Giant

Set in 1908 Belfast, McQuoid’s hopeful historical novel imagines the childhood of C.S. Lewis as seen through the eyes of Davy Caruth, the son of a Lewis family housekeeper. When his father can no longer work, 13-year-old Davy must step up in his stead. His mother’s employer, Mrs. Lewis, offers payment in exchange for Davy spending time with her youngest son, who goes by Jacks. He introduces Davy to the joys of reading and writing, and together they create stories, until real-life stressors disrupt their playful boyhood. Davy must accept a higher-paying but dangerous job at the shipyard, and Jacks is sent to boarding school in England. Defying his mother’s pleas to get his head out of the clouds, Davy attends nightly drawing classes. Then, in a turn of events, his hard work and big dreams translate to upward mobility. “Maybe filling their heads with stories and nonsense isn’t such a bad thing,” Davy’s mother notes, emphasizing the creative heart of this class-conscious ode to dreamers, which suggests that imagination can curb the sting of harsh everyday realities. Ages 9–12. (June)