Giants Beware! (review)

There's not enough excitement in Claudette's small town of Mont Petit Pierre, so, taking up the monster-slaying mantle set down by her now invalid father, she sets out to defeat the legendary baby-feet-eating giant that dwells in the nearby mountains. Joined by her best friend Marie, a princess in training, and her younger brother Gaston (who is far more experienced with a fork and knife than a sword), Claudette embarks on a journey fraught with danger as she and her pals outsmart witches, battle river gods, discover inner strengths, and learn that monsters aren't always what they appear to be. Although the tale in this graphic novel has certainly been told before, the spunky Claudette and her quirky company are irresistibly appealing, and Aguirre and Rosado employ some pretty foolproof, kid-friendly tactics to keep the story moving along at a brisk clip (Claudette, for example, uses the explosive power of her smelly feet to defeat a man-eating forest). Most charming, however, are the vibrantly hued illustrations that feature a red-headed, diminutive Claudette, who makes up for her tiny size with a cavernous mouth that often overtakes her face as she screeches out various orders and threats. The character's cartoonish figures are expressive, with a simple quirk of the eyebrow indicating smugness or fear, and the full-color landscapes are riddled with visual jokes and puns. Entertaining, lively, and downright goofy, this will find an audience among fans of fairy tales and comic books alike.