The Blue Giant

Meera and her mother are enjoying a day on the beach when a blue giant rises from the water and asks for their help. It takes them on a journey beneath the waves and shows them all the rubbish that has gathered there. Meesha and her mum swim into action and start to clean up, but there is so much to do. But they find that each act of kindness inspires someone else to action and soon everybody is working together to clean up.

This beautiful story gently introduces children to the compelling issue of rubbish in our seas. The Blue Giant brings the environment to life, making a direct appeal from the ocean to the reader to take action. Meera and her mother help the creatures ‘one by one’ as they clean up, showing what a huge task this is- and yet how things can be achieved if tackled one step at a time. It also inspires collective action with Meera’s actions leading to others joining in and following her example.

With its lovely illustrations, ‘The Blue Giant’ is perfect for using in school. Sea collages and beach scenes, creating their own ‘Blue Giants’, sand sculptures and sea creatures- so much art work could be generated from this book. It also offers an excellent starting point for discussions about pollution and steps that can be taken to solve the issue- perhaps starting with a beach clean if you live near the sea- or a playground tidy if not. There are suggestions for reducing the usage of single use plastics - action that can be taken immediately!

‘The Blue Giant’ is a delightful story full of lovely illustrations which is the perfect follow-up to Katie’s first book, ‘The Green Giant’.

The Blue Giant

Katie Cottle

Pavilion ISBN: 978-18436513