The Iron Giant

When a towering giant made of iron appears out of nowhere, young Hogarth sees him not as a monster, but a friend. The townspeople are terrified of the giant and devise a plan to bring him down. But Hogarth believes in his friend, and rescues him when no one else will. Together, they teach the people of the village and beyond to conquer their fears, for beneath the giant's rough armor there beats a mighty heart.

The late Ted Hughes, former poet laureate of England, wrote this modern fairy tale in 1968 (which went on to inspire the popular 1999 Warner Brothers animated feature). This illustrated edition, featuring the complete text, special effects such as foldouts and die-cuts, and striking full-color artwork on every page, offers the perfect family read-aloud.

"Hughes's 1968 story of unexpected friendships and redemptions returns with new artwork from Carlin in a polished and well-designed edition that uses occasional gatefolds and die-cuts to amplify key moments. Carlin's mixed-media artwork emphasizes the giant's innate otherness, his shadow looming over the pages, ominous red eyes glowing, the use of collage hinting at the constructed nature of the automaton. After the arrival of a 'space-bat-angel-dragon' (whose approach to Earth unfolds in concentric die-cut circles), the giant wins over those humans he'd previously terrified, and even his extraterrestrial opponent turns out to be more than meets the eye. It's an elegant and thoughtful treatment of a story that, with its hopeful message of global unity, feels as important and timely as ever. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A mysterious creature stalks the land, eating barbed wire and devouring tractors and plows. The farmers are mystified - and afraid.

And then they glimpse him in the night: the Iron Giant, taller than a house, with glowing headlight eyes and an insatiable taste for metal. Where has he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows. What they do know is that the Iron Giant must be stopped.

But the real threat hovers above, darkening the sky with its scaly wings: a space-bat as big as Australia, hungry for every living thing it sees. And suddenly, the world needs a hero - a giant hero - like never before...

First published in 1968, Ted Hughes's classic tale is a powerful tribute to peace on earth - and in all the universe.

TED HUGHES (1930-1998) was an eminent English poet who was named poet laureate in 1985. He was married to Sylvia Plath.

LAURA CARLIN is a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Guardian and Vogue, and has garnered numerous accolades and honors including the Quentin Blake Award for illustration two years running. She teaches part-time at several universities and is currently involved in setting up London's first-ever illustration gallery.