Skip to main content

Odd and the Frost Giants


by Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins, 2009. 117 pgs. Juvenile Fiction.
Odd has a lucky name (meaning the tip of a blade) but not a lucky life. His father died at sea and when Odd tries to take over his woodcutter business, he drops a tree on his own leg, shattering the bones and crippling himself. Odd's stepfather has no use for the boy so Odd leaves home to live in his father's cabin in the woods. One morning Odd hears a noise outside the house and discovers a fox who leads him into the woods to where a bear is trapped in the hollow of an old tree. Odd rescues the bear and the fox, the bear, and an eagle follow him home where they reveal themselves to be Norse gods, transformed and turned out of Asgard by the Frost Giants. How Odd drives the Frost Giant out of Asgard with scarcely more ammunition than his dazzling smile is the burden of this delightful, mythical tale. An accessible book for reluctant readers, Odd and the Frost Giants is distinguished as well by Neil Gaiman's memorable, visual prose.

Comments

Nycole said…
I enjoyed Odd and the Frost Giants. A quick read with enough Norse mythology to make it fantasy and a very solid human character, Odd, to make it appealing and real. I like fOdd. I hope Gaiman gives him some adventures.
NSL

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Mixed-Up Owl

The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...

Display: Be A World Traveller

Real Castles Around the World Written by Kaitlyn Duling Vero Beach, Florida : Rourke Educational Media, 2025. Informational. 48 pages Take a trip around the world as you read about the most impressive castles ever built! Explore fierce fortresses, castles that have inspired stories, uniquely colorful castles, and the history behind them all as you Travel to Real Castles Around the World! Part of the Travel to Children s Book Series, this 48-page nonfiction book explores castles both past and present, the kings that inhabited them, and knights that fought to protect them! Lower the drawbridge, cross the moat, and travel to real castles from all around the world as you learn about our magical history with fun-filled facts and vibrant photos. History Book Features: Before- and after-reading activities. Extension activity. Glossary About Rourke Educational Media: We proudly publish respectful and relevant nonfiction and fiction titles that represent our diverse readers, and are designed to...

Review: Grounded for All Eternity

Grounded for All Eternity By Darcy Marks New York : Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2022. Fiction. 375 pgs. Malachi, Crowley, and Lilith are just your average, normal, middle-school kids. That is, if you consider living in the suburbs of Hell and having black feathered wings normal. They want to enjoy their school free vacation, but Hell is on lock down after the soul of Reverend Samuel Paris, leader of the 1693 Salem witch trials, escapes. Malachi and his friends travel to Earth, looking for some fun, but accidentally bring the Reverend's soul with them to modern day Salem, Massachusetts. Chaos ensues, and Malachi meets many new types of characters, such as witches, angels, and humans. Malachi and his friends must work together to return Reverend Sam's soul to Hell, or else all of Salem will be destroyed. Or worse, be grounded for all eternity.  Read this book for the ultimate Halloween experience, and if you want to revisit the ...