Title: The Lonely Giant
Author: Sophie Ambrose
Illustrator: Sophie Ambrose
Publisher: Walker Books
Genre: Children’s Picture book
Book format: Paperback
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Description: How the giant loved to heave and hurl logs and smash and mash mountains!  But the more he smashed and the more he bashed, the smaller and quieter the forest became.  Until, one day, little yellow bird appeared…

*Free copy provided by publisher for review…

Review: This is a lovely picture book with a brilliant environmental message. ‘The Lonely Giant’ paperback book is as tall as A4 in size but slightly wider and filled with thick matt pages full of colourful illustrations and text. The story starts with the giant doing giant things such as pulling out trees like they are weeds and smashing mountains. But soon the forest becomes quiet and the giant is all alone.

The Lonely Giant book page image one
©The Strawberry Post

The story is an environmental one and is told really well. I don’t want to spoil what happens, although I’m sure many can guess, but it’s a great message to give to kids about the importance of conservation. I really like the illustrations in this book. I love the way the giant looks, especially in the cave, and I love how simple all the pictures are. They really tell the story well, you don’t even need to read the text to know what is happening.

The Lonely Giant book page image two
©The Strawberry Post

Sometimes I dislike books that go on about the environment to children because some books can be overly pushy about it and try to scare kids, but I love this picture book as it doesn’t do that. Instead it’s a brilliant message with a lovely ending. I know I would have enjoyed this book when I was young, for the pictures alone, and the added message about the environment is a wonderful extra I’m sure many adults would love to teach their kids.

-Review first appeared online August 2017 – now republished here.

What do you think of this book?  Do you like books that give messages about environmentalism to children?  Let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂

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