Ogres and Giants

by John Hamilton

Explores the characters of fantasy & folklore and places them in historical context.

32 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

John Hamilton is a best-selling novelist and author of more than 275 nonfiction books for young adults. An Active Member of the Western Writers of America and the Wild West History Association, his work has received critical acclaim from School Library Journal, Children's Literature, The Sioux City Journal, We Proceeded On (the official journal of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation), and many others.

John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."

John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.

Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com

Reviews

[Kathleen McKim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until I read this book, I had no idea that ogres and giants were both large. While ogres are ugly and stupid, giants can be good looking (the women, that is) and they are clever. And they both eat people. Giants and ogres are found in mythology from every culture, from Jack and the Beanstalk (a Welsh/Celtic tale) to the Cyclops of Greek mythology and the Nephilim in the Old Testament. Giants were a way of explaining how great mountains and other distinctive physical phenomenon. There is a very interesting discussion about whether the witch in Hansel and Gretel is actually an ogre because she plans to eat the children. Fun stuff!

[David Smither · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good introduction to some fantastical monsters, and, more importantly, an explanation on why they cannot be real, using actual science.
Suitable for grades 4-6.
Unique feature: Actual science.
Genre: Informational (Real genre: Fantasy Guides)

[Michael Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6 year old son LOVES this series. Wish they were longer.

[Cherese A. Vines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sparse.