The Iron Giant [Paperback]

Ted Hughes (Author), Andrew Davidson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

An iron giant saves the world in this contemporary classic.

A mysterious creature stalks the land, eating barbed wire and devouring tractors and plows. The farmers are mystified—and terrified. And then they glimpse him in the night: the Iron Giant, taller than a house, with glowing headlight eyes and an insatiable taste for metal. The hungry giant must be stopped at any cost.

Only a young boy named Hogarth is brave enough to lead the Iron Giant to a safe home. And only Hogarth knows where to turn when a space-bat as big as Australia, hungry for every living thing on Earth, darkens the sky.

First published in 1968, Ted Hughes's classic tale is a powerful tribute to peace on earth—and in all the universe. Of it Madeleine L'Engle wrote, "How grateful we should be for Ted Hughes's brilliant The Iron Giant. It speaks to all ages, and we need its message even more now." Philip Pullman called it "so gripping that when you begin to read it aloud, everyone stops to listen, young children and old people alike." Whether you think of it as a science fiction fantasy or a modern fairy tale or a tall-tale parable for today, you will never forget it.
 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A huge, mysterious iron man stands at the top of a cliff, surveying the ocean. His eyes glow white, red, infrared. Then, he lifts one enormous foot and steps out into nothingness. Crraaasssssh! His head, arms, legs, ears, hands all break off as he tumbles onto the rocks below. The end of the story? No, it's only the beginning of this modern parable of peace in the universe. The Iron Giant has an insatiable appetite for barbed wire, tractors, and rusty chains. While farmers and townspeople run around trying to stop him, destroy him, capture him, only one boy understands what must be done. Meanwhile, an even bigger threat hovers over the land, in the shape of an evil-looking space-bat-angel-dragon. How will the people of the world survive the impending doom?

Ted Hughes, poet laureate of England, first wrote this compelling tall tale in 1968. Clearly, the need for its message of peace has not diminished in the decades since. Simple, repetitive sentences carry the mesmerizing spirit of traditional fairy tales. And Andrew Davidson's black-and-white illustrations, with their menacing air and timeless appeal, drive the point home in vivid style. (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A tall-tale hero in a parable for today.  The author's intensely felt theme and his invention of dramatic details make this brief piece of fiction high-spirited and entertaining."
--The Horn Book

"A clever, inventive fantasy of timely appeal to children."
--Booklist

"Written with such great gusto, with such vivid precision, that children will sit spellbound in their ringside seats."
--Publishers Weekly

"A great book to start up a family reading tradition.  Irresistible."
--Boston Phoenix

"Reckoned one of the greatest of modern fairy tales."
--The Observer  (England)

"A thrilling and unforgettable tale, magnificently told."
--Trade News (England)

"Hughes has never written more compellingly...with linguistic tact and imaginative power to achieve something of possible enduring consequence."
--The Times (England)

"Riveting."
--The Tablet (England)

"Brilliant."
--The Listener (England)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition (July 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375801537
• ISBN-13: 978-0375801532
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.2 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars See the Movie; Read the Book; The Two Are Very Different, October 4, 1999

By 

Gord Wilson "alivingdog.com" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Iron Giant (Paperback)

Director Brad Bird's take on Ted Hughes' memorable 1968 tale, The Iron Giant, differs substantially from the story. So much so, that the book and the film may not have the same audience. Then again, those taken with the movie will likely want to explore the brief (80 page) book. This recent paperback edition features a beautiful cover drawn from the Warner Bros. movie, although the story is Hughes' original. Priced far below the lavish library volumes, this edition may be the best of both worlds, providing a look at the film's inspiration for the Iron Giant's many curious fans.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A funny, exciting book that teaches about war and peace., July 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Iron Giant (Hardcover)

I think this is a really good book, so I think you should read it.

It was very funny sometimes, like when the seagulls found the giant in tiny pieces, and he came up with a funny way to find all his parts!

It was very exciting. The Iron Giant has to go into fire against a space monster that is bothering the world.

This book teaches about living in peace and not having so many wars. I am 71/2 years old, and it was not too hard for me to read by myself.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excitement and suspense without violence!, July 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Iron Giant (Paperback)

I have read this book with my Fourth Grade classes for the last eight years. The reading, while "easy", is nonetheless rich. My students' writing is often rife with violence. It can be difficultto convince them that excitement and suspense canbe achieved without "blood and guts". After reading the Iron Giant, they are pleasantly surprised and often write "sequels" to the Iron Giant's adventures. The prose is poetic. It makes a terrific read aloud.