Customer Reviews

Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Have you ever felt like a little person amid a group of giants? This was Hewitt Anderson's everyday existence in the book HEWITT ANDERSON'S GREAT BIG LIFE. His parents, descendents of a long line of giants, have lived their life with the belief that bigger is always better. So when their son was born tiny and didn't seem to grow, they were so concerned that they took him for medical evaluations. Yet, they loved their son unconditionally and did all they could to ensure he could survive as a little person in a great big world. In the process, they all learned to appreciate Hewitt's unique talents and abilities.

Loosely inspired by the fairy tale Jack in the Beanstalk, this book was a lot of fun to read. The author has penned a story that implicitly reminds children that it is okay to be different. The warm, inviting illustrations are detailed enough to hold a child's interest and further draw them into this gargantuan story. However, word count and vocabulary may be a little too difficult for very young children to read without assistance. This book is so much more than a mere retelling of a classic fairy tale with black characters, it is a story destined to be a classic on its own merits.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

My daughter & I really enjoy this book. Not only is it fun (and Kadir Nelson, as always, does not dissapoint with his illustrations), but the message comes through clearly. It doesn't matter if you are different, we each have our own unique giftings & abilities that are valuable. Not to mention the unconditional love between the child & parents. Beautiful book you will want to read over & over.

Jerdine Nolen's story of a normal-sized boy born into a community of giants is funny and heart-warming. Her language is beautiful and would be fun to read aloud. Plus, Nolen includes funny little references to the Jack and the Beanstalk tale. Illustrator Kadir Nelson does a marvelous job. A number of the illustrations are from Hewitt's point of view; we see how Hewitt's mom and dad are overwhelmingly huge, but completely loveable, from his perspective.