Girls, goddesses & giants - Lari Don

A selection of brilliant folk tales about heroines from all around the world. In these stories it's the girls who save the day through their courage, cunning or kindness - whether they are facing up to wolves, demons, dragons, enemy tribes, or the sun itself! Handsome princes need not apply - these girls are doing it for themselves. With stories from every corner of the world (from Cameroon to Scotland, India, Japan and the Americas) this inclusive anthology of girl power is stunningly illustrated in paper-cut style.

Lari Don was brought up in Scotland, beside a distillery, a river and a railway line, giving her
lots of opportunities for incredibly dangerous outdoor games. She was the Scottish National Party's Press Officer for many
exciting and sleepless years and then a researcher and producer at
BBC Radio Scotland. She won the Canongate Prize in 2001, and a Royal Mail award for her book First Aid for Fairies in 2008. She now lives in Leith, and works as a fulltime writer and storyteller.

This is the best collection of heroine folklore aimed at young readers
that I have read. The pace and imagery of the stories are thrillingly
intense, and the writer addresses the reader in a direct, lively
voice...in the manner of Angela Carter or Susan Price. They are
excellent for reading aloud. This outstanding collection is embellished
with Francesca Greenwood's spirited silhouettes of characters and
motifs.
Books for Keeps - George Hunt, Lecturer in Education, University of Edinburgh

The heroines throughout are brave and ingenious. The stories are written with verve and would be good for either reading or telling.
The School Librarian

I found it refreshing to read a book aimed at girls that avoided being stereotypically 'girly'. Each tale is the perfect length for a bedtime story. Girls, Goddesses and Giants stands out as a book that both parent and child will be happy to return to again and again. Accessible and readable, with a host of strong female characters and a diverse, multicultural range of stories, it has become a firm favourite...
booksquawk.com - Hereward L.M. Proops