[ 책 소개 ]

* Charlotte Zolotow Award 수상도서
* Los Angeles Times Best Book Award 수상도서
* Horn Book Fanfare Award 수상도서
* An ALA Notable Children's Book
* Parent's Choice Award 수상도서


엄마와 함께 사는 베아트리스는 너무 가난해서 이제 마지막으로 남은 죽을 천천히 먹었습니다. 그리고 엄마를 위해 북쪽의 숲으로 가서 돈을 벌기로 합니다. 숲속에는 거인이 살고 있었는데, 이 거인은 누가 힘이 더 센지 내기를 하는 것을 좋아했으며, 한번도 내기에서 진 적이 없었다고 합니다. 이런 거인에게 베아트리스는 금화 10개를 걸고 누가 힘이 더 센지 내기 시합을 제안했습니다.

첫번째 시합은 누가 더 세게 거인의 현관문을 칠 수 있는지였고 베아트리스는 힘 대신에 꾀로 거인을 이겨서 금화 10개를 얻게 됩니다.

시합에서 진 거인은 이번에는 금화 10냥을 걸고 누가 더 많이 우물에서 물을 길러 올 수 있는지 내기하자고 했으며, 이번에도 베아트리스는 꾀를 내서 이기게 됩니다.

계속 꼬마 베아트리스에게 진 것이 너무나도 화가 났던 거인은 무거운 강철빔을 누가 더 멀리 던질 수 있는지 시합하자고 했으나, 이번에도 베아트리스는 힘 대신에 꾀로 거인을 이겨서 결국 금화 30개를 들고 엄마에게 돌아갈 수 있었습니다.

그런데 힘도 없고 체구도 작은 베아트리스가 거인을 어떻게 이길 수 있었을까요? 베아트리스가 거인을 꾀로 물리치는 재미있는 이야기를 즐겨보세요.






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[ 서지 정보 ]

Paperback: 40 pages
ISBN-10: 068987068X
ISBN-13: 978-0689870682
책 크기: 26.7 cm x 22.8 cm



[ 영문 서평 ]

Book Description
"Good afternoon, Mister Giant, Sir. I have come to make a bet with you."
Can a very little girl beat a very large giant in feats of strength? That's what clever Beatrice bets on when she marches through the north woods to the home of the giant, hoping to win some of his gold to help her mother buy porridge. The giant heartily agrees to a contest, never imagining the wisp of a girl could out-muscle him. But what he hasn't counted on is how clever Beatrice is...and that brains beat brawn every time.
This tall tale from Michigan's upper peninsula is told in delicious dialect, and introduces a heroine who's as irrepressible as Eloise.


Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*
First-time illustrator Solomon makes an impressive debut in this winning tale of a spunky girl who matches her wits against a giant's brawn to save her family from destitution. Combining detailed watercolor and collage, the artist works patches of photographed tree bark, flowers, earth and grass into her paintings, creating a world in which realism blends with fantasy images to magical effect. Slender logs frame some of the pictures; in others, Beatrice and the giant appear as silhouettes against a white background. While some readers may find the heroine's cheekiness off-putting, others will admire her confidence and creative problem-solving as she tricks the giant into conceding each bet, in spite of his superior strength. Such humorous moments as when the girl wraps a rope around the giant's well and says, "I am not going to bother carrying those buckets one by one.... I would sooner pull out the whole well," are sure to amuse readers, as will the good-natured tone of the battle, which leaves the giant "smiling to himself, feeling lucky" despite his losses. Willey's engaging tale of her sharp-witted heroine's courage, enhanced by Solomon's inspired illustrations, is clever indeed.


Horn Book *Starred Review*
"A winning tale of brain vs. brawn from the French-Canadian tradition, full of lively dialogue and situation."


School Library Journal
This tall tale from the north woods of Michigan recounts the exploits of a sassy and spirited but very poor little girl named Beatrice. She greets readers on the first page clad in a red dress and literally walks out of the illustration's frame in a way that indicates that she is clearly a heroine with whom to be reckoned. When the child asks her mother how she could earn money to improve their meager existence, her mother tells her about "A rich giant who loves to gamble on his own strength." Beatrice, to her mother's surprise, departs the next day in search of the well-heeled giant and, true to character, she brashly bets him 10 coins that she can "strike a blow harder than you." The none-too-bright man naturally laughs at the challenge by this wee girl, but agrees. After being outwitted in feats of strength no less than three times, the giant relinquishes the last of the treasure to the wily youngster whereupon Beatrice runs home, eager for her mother's warm embrace and heartfelt praise. Solomon does a commendable job of depicting the rough-hewn environs of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in evocative earth tones. Beatrice's character is particularly well rendered with her elfish yet beguiling visage. This tale is especially empowering to girls without being overtly feminist or didactic and will succeed with children because its foundation is fine storytelling.


Booklist
In this Northwoods tall tale, a sassy, intelligent child uses her wits to defeat a wealthy giant. Little Beatrice is smart, but her family is poor and they have just run out of food. Her mother tells her there are only two ways to make money in the region where they live: lumbering and wagering with the "rich giant who likes to gamble on his own strength." Beatrice sets off, and through lies and the power of suggestion, she convinces the giant of her superior strength and returns home with a bag of gold. The ending is weak, but the story is spiced with a singsong dialect and sparkles with the brash, good-humored improbability of the genre. It's the illustrations that are really unusual. Intriguing paint-and-paper collages show Beatrice's swagger and shining eyes, the sympathetic giant's oafish bumbling, and the richly textured, wooded landscape. This lively, beautifully illustrated book is a good choice for story hours. An author's note explains more about Canadian contes--the story's form.