Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

Told through the alternating voices of two unlikely allies, this quest is a shake-up of the stories we think we know. The plot follows Corman, a gentle giant living in fear of the metal birds that hunt giant kind, and Jacq, a human recruit raised by society to believe giants are nothing more than raw materials for the city’s expansion.

The narrative cleverly flips the ‘Jack the Giant Killer’ trope on its head through Jacq, a girl who starts out hunting giants but ends up questioning the very world she’s been conditioned to know and ultimately finds courage to become the giants’ protector instead.

Perfectly pitched for Year 5 and 6, this meaty read doesn’t shy away from big questions about prejudice and systemic lies. The grim reality of the factory, where giants are processed for their bones, demonstrates the guts it takes for Jacq to stand against the status quo in the face of politically spun narratives about ‘outsiders’.

With rich world-building, a cinematic quality and high-octane tension, this is a must-read for upper KS2 classrooms looking for a fresh, thought-provoking adventure that packs an emotional wallop.