NZ Intermediate School Librarians discussion

I have said it before, and I will say it again... Michael Morpurgo is a magician when it comes to storytelling... and this is no exception.

I will be honest, it initially perplexed and confused me (probably because, as a Librarian, I was worrying about which section of the library I should put it in) but once I had gotten over myself, I relaxed into the story and thoroughly enjoyed it (and for the record, I have put it in Realistic... which it clearly isn't, but it is even less Fantasy and I just couldn't quite see it in Mystery/Adventure either.)

Michael Morpurgo has taken the story of Gulliver's Travels and used the themes therein to tie it in with a modern day refugee story. I must confess that I didn't really know the original story of Gulliver and had to do a bit of background research, but there are many parallels between the two tales.

Omar and his mother are being forced to leave war-torn Afghanistan after losing his dad and sister. The two are separated and Omar ends up in a boat out at sea in a storm. When the boat sinks, Omar finds himself washed up on a strange beach surrounded by tiny people... and so he embarks on a new chapter in his life.

Essentially Boy Giant is a story of hope and kindness and forgiveness and tolerance... basically all that is good in the world.

It would make a fabulous readaloud.