Paul Bunyan vs. Hals Halson

K-Gr 3—Paul Bunyan, "so big he had to watch out for those smaller than himself, so fast he had to work to be slow, and so strong he had to learn to be gentle," is lonely. When Hals Halson, a giant of a man, strides into camp, Paul extends his hand in friendship, but Hals is determined to prove who's the greatest lumberjack around. Rather than showing off his logging skills, he grabs Paul in a wrestling hold (which tickles), tries to toss Paul over his shoulder (like uprooting a redwood), and butts him in the stomach (knocking himself out). Paul helps the man to his feet, accepts his claim to be the second-best lumberjack in North America, and becomes his friend. An endnote tells of other tall tales about this legendary lumberjack, known for his goodness and humor in addition to his size and strength. The graphically manipulated art is in full color, portraying tall trees and dense forests as well as these two giants—only partially contained in some spreads. Pair this telling with Audrey Wood's The Bunyans (Scholastic, 1996) or Steven Kellogg's Paul Bunyan (HarperCollins, 1984).—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN