Review: The Secret History of Giants by Ari Berk (TSS)
The Secret History of Giants
by Ari Berk
Throughout history, stories about supernatural creatures have been told time and time again. As these tales were told around the world, the Order of the Golden Quills listened and wrote. The Order's members also sought to gather together all the physical evidence that the Secret Folk left behind and have kept it locked in their castle's secret archives. Now the Order is ready to share its long-hidden information with the world, beginning with their research into those super-sized creatures of mythology: Giants.
Lacking the beauty of fairies and the purity of unicorns, giants are an easy group to overlook. But in Ari Berk's beautiful book, they are studied in great detail. He covers the who, what, when, where and why of giants, discussing their life cycle from childhood to old age, evidence that they've been by, giant rituals and rites, popular giant folklore (as told by humans as well as by the giants themselves) and famous giants from around the world. Sumptuous illustrations of giants at work and play fill the pages, and nearly every spread also has a fold-out section, or a letter hidden in an envelope, or a mini-book glued to the page. On the top of the spine there is a rust-and-sage tassel that can be used as a bookmark.
If you are a fan of the Ologies books, you will find that The Secret History of Giants is quite similar in style, although it does not have an underlying narrative. It merely provides the facts about giants and their existence in the world. It is written as if it is the first in a series, so I truly hope this is the first of many Secret Histories. It's a stunning book, fun for kids or adults. Fans of Brian Froud's Faeries or Goblins will want to be sure to add this to their collections.
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