The Selfish Giant

Inspiring two films (the latest featuring ‘Emmerdale’s’ Conner Chapman, and ‘Shameless’ star, Sean Gilder), ‘The Selfish Giant’ is a classic children’s fairytale from the pen of Oscar Wilde. While he might be better known for his biting wit and cynical observations, this story is both beautiful and timeless. It centres around a giant, who builds a wall around his garden in order to keep children out. As a result, his garden is frozen in perpetual winter. However, a young boy has hidden himself away there and gives the giant a chance to redeem himself. Touching and wonderfully written, this is an ideal read for children and the young at heart.

Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) was an Irish novelist, poet, playwright, and wit. He was an advocate of the Aesthetic movement, which extolled the virtues of art for the sake of art. During his career, Wilde wrote nine plays, including ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan,’ and ‘A Woman of No Importance,’ many of which are still performed today. His only novel, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ was adapted for the silver screen, in the film, ‘Dorian Gray,’ starring Ben Barnes and Colin Firth. In addition, Wilde wrote 43 poems, and seven essays. His life was the subject of a film, starring Stephen Fry.