The Giant Surprise: A Narnia Story [Hardcover]

Hiawyn Oram (Author), Tudor Humphries (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 2005 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Narnia (Book 8)

Narnia: a world made by magic from the start of time, full of marvelous creatures, talking beasts, and trees that sometimes get up and dance. And now the door to this magical world is opened up again with a brand new story. Based on the beloved characters introduced by C. S. Lewis in The Chronicles of Narnia, The Giant Surprise presents a new adventure specially created for much younger children. Now pull on your boots ... and splash through the muddy marshlands, home to the web-footed, web-fingered Marsh-wiggles. Meet Puddleglum, the most famous of them all. Get to know his niece, Lally, the brave little Wigglet, as together they help the marsh mice challenge the roaring, rock-throwing, not-so-clever giants of Shribble Gorge!

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Based on characters originally featured in C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, The Giant Surprise is a brand new Narnia adventure story about Marshwiggles, giants, and mice for young children. Lally, a small wigglet, and her Uncle Puddleglum undertake a hair-raising rescue of their mice friends, before they become a giant’s supper. This new picture book—and the others in the series—shares the values of C. S. Lewis’s original work and explores a world of courage, kindness, and companionship.

About the Author

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, children's literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include, The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity. Visit the C.S. Lewis website at www.cslewis.com.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060083611
• ISBN-13: 978-0060083618
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,210,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Branding Abomination, December 7, 2005

By 

Alsand (Ellensburg, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Giant Surprise: A Narnia Story (Hardcover)

Narnia without CS Lewis? A Narnain story without the complex themes Lewis wove in the Chronicles. Rubbish!

One reviewer wrote this:

"I suppose that what would bother Lewis (and what should bother us) is not that the book isn't "Christian," but that it isn't any good. It's flat, predictable, and utterly undistinguished. It is hard to imagine that a story this lifeless would have been published had there been no Narnia hook."

Let this be the last attempt to exploit the Lewis legacy.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Giant Surprise is A Giant Rip-off, December 6, 2005

By 

C.L. Rowekamp "Cathy" (TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Giant Surprise: A Narnia Story (Hardcover)

Nothing Narnia here, nothing C.S. Lewis here, nothing worth buying here.

Beware the onslaught of Narnia "branding". C.S. Lewis would be appalled at this trite, giggly desecration.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The estate of CS Lewis continues to profit, August 12, 2005

By 

Through the Wardrobe "Sam" (Peabody, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Giant Surprise: A Narnia Story (Hardcover)

I was surprised to come across this title - although I was aware that the estate of CS Lewis had opened up the possibility of other Narnia tales that utilized characters from the series to spin off other adventures. Here is one of these new adventures! Whimsical illustrations sure to entrance any child combined with an adventure involving large giants with not so large brains will be a hit with some. In my case, I give this title two stars - because it is *NOT* written by CS Lewis. Inspired by, yes, but authored, heavens no. Concerning Hiawyn Oram, of her I've never heard. But people have heard of Narnia. At least this site lists her as the author, unlike Zondervan.

Someone's making money on Lewis's genius.

A similar situation would be if titles started to hit the 4-10 kids market featuring Bilbo Baggins in other kid friendly adventures. Maybe even Choose Your Own Adventure books for the 11-14 year olds taking place in Middle Earth. Just think, the market is ripe for these items! I type sarcastically.

I'm a Narnia purist; this title adds to the Narnia cannon something that, as far as I'm concerned ended with "Further Up and Further In" and "Farewell to the Shadowlands" (see The Last Battle, last 2 chapters).