Alphabet gecko and Santa
sergeant some extra color
for under the tree

By Jolie Jean Cotton
Special to The Advertiser

"THE SLEEPING GIANT"
RETOLD AND ILLUSTRATED BY EDNA CABCABIN MORAN
BEACHHOUSE, AGES 6 AND UP, $14.95

This retold folktale stands out for its warm, wondrous illustrations and a gather-'round-the-campfire storytelling feel. An enchanted fish grows until he becomes a giant man who will eat only poi. The giant's insatiable appetite decimates his village's taro supply. A kahuna advises that chants be offered to help ease the giant's hunger, and a clever young girl named Pualani holds the key to taming the giant. This story offers one explanation for the creation of Kaua'i's Nounou Mountain.