When I first started teaching, I bought a copy of Oscar Wilde Stories for Children which contained my favourite tale ever. This new paperback picture book edition of The Selfish Giant is absolutely stunning with large, detailed oil paintings on one page and accompanying text on the other. There is a small square image tile introducing the text, and I loved seeing how this related to the larger artwork.
On their way home from school, the children love going to play in the Giant’s beautiful Garden, filled with flowers and birds singing, which brings them great happiness. But, when the Giant returns from visiting his friend, he builds a wall around his garden so that the children are no longer welcome there. The giant’s selfishness and lack of compassion leads to all seasons apart from Winter forsaking his garden. But then, one day, the Giant has a visitor who changes his life …
This is a very familiar story to me and is one that I adored both as a child and as an adult so it was wonderful to re-read it, accompanied by such beautiful illustrations. I really cannot emphasise enough how gorgeous and intricate these are: there is a real fairytale quality to them. They tell the story and so much more … I can just imagine the conversations that could take place with young readers just from the illustrations alone. There is a wonderful blending of the beauty of nature, a sense that there is magic in the world as well as giving an insight into the lives of children in the 1800s.
This is a truly beautifully illustrated version of a classic tale of how love can lead to an epiphany and transformation, to forgiveness and compassion, and of how these can affect the lives of others. Perfect for young readers of 6+ who are sure to be mesmerised by this gorgeous edition and will want to return to it again and again.
Thank you to Laura Smythe PR and the Publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Craic 