Hercufleas

Every month a monstrous giant called Yuk comes to the town of Tumber and eats its people. The first he munched were the parents of a girl called Greta, who is on a mission to save what is left of her town. Heroes have come to try and defeat the giant but all have met their own death. Greta takes the last of the town's gold and sets out to Avalon to try and find a new giant slayer. In Mr Stickler's shop, Happily Ever Afters, a new and very unusual hero has just hatched out, though no-one, least of all the young flea himself, realises it at the time. This young flea does have a yearning for adventure though and is unusually strong; his name is Herculfleas. But can a hero no bigger than a raisin really fight a giant? Has he bitten off more than he can chew? This is Sam Gayton's third novel and, I think, his best. Full of sparkling wordplay and imaginative detail, Herculfleas is a traditional quest story, with excitement, mortal danger and a happily ever after ending. The central characters of Herculfleas and Greta are likeable, engaging and brave; though their relationship gets off to a shaky start, they do become a team. An ideal read for young adventurers of 8+.272 pages / Ages 8+ / Reviewed by Jayne Gould, librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 14+