Odd and the Frost Giants

by Neil Gaiman

Allen and Unwin. Children Fiction. Hardback RRP $22.99

This freezing cold Viking tale complete with Norse gods and a trip to Asgard tells the story of Odd, a young crippled boy.

Life is not easy for Odd. His father was killed in an accident and his mother has remarried Fat Elfred, who is not interested in a crippled stepson.

Odd spends most of his time in the woods. He loves the warm seasons and waits for winter to pass. But this time it goes on forever.

The Frost Giants have invaded Asgard and banished the gods – Thor, Loki and Odin to Midgard where humanity lives. When Odd saves a bear, a fox and an eagle he finds himself caught in the struggle to free the world from winter.

Can a crippled boy be any help to three powerful gods? Can he return the hammer that is beyond even Thor’s mighty reach?

With Odd and the Frost Giants, Neil Gaiman has ice-carved a new adventure in Norse mythology.

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book was reviewed in Issue 14 of The Reading Stack and Instructions in July 2010.

http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Instructions

by Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Charles Vess

Allen and Unwin. Picture Book. Hardcover rrp $24.99

The cover of this wonderful children’s book will delight children and adults alike. There is immediately a sense of magic and mysterious beings.

Open the book and turn the pages, the illustrations continue to tug and tease. Neil Gaiman’s words cajole to entice you further within. The instructions may seem archaic at first but look harder and you will find answers to life’s mysteries and riddles.

“Do not be jealous of your sister:

know that diamonds and roses

are as uncomfortable when they tumble from

        one’s lips as toads and frogs:

colder, too, and sharper, and they cut.”

Charles Vess’ illustrations are straight out of the Brothers Grimm. The wonderful visuals led me all over the place and Gaiman’s words showed me where to look deeper. Brilliant and stunning, Instructions will be a book that children will treasure for many years. Adults will find themselves reminiscing about the great stories of their own childhood.

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book was reviewed in Issue 14 of The Reading Stack.

http://www.neilgaiman.com/
http://www.greenmanpress.com/