THERE WAS AN OLD GIANT WHO SWALLOWED A CLOCK

And not a small clock, either!

Apparently, this giant is related to that old lady who swallowed a fly. He is also a clock aficionado, or perhaps a clock repairman, as he’s surrounded by them. In any event, the white giant “had such a shock when he swallowed that clock!” After this, he swallows his knitting, a moth that he finds in his closet, some honey, even a bear. (“He swallowed the bear to eat up the honey.”) Next, he swallows a net “to catch the bear.” He tries a boat to “pull in the net.” Then he swallows the sea to “wash down the boat,” and finally tries swallowing the moon. Why? To “soak up the sea. / Not very clever—I’m sure you’ll agree!” Ingenious book design features a die-cut hole in the right-hand page, showing the clock that he has swallowed. The left-hand page features that first verse. Then when readers turn the pages, the hole on the left-hand page repeats that first verse in smaller type, while through the increasingly large holes on the right-hand pages, readers see the swallowed item(s). By the end, the hole is large, the verse is long, and the giant’s stomach sure to succumb to indigestion. Ellis’ pictures are refreshingly kooky, filled with various cats, mice, and other small critters who view the goings-on with some interest. Davies wisely sticks to the meter of her inspiration, and caregivers will likely sing that tune as they share the book.

Great fun.