“Life in the Seven Kingdoms is never dull . . .”

–Jen McConnel, School Library Journal

Meet The Giants: 7 Big Reasons to Welcome Newcomers

The Marigold Kingdom gets a giant surprise one morning when some visitors show up carrying giant signs.

In this scene from Giant Trouble: The Mystery of the Magic Beans, eleven-year-old Prince William is testing the soup recipe in the royal family’s restaurant in the Marigold Kingdom. He has to know if his cooking is to blame for Mr. G’s sudden sleeping sickness!

William meets the first giant visitor

“The librarian in Cochem Kingdom can be a little absent-minded. I’ll send a message to tell him you’re coming. What’s your name?” William held his breath, in case it was rude to ask a giant’s name.

“Bite,” the giant said.


Bite . . . you? You bite me? The giant didn’t add anything, so William said, “Excuse me?”

“My name’s Bite,” the giant repeated, with an eye roll that showed he knew what William had been thinking. “Short for Trilobite,” he added, in a fossil-dry tone.

“Uh.” William couldn’t pull off a casual, not-worrying-about-getting-bitten-by-a-giant attitude that quickly.

The other giants smirked, clearly enjoying William’s struggle for politeness.

“I’ll write to Hugh,” William said, then babbled on, trying to bury the awkwardness under a pile of words. “Maybe I’ll even ask him a few questions and then he can talk to you about the answers, or at least start pulling up the books. You know, getting them together–”

Cutting himself off, he took a spoon and tasted the soup. His eyes watered, his scalded tastebuds felt like popcorn and his tastebuds were done for the day, but he didn’t spit the soup out of his mouth.

When he could speak, he said, “It was a little too hot. But pretty good, even without the beans. Want to try?”
“Hmm.” 


“Uh—”


“No, thanks,” said Bite.

Abruptly, the remaining giants picked up their signs and formed a picket line around the castle again.

Leaving William with a giant-sized pot of potato soup. Why’d he bother leaving out the beans? He’d thought he’d been getting somewhere.

These guys just arrived from out-of-town . . .

the Seven Kingdoms guesses why the giants are here

A Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale 5, for ages 9 to 12

7 Giant Reasons to Welcome Newcomers!

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