The Giant-Slayer: Book summary and reviews of The Giant-Slayer by Iain Lawrence

The Giant-Slayer Summary

The spring of 1955 tests Laurie Valentine’s gifts as a storyteller. After her friend Dickie contracts polio and finds himself confined to an iron lung, Laurie visits him in the hospital. There she meets Carolyn and Chip, two other kids trapped inside the breathing machines. Laurie’s first impulse is to flee, but Dickie begs her to tell them a story. And so Laurie begins her tale of Collosso, a rampaging giant, and Jimmy, a tiny boy whose destiny is to become a slayer of giants.

As Laurie embellishes her tale with gnomes, unicorns, gryphons, and other fanciful creatures, Dickie comes to believe that he is a character in her story. Little by little Carolyn, Chip, and other kids who come to listen, recognize counterparts as well. Laurie’s tale is so powerful that when she’s prevented from continuing it, Dickie, Carolyn, and Chip take turns as narrators. Each helps bring the story of Collosso and Jimmy to an end—changing the lives of those in the polio ward in startling ways.

The Giant-Slayer Reviews

"The author creates a masterful tale-within-a-tale while also shining a light on a rarely discussed era that affected tens of thousands of North American children. Most of all, he reminds us that stories have the power to carry the spirit through even the darkest days." - Jennifer M. Brown, Shelf Awareness

"Starred Review. Distinctive, emotionally honest characters and consistently engrossing prose make this book a standout. Ages 8–12." - Publishers Weekly

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Iain Lawrence Author Biography

"Writing for young readers is almost like dipping into a fountain of youth; for hours a day, I am a child again."—Iain Lawrence

Iain Lawrence was born in Ontario, Canada. A former journalist, he now writes full time. In addition to his magazine and newspaper articles, he is the author of numerous acclaimed novels, including The Cannibals, The Convicts, Gemini Summer, B for Buster, The Lightkeeper's Daughter, Lord of the Nutcracker Men, Ghost Boy, and the High Seas Trilogy: The Wreckers, The Smugglers, and The Buccaneers. He lives on Gabriola Island, British Columbia.

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