The Giant and How He Humbugged America (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780439691840)

Two-time Newbery Honor Book author has written an amazing account of one of America's most famous hoaxes!

When a 10-foot tall purported "petrified man" is unearthed from a backyard in upstate New York in 1869, the discovery immediately turns into a spectacle of epic proportions. News of the giant spreads like wildfire, and well over a thousand people come to view him in the first five days alone!Everyone has their own idea of his true origin: Is he an ancient member of the local Onandaga Indian tribe? Is he a biblical giant like Goliath? Soon the interests of world-renowned scientists and people from around the globe are piqued as arguments flare over who he is, where he came from, and if he is real--or just a hoax. In a riveting account of how the Cardiff Giant mystery snowballed into one of America's biggest money-making spectacles--and scams--Jim Murphy masterfully explores the power of 19th-century media and the unexpected ripple effect that a single corrupt mastermind can produce when given a stage.

Author: Jim Murphy
ISBN-10: 0439691842
ISBN-13: 9780439691840
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Language: English
Published: 10/01/2012
Pages: 112
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 10.10h x 8.20w x 0.70d

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 8.7
Point Value: 4
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 154476 / Giant and How He Humbugged America

Award: NAPPA Gold Awards - Winner
Award: Charlotte Award - Nominee

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 06/01/2012 pg. 76
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2012
School Library Journal 09/01/2012 pg. 165
Publishers Weekly 09/17/2012
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 11/01/2012 - Book Of Special Distinction
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2013 - Recommended, Satisfactory