Odd and the Frost Giants

Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants is a delight, a new tale in an old tradition, the mythological world of the Norse gods. Though intended for young readers, older readers can enjoy it as well. It is also a tale that reminds us that heroes come in all sizes, often from the most unlikely of beginnings, and that daring and wits can be even more important than strength and agility. A good example of how Gaiman imbues his characters with personality is shown in this scene were the boy Odd is woken by the sounds of voices in the hut where he has taken refuge along with a strange trio of animals: "It's because of you we're in this mess." "I thought we had a deal. I thought we weren't going to keep harping on about a trivial little mistake..." "You call this trivial?" And then a third voice, high and raw, screeched. "Silence." There was silence. Odd rolled over. There was a glow from the fire embers, enough to see the inside of the hut, enough to confirm to Odd that there were not another three people in there with him. It was just him and the fox and the bear and the eagle... Whatever they are, thought Odd, they don't seem to eat people. He sat up, leaned against the wall. The bear and the eagle both ignored him. The fox darted him a green-eyed glance. "You were talking," said Odd. The animals looked at Odd and at one another. If they did not actually say "Who? Us?" it was there in their expressions, in the way they held themselves. "_Somebody_ was talking," said Odd, "and it wasn't me. There isn't anyone else in here. That means it was you lot. And there's no point in arguing." "We weren't arguing," said the bear. "Because we can't talk." Then it said, "Oops." The fox and the eagle glared at the bear, who put a paw over its eyes and looked ashamed of itself. Odd sighed. "Which one of you wants to explain what's going on?" he said. "Nothing's going on," said the fox brightly. "Just a few talking animals. Nothing to worry about. Happens every day. We'll be out of your hair first thing in the morning." The eagle fixed Odd with its one good eye. Then it turned to the fox. "Tell!" The fox shifted uncomfortably. "Why me?" "Oh," said the bear, "I don't know. Possibly because it's _all_your_fault_?" Also, given that this story was intended to spur interest in reading, Gaiman succeeds at that as well, offering little tidbits such as this one that will entice younger readers to go beyond this story and read more: "Old Odin left his chair, and walked towards them. He wiped the goose grease from his mouth with his sleeve, smearing even more grease all over his grey beard. He said, quietly, into Odd's ear, 'Do you know what spring it was you drank from, boy? Where the water came from? Do you know what it cost me to drink there, many years ago?'" Gaiman leaves the questions unanswered. It is not hard to imagine any number of curious readers going on to find the answers themselves by reading the original Norse mythological tales that provided the background

This short story for children is basically everything I love about Neil Gaiman broken down into a quick 90 pages. The writing is fun and fluid with a knack for description that leaves just enough up to the imagination. The way he weaves the Norse Gods into his story is fun, exciting, and realistic. It gives just a little taste of what the Norse Gods are like, thus invoking curiosity about them in any reader (and what a better way to learn more about them than to go read Neil Gaimain's other books - American Gods, to be specific!) - which I think is exactly what is needed in a children's book. Any book that makes kids curious and inspires them to learn gets an A+ in my book. In general, I find that Gaiman does adult novels and comics better than he does children's books. At least, I used to feel that way until the awesomeness of the Graveyard Book. This book aims at a younger audience than that of the graveyard book and still manages to be fantastic for an adult audience. With Odd and the Frost Giants, Neil Gaiman shows that he is, indeed, able to take the awesomeness of his ideas and make them accessible to children. And yet, through it all, he throws in the occasional reference that children may not understand (and don't need to understand to appreciate the book) but that leave the adult riveted through the entire epic journey. All in all, this book ends up being the perfect read for a mother or father to read to their child. Or for a child just getting into books. Or for an adult with a quick half hour in the waiting room. It was just wonderful. I don't think any more needs to be said. :-)

Odd and the Frost Giants comes from Neil Gaiman, who is quickly climbing into my list of all-time favorite authors. I think he's great because it seems like he can write effectively for any audience, and this latest book seems to show that. Odd is a small boy with a tough life. His father is gone, drowned, and all the vikings in the village he lives with are upset, having been beset with what seems a never-ending winter. Odd runs into a bear, an eagle and a fox, who are much more than they seem. Soon he's off on a quest to help the animals return to their home, the city of Asgard. Make no mistake, this a very small book for younger children. That said, I loved every page. It's simple, wonderful writing that drew me in and gave me the chuckles at several points. There are a few jokes thrown into the book that are clearly of the Spongebob variety (jokes that seem to be pandering more to the adults in the room than the children watching the program) and I loved them all. The book was incredibly short, and clearly written for a different audience, so I'm having a hard time giving it a really in-depth review. I was surprised by the higher than usual level of vocabulary in the book, but maybe I just assume that little kids can't read at as high a level as they really do. Someone let me know, I'm not a teacher and don't have a child this age, so I'm only guessing. Gaiman impressed me with The Graveyard Book last year, and has done it again this time, with a much smaller book for an even younger audience. I'm more and more impressed that the guy can write so well for just about any age group, and though I still haven't jumped into American Gods, it's definitely on the list. I hear I should also check out his Sandman graphic novels, so I'll be looking into those sometime next year. Odd and the Frost Giants (9/10) is a fun and quick adventure for a young audience. I'd guess that ages 8-10 should really enjoy this book, though I'm 25 and had a great time. If you're an adult and have about 45 minutes to kill, pick this one up. Gaiman wrote this book for World Book Day, to promote reading, and has stated that he would perhaps eventually return to the world to write more books about Odd. I'd certainly return to read them.

ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS is a wonderfully written tale by the always delightful Neil Gaiman. In this short chapter book based on Norse mythology, Gaiman tells the story of Odd, a young boy who is often dismissed by others due to his crippled leg. Odd's father died in a Viking raid when he was younger, and his mother then married the drunken rabble-rouser Fat Elfred, but she lost much of the joy she had before her husband died. These events shape Odd into the quiet and introspective boy he is, setting him apart from the other villagers who are prone to violence and hatred. When Odd's story begins, his village is in the midst of a frightful winter. The Norse winters in Odd's village are always harsh, but unfortunately for young Odd and the rest of the community, this one is particularly brutal. The townspeople are trapped inside their homes, waiting for a spring that never seems to get closer. The longer they are confined, the more the men (including Odd's stepfather, Fat Elfred) drink. And the more these men drink, the more they fight. Odd decides to slip out and away from all the ruckus and commotion, and this decision sets him off on a journey that will change not only him, but the order of the known world. That fateful winter, after leaving Fat Elfred's house, Odd sets out for his father's old woodcutting hut. Odd makes himself at home there as best he can and falls asleep. He isn't sleeping for long before a fox begins scratching at the hut and wakes the young boy. Odd decides to follow the animal out into the snow, and the fox leads him to a huge bear whose paw is trapped in a pine tree. As Odd frees the bear, he notices an eagle soaring overhead. The three animals (fox, eagle and bear) then follow him back to the hut where he feeds them and falls asleep. But he awakes once again, only this time to the sounds of the animals...animals that are deep in conversation with each other! He soon learns that the beasts are not beasts at all but actually the Norse gods Odin, Loki and Thor. Tricked by a Frost Giant who has taken over the realm of Asgard, home of the gods, and claimed the beautiful goddess Freya as his own, the three deities are stuck in animal form and unable to reclaim their rightful places of power. But the unassuming Odd has an idea to help them reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Odd (with the gods in tow) travels to Asgard in an attempt to oust the Giant and restore the order of the universe. Encouraged by the memory of his father and the love of his mother, Odd displays bravery and cleverness against the Frost Giant, a creature of violence and malice. There is a sweet and subtle moral to the tale: the "magic" Odd uses against the giant is simply "letting things do what they wanted to do or be what they wanted to be." This idea reflects on Gaiman's hero, who is true to himself and finds safe ways to allow others to be true to themselves as well. This self-honesty plays a vital role in the story, and Gaiman, like any good author,