Winner of the 2010 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 
Selected for W. H. Smith’s Richard and Judy Children’s Book Club
Short-listed for the Stockton on Tees Children’s Book of the Year 2012

   " ‘Ma!’ shrieked Muncle.‘Gritt’s upside-downing me!’" 

This is how we first meet Muncle Trogg.  His younger brother Gritt can dangle ten-year-old Muncle upside down because Gritt is MUCH BIGGER.  It would be bad enough for you or me to be that small, but for Muncle it is truly terrible because he is supposed to be a GIANT.  He has been bullied all the time he has been at school and, now he is about to leave, things will only get worse – he is bound to fail his exams and without them he can’t get a good job. 

 

But Muncle isn’t the only one with problems - all the giants live in fear. Once upon a time they could move about freely, kidnapping a Smalling from the local town whenever they needed a slave or a tasty meal.  Then a few centuries ago something went wrong.  The Smallings got magic.  Ever since then the giants have had to hide, making their home in the mine workings deep inside Mount Grumble, with only their guard dragons for protection.  This is their most important Law, which they recite daily:

              Smallings are evil, Smallings are mean,

              Smallings would kill our King and our Queen

              If ever a giant or dragon was seen.

              Keep in the cloud, keep to the night,

              Keep in the mine, keep out of sight.

              If Smallings should ever discover our town

              They’d hunt every single man, wife and child down.

Can Muncle really find his place in the giant world, or would he be better off among Smallings his own size?  As he struggles to find out, the Law is broken and Mount Grumble is plunged into the greatest danger it has faced for centuries.  Worse still, their Wise Man, the only giant who knows how to think, is old and has run out of ideas.

Will the giants survive?  And where does Muncle really belong?

To find out, read  MUNCLE TROGG , out now in all good UK bookshops.  

Suitable for confident readers of 7+, and also very good for reading aloud to slightly younger children.   As well as being fun and funny, Muncle Trogg introduces in a light and easy way a number of serious issues which are suitable for discussion in school.

WHAT DO READERS THINK OF MUNCLE TROGG ?

Here are extracts from a couple of reviews:

’I bought this for my granddaughter after hearing Janet Foxley being interviewed on radio. It has proved to be quite a watershed in her reading and her teacher was so impressed by her enthusiasm and the content of the book that she has ordered copies for the entire class. Of course my granddaughter wants more of the same - now! Highly recommended!’

’My ten yr old daughter devoured this in two hours flat, refusing to speak or do anything else until she had finished it. My six year old son has now been allowed to start it and is equally enthusiastic, and even better for adults, it is fun to read out loud!’

 To buy Muncle Trogg on Amazon, click here.

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 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ?

The danger has passed.  Muncle had found where he belongs, Mount Grumble has a new Wise Man and the giants are celebrating.  But soon a new and even greater danger threatens them.  Will the appearance of a rare Wonder Donkey, worshipped by the giants for its great intelligence and wonder-working powers, be enough to save them?