Giant

Gr 4-6–McQuoid delivers a character-driven historical tale about C.S. Lewis’s early days. Set in 1908 Belfast, 12-year-old Davy Carruth and 10-year-old Clive “Jacks” Lewis are from different worlds. Davy’s family is barely scraping by despite both his parents working. Jacks’s family is wealthy. When Davy accompanies his mother to her job at the Lewis’s home, he meets Jacks. The two become friends as they bond over their love of reading, adventures, and their vivid imaginations. As a result, Davy discovers his love of art. When Jacks’s mother gets sick and Davy gets a job at the shipyard, the boys’ paths diverge. Despite their being apart, the two encourage one another to merge their interests with their pursuits. Will they remain friends? Where will life take them? The plot is heartwarming, well written, engaging, and historically faithful. McQuoid’s commitment to researching the time period and Lewis’s life is evident and incorporated well into the narrative. The characters are likable, authentic, and easy to relate to.