Written by Jane Sarnoff, illustrated by Reynold Ruffins. First edition, 1977. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
Why did the busy giant put his pants on backwards?
Because he didn't know whether he was coming or going.
Why does a giant always put his right shoe on first?
It would be silly to put the wrong shoe on first.
And it gets even sillier and funnier! With a lot packed into Reynold Ruffin's brilliant illustrations.
Giants! has two parts: The left pages contain over 500 riddles on various topics, such as politics, space, economics, philosophy, natural science, and elephantology. The right pages contain a story told by Mr. Big Person, a giant who reminisces about days when giants roamed the earth. Witty wordplay and creative storytelling.
Reynold Ruffins (1930-2021) was an American painter, illustrator, and graphic designer who co-founded Push Pin Studios in 1954 with his Cooper Union classmates Milton Glaser, Edward Sorel, and Seymour Chwast. He was known for his stylistic versatility, vibrant colors, and penchant for fanciful creatures. He illustrated more than twenty children's books and worked for commercial clients such as IBM, Coca-Cola, CBS, and the New York Times. He also taught at several institutions, including Queens College, where he was a professor emeritus. He received many awards for his work, including the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award and the Augustus St. Gaudens Award from Cooper Union.
Jane Sarnoff was an American writer who collaborated with illustrator Ruffins on several children's books in the 1970s and 1980s. Some of their titles include Space, My Brother Never Feeds the Cat, and Light the Candles! Beat the Drums!: A Book of Holidays. Sarnoff also wrote Take Warning: A Book of Superstitions, illustrated by Rosalind Charney Kaye.
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Condition: Very Good/Very Good. Dust jacket: Moderate shelf wear; on the front, three small closed tears at upper edge; on the back, one small closed tear to the upper edge, tiny tear starting at the lower edge. White-embossed red cloth cover boards. Pages are clean, undamaged and complete.
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