Find this book at your favorite library or used bookseller.
How to Make Friends with a Giant
written by Gennifer Choldenko
illustrated by Amy Walrod
ages 4 to 9
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006
ISBN 978–0‑399–23779‑9
Synopsis
Jake is the shortest kid in his class. And new kid Jacomo is the tallest.
When Jake meets Jacomo at the bus stop he can’t believe they’ll be classmates — Jacomo is so tall. Taller than tall. A GIANT.
When the other kids tease him, little Jake comes to his defense. He knows fitting into their first grade class isn’t going to be easy for someone as big as Jacomo, but pretty soon the two of them find that when they work together, they have a team that’s just the right size.
A funny book parents can read out loud or first grade students can read on their own!
Reviews
“Halfway through reading aloud How to Make Friends With A Giant, I realized my elementary-aged children were completely silent. The hush that accompanies hearing any version of a universal truth had taken over the room. Gennifer Choldenko’s book delightfully speaks to the common wish of all children to blend in on their first day at a new school.” (Jenny Morris, The Decatur [AL] Daily)
“The old adage about opposites attracting proves true in this perceptive portrait of a friendship between the shortest and tallest boys in the class … Walrod’s goggle-eyed cartoons accentuate Jacomo’s difference from the others by making his head as big and round as a planet, while Choldenko shows that the best way to get over your own insecurities is to help someone else with theirs.” (The Horn Book)
“Choldenko’s story suggests that, when it comes to friendship, size doesn’t matter … By story’s end, Jake has earned himself a new friend and, even though he may not have grown in inches, his experience has given him an immeasurable boost in his sense of self. (“This was a good day. I have never felt so tall.”)” (Publishers Weekly)
“This is a quirky tale of two opposites who find common ground because they are regarded as different, but who together make a good team.” (School Library Journal)
“The smallest kid in class champions a huge newcomer in this deft, convincing suggestion that size doesn’t matter.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Size doesn’t really matter as two boys become best friends. Never mind that one is tiny and the other taller than the first grade teacher … With lots of good cheer, Choldenko gives a kid-pleasing model for how it is done.” (San Francisco Chronicle)
“Choldenko, who wrote the Newbery Honor book Al Capone Does My Shirts, returns with another intriguing title. … Walrod’s whimsical illustrations add a light touch to the images of the giant-headed kid with the trembling lips and his small, compassionate pal.” (Houston Chronicle)
“Gennifer Choldenko’s chapter books for young people are legendary, and now we find she shines in a picture book as well … How to Make Friends with a Giant is a book that teaches friendship with anything but a heavy hand.” (Provo City Library Book Review)
“In its pages, Jake and Jacomo become best friends despite their very different sizes, and Jake’s kind words and actions show how small acts can make even a very big kid feel included.” (Watermark Books)