Here Be Giants
Susannah Lloyd and Paddy Donnelly
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This sequel to Here Be Dragons is every bit as comically entertaining as its predecessor.

We join the same hapless knight as he sallies forth with his trusty steed, on a new and perilous quest, determined to prove to the other knights that he’s no fool. Having paused to consult his Giant Spotting Book, he starts looking out for LARGE things as per its instructions, measuring various normal sized objects, significantly an armour clad damsel. However, he fails to notice something that alert readers will have spotted.

Despite various clues fairly liberally scattered over the ground, our knight manages to miss every one and instead decides to find a spot higher up that offers a better view.

Having secured himself further from the ground it’s time to follow step two: beware of the ‘cursed sound of giant tummy rumbling’. That thunder the knight hears signifies a storm on its way, he thinks; but what is that ‘damsel’ on about; it certainly can’t be heard above the thundering sound. Better take shelter till the storm has passed and while so doing check out step three in the manual.
Even with the dastardly giant’s drool dripping on him from above, our hapless knight fails to recognise the clue and starts faffing about with his brolly.

Turns out, it’s just as well he’s brought that along on his quest: verily a poke from its tip provides a timely twist and demonstrates several things, not least of which is that females are frequently more savvy than males.

Paddy Donnelly provides one hilarious scene after another as the saga unfolds. That they are completely at odds with the knight’s (ie Susannah Lloyd’s) verbal narrative makes this book, with its knightly language, a story adventure-loving listeners will want read aloud multiple times as they relish being in on the joke from the outset.