Beau and the Stone Giant
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Beau, a cheeky Cavachon and his friends Bobby, a brave Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Frankie, a shy Lagotto Romagnolo, are the heroes of this quest story.They agree to help the stone giant find the cure for his stone malady, which is the flax seed from the lily harakeke. The quest is dangerous, with a crumbling road to cross and a merciless sea to sail. Just in case if things weren't hard enough, there is even a bad dragon to defeat.A beautiful twist of fate occurs at the climax where a tui steals the flaxseed and Beau sheds a tear. This tear turns out to be a more potent antidote, and we seethe stone giant begin to transform into this true identity.Whispering Mountain, the crumbling road and the merciless sea are all based on landmarks of East Auckland, where author Hydie Balle-Hands calls home. The characters and the story are beautifully illustrated by Audee Halim, reminiscent of 50's Disney animation styling.
About the Author
Hydie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and History from the University of Auckland. Children's Literature and New Zealand Literature were her favourite classes. She also has a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary).
When not working or writing, Hydie loves to spend time with her family and friends and go for walks in nature. Hydie lives in Auckland with her husband and her dog Beau. She has one daughter and a stepson.
As a child, Hydie spent a lot of time in the King Country of New Zealand on her aunty and uncle's sheep and beef farm. The days were spent out horseback riding on the farm with her cousin and in the early evenings she would read all the children's books that her aunty had. This was the beginning of Hydie's love for children's literature.