Yes, it’s the famous chef, Jamie Oliver; and yes, there are recipes and lots of food ideas. But more importantly, this is the story of Billy and his three friends from a village called Little Alverton, who climb over a wall into the secret Waterfall Woods, and the marvellous, magical things they find there.
Billy is nearly 10 years old and lives above the pub his parents run. His friends, Jimmy, Anna and Andy have different strengths. Where Billy struggles at school and is bullied by Bruno Brace, Anna is smart and brave. Jimmy is nicknamed Nature Boy for his love of nature. Andy seems uncouth but says profound things at unexpected times.
Billy, Anna and Jimmy climb a wall into the Waterfall Woods, despite being warned by an old man, Wilfred Revel, that the woods are dangerous. Billy hugs a lightning-struck oak tree and soon a magical world opens up to them. They encounter a small, winged creature called a Sprite, named Basil. He takes them to his community, where it’s learned that the normal cycle of harvesting food is upset.
The kids investigate in their own world, finding a business which is pumping pollution into the river. Back in the woods, they come across nasty, smelly hedgehog-sized creatures called Boonas. While captured by Boonas, Basil finds a map, which points to the Sprites’ ‘real home’, Balthazar, which they search for. They also find a giant man, Bilfred, trapped behind a giant wall, and the kids want to free him.
Billy and the Giant Adventure ends happily, but with a warning. Things in the woods are going to get worse before they get better … but that’s for another story.
Reviewed by Bob Moore
Age Guide 7+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Trevor Oliver MBE is an English chef, restaurateur and cookbook author and children’s author, and all round celebrity. He is known for his casual approach to cuisine, which has led him to front numerous television shows and open many restaurants.
Oliver reached the public eye when his series The Naked Chef premiered in 1999. In 2005, he launched a campaign, Feed Me Better, to introduce school children to healthier foods.
