The Earth Giant

A wonderfully cinematic adventure about a small gift and the giant she discovers under a tree, and the reuniting of that giant - only a child herself - with her parents. In the midst of a ferocious storm, a new "presence" enters Amy's mind. Venturing out after the storm, she finds an ancient tree uprooted, and underneath it a giant woman (so she thinks), beginning to awaken after thousands of years of sleep. The mental bond they share is mysterious and threatening to Amy's older brother, Peter, who is torn between a desire to protect his sister, and a wish to destroy a part of her life from which he is excluded. The giant, helpless in this world, must be protected until her people come - from another planet - for her, but Peter inadvertently brings danger to both the giant and his sister. This atmospheric, original work from Burgess (The Baby and Fly Pie, 1996, etc.) is possessed both of a fantastic vision and insight into Peter, the most fully realized character. Beginning with a sibling relationship that is close and loving, the charting of Peter's well-intentioned path to near-ruin is harrowing. The giant, in her silent relationship with Amy, is a marvelous creation, and the story rockets to its exciting conclusion with a gleaming sense of otherworldliness. (Kirkus Reviews)