are walking into a town event it says his mum ruffles his hair, now if she is a fully grown giant, and Muncle is supposed to be so small he can be picked up and tossed around, then his mum wouldn't be able to ruffle his hair as his head would only be up to her shins or knees at the highest so it would be a great effort to bend down and ruffle his hair - not something you could do in a fast moving crowd.
Apart from odd details like that I did sort of enjoy it. It's not something I would ever of picked up by choice and I wouldn't read anymore but I think children would enjoy it, especially boys aged 8-12. Might be worth giving it a try.
My Rating
I would give this book 6/10 personally, just not my sort of read, but in terms of looking at the book from it's intended audience's point of view I would probably give it 8/10.
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