Grandad’s Secret Giant, by David Litchfield

Three kids sat around, eager to hear this one and the oldest immediately told me I had to write about it. So here goes…

I picked this one out at the library because of the beautiful front cover. The silvery lettering and the colours really grabbed my attention. I didn’t even bother to open it up and flick through the pages, I just added it to our bag.

At bedtime, the girls were getting comfy at my sides and the sad and sorry older boy (who is recovering from surgery) quietly snuck in and joined us. From the very beginning, they were all attentive and engaged. This meant the older two had to be patient as the 3 yr old gets quizzical and chatty when she is really into a story.

The story is not overly complex (there are only 3 main characters), and the sweet message it conveys is obvious without being pedagogical. There is a growing trend to use picture books to teach our kids about diversity, acceptance, and understanding, and this book probably fits into the trend, without being so overt.

The presentation and layout are first class, which is what you want when the illustrations are so amazing. That’s not even a strong enough word. The illustrations are beautifully whimsical and somber and strong. For a little sneak peek at sample illustrations click here.

I have included some links to interviews with the author/illustrator which gave some unique insights into the making of this book.

http://brightgroupinternational.com/all-posts/the-making-of-grandads-secret-giant-with-the-award-winning-david-litchfield

https://www.worldbookday.com/2017/04/qa-with-david-litchfield/