Review - Greta and the Giants

Greta and the Giants
by Zoë Tucker
illustrated by Zoe Persico
Date: 2019
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

This inspiring picture book retells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg—the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world’s climate crisis—using allegory to make this important topic accessible to young children.

Greta is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by Giants. When the Giants first came to the forest, they chopped down trees to make houses. Then they chopped down more trees and made even bigger homes. The houses grew into towns and the towns grew into cities, until now there is hardly any forest left. Greta knows she has to help the animals who live in the forest, but how? Luckily, Greta has an idea…

A section at the back explains that, in reality, the fight against the “giants” isn’t over and explains how you can help Greta in her fight.

This book has been printed sustainably in the US on 100% recycled paper. By buying a copy of this book, you are making a donation of 3% of the cover price to 350.org.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a nice allegorical story about Greta Thunberg's activism and leadership on climate change. In this narrative, governments and industry are represented by giants who destroy the environment, leaving the animals fearing for their future. Nobody wants to do anything because everybody is afraid of standing up to the giants. Everybody except Greta, that is. She starts by herself, but is soon joined by others, until there are so many that their complaints can no longer be ignored.

Unlike in real life, the giants in this story actually have a conscience. Once it's pointed out to them that they're doing great harm, they change their ways and everybody lives happily ever after. If I have one complaint about this book, it's that the resolution feels unrealistic and way too simple. In reality, greed is driving so much of the problem, and it's going to take more than a few protesters to change anyone's mind. The problem extends to the suggestions for helping that are included at the back of the book. While doing something is better than doing nothing, personal choices aren't really going to have much of an effect (especially if not everybody is doing them). Then again, I guess it would be a little depressing for a picture book to tell children that there's really nothing they can do and that their fate is dependent upon people who value money above all else.

The illustrations are quite cute, very colourful and charming. I like the animals with their protest signs. The whole thing is a great starting point for teaching young children about the climate change fight and what some people are doing to try to avoid a planetary catastrophe. It might be too political for some, but it's an important message that everyone needs to hear, whether they agree with it or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5