The Giant of Seville: A "Tall" Tale Based on a True Story

Dan Andreasen
Abrams Books for Young Readers (2007)
ISBN 9780810909885
Reviewed by Eric Zeda (age 8) for Reader Views (5/07)

This story is about Martin the Giant, who was looking for a place to live.  He arrived at a town called Seville.  When he got to town a crowd of people came to him.  He stayed at a boardinghouse and was treated nicely.  The problem was that he was too big for the bed and the house.  One day, he went to a square dance and broke the floor.  He felt sad and said “put it on my tab.”  He thought people weren’t going to like him and he decided to leave town, but the people surprised him and made a giant-sized house.  He called his wife and they moved to the town.

I loved the part when Martin ate a lot of pancakes.  I learned that being different is okay. You don’t have to be the same to get along.  I think kids should read “The Giant of Seville.”

Reviewed by Samuel Peralta (age 6) for Reader Views (5/07)

This “Tall Tale” is based on a true story. Measuring seven-feet, eleven-and-a-half-inches, “Martin the Giant” arrives in the town of Seville, Ohio looking for a home.  He is concerned that he is too big for the town.  He spends some time at a local boardinghouse and is befriended by Mrs. Crawley.  During his stay Martin the Giant discovers that friendships are worth more than materialistic assets. He learns that he has made true friends that accept and love him for who he is.

My son Sammy is six.  He was happy to see that the people from town built Martin the Giant a house.  He thought it was “cool that the house had doorways that were eight feet tall.”  He would recommend this book to his friends.

Parent’s Note:  This is a good book when you need to talk to your children about being different or accepting others who are different.  I enjoyed the author’s note.  Sammy was really impressed when he found out Ms. Van Buren measured eight feet tall.

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