A Giant Problem: Book Review
Summary and Review of Book Two in Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles
A Giant Problem is the second instalment in Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, a series that builds on Black and DiTerlizzi’s first collaborative writing project, The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Summary
The story begins where the previous book left off; giants are stirring in Nick Vargas’s neighbourhood. Unfortunately, the veteran giant slayer, Noseeum Jack, has gone blind. So now it’s up to Nick and his stepsister Laurie to learn Noseeum Jack’s tricks and kill the giants before they wreak havoc on their Florida neighbourhood.
But before Nick and Laurie are properly trained, the giant’s begin to quarrel. In the process, they cause catastrophic damage to the developing neighbourhood, collapsing and setting fire to the newly-built houses. And as if the constant bickering between Nick’s dad and stepmom isn’t causing enough trouble, their home, too, is reduced to a pile of rubble.
After the family checks into a hotel, the kids, along with their older brother Jules, sneak out and enlist the help of the mermaids. Nick hopes that their song will lure the giants away from their neighbourhood and into the ocean. In exchange for the mermaids’ help, Nick and his siblings agree to perform a near impossible task. But after the kids complete the task, the cunning mermaids find a loophole in Nick’s request, and leave without returning the favour.
When it seems like all hope is lost, it’s Nick’s quick thinking that saves the day. Now, equipped with the tools they need, the kids risk their lives to save not just the remains of their neighbourhood, but the entire city from destruction.
Review
Stylistically, A Giant Problem is written for the younger end of the young-adult audience, about age nine or ten. But readers of any age can identify with the deeper issues hidden beneath the magical plot.
On the surface, the story focuses on how the young characters save their city from the wrath of over thirty dangerous giants. But it’s the subplot that makes the story dynamic, adding depth to both the characters and the plot. It shows how an eleven-year-old boy deals with his personal battles and family struggles. In book one of the series, readers witness Nick’s negative attitude and relentless scepticism, which are no doubt the result of his mother’s death and his father’s quick remarriage. But the emphasis on his moodiness and insecurities make him uninteresting, or possibly even annoying, to young-adult readers.
But in book two, Nick's pessimism is justified: Nick’s father is constantly angry, making no effort to ease Nick’s transition into the new family life. Instead, he deals with his own personal issues by bickering with his wife and yelling at his son. Readers will sympathize with Nick and understand that his negativity is merely a way to cope with his family struggles.
Along with Nick’s likability, another improvement on the first novel is the setting. In The Nixie’s Song, the authors use desert-like imagery to illustrate Florida’s extreme temperatures. But in A Giant Problem, they abandon the dry description and pull the characters away from the developing neighbourhood. The quick movement through multiple settings—such as the ocean, the hotel and another character’s home—makes the story fast-paced and visually exciting.
The Authors
Holly Black has a new series of graphic novels in the works; Good Neighbors Book One: Kin, published by Scholastic, will be released in hardcover on October 1, 2008.
Tony DiTerlizzi’s young-adult novel Kenny & the Dragon is now available in hardcover.
A Giant Problem
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