Standing Tall: Unusually Tall People (First Book) | |
ISBN: 9780531202579 Author: Landau, Elaine Publisher: Franklin Watts Published: March 1997 Retail: $23.00 OUR PRICE: $2.99 You Save 87% Binding Type: Library Binding Annotation: Traces the treatment of giants in folklore, the challenges faced by unusually tall people throughout history, the medical reasons behind gigantism and acromegaly, and the prejudices that tall people find today This book opens with an anecdote about Briana, an 11-year-old girl who is tall for her age, and relates the difficulties she encounters because of her height. Next, the role of giants in literature is summarized and some familiar tales are cited, such as "Jack and the Beanstalk" and stories about Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill. The author explains that these characters are fictional and sets the stage for the next two chapters, which give historical coverage of real people who were unusually tall. The causes and effects of the medical condition of gigantism are also discussed. Readers are reminded that not all tall people are giants; some are just hereditarily tall, and that the definition of "unusually tall" varies from society to society. In a mildly didactic conclusion, Landau points out the problems and discrimination the very tall face, stating, "By allowing one obvious physical trait to overshadow nearly everything about that person, we may miss their valuable qualities." Black-and-white and color photographs and reproductions appear throughout. Standing Tall informs and educates young people about a group of people who suffer from prejudice in many societies |
Additional Information |
Physical Information: 0.42" H x 8.83" L x 7.43" W 64 pages |
Bargain Category: Upper Elementary, Science, Reference, Non-Fiction, Myths & Legends, Middle School, History, Health, Classics |
Grade level(s): 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th |