- Picture Books
- Ages 4–7
- Fantasy
Grandad's Secret Giant
A luminous, emotionally generous picture book about seeing past fear and accepting someone who is different. It has David Litchfield's signature warmth and spectacle, with a very clear empathy-building message.
- Best for4–7
- FormatPicture
- Length40 pp
- Read aloud~8 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Lyrical
- Conversational
Tone
- Warm
- Heartwarming
- Gentle
- Thought provoking
- Whimsical
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Billy's grandad says there is a giant living in their town. Billy does not believe him, even though Grandad insists the giant quietly helps everyone: fixing things, rescuing animals and making the town better without being noticed. When Billy finally sees the giant for himself, he is frightened at first and has to learn that someone's size or difference does not make them dangerous. David Litchfield's glowing illustrations give the story a magical scale, turning ordinary streets and rooftops into places where wonder might be hiding. The book is gentle enough for young children but emotionally useful for conversations about fear, prejudice, kindness and community. Like The Bear and the Piano, it feels classic, sincere and highly giftable, with enough visual grandeur to reward repeated reading.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 4–7
- Read aloud · 3–7
- Independent · 6–8
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Empathy picture book
- Beautiful illustrations
- Gentle magic
- Grandparent story
- Accepting difference
Avoid if
- Wants fast gags
- Prefers realistic only
- Wants high action
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Anxiety and worry
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A warm, beautifully illustrated read-aloud about kindness and looking past difference — a lovely prompt for talk about acceptance.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific weight is the giant being real — Billy not believing Grandad's stories about a giant quietly fixing things around town, then seeing him for himself and being frightened, then having to learn that size and difference aren't danger. The Litchfield picture book on what fear gets wrong.
- Friendship and belonging
- Having a wise mentor
- Making a difference
- Secret world
Why parents love it
The David Litchfield picture book with his trademark glow — magical-scale illustration of ordinary rooftops, classic-feeling and giftable. Useful for the prejudice / not-judging-by-appearance conversation. Pairs well with The Bear and the Piano in tone and warmth.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Conversation starter
- Bedtime appropriate
- Great writing
About the author & illustrator
David Litchfield.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
When you buy through the links above, we may earn a small commission — it never costs you more, and it never changes the books we choose. How we’re funded →