Ryers Readers - The Spiffiest Giant in Town

Episode Date: November 25, 2022

George was a giant, and when he meets the animals around town that need help; it quickly becomes clear that he is the kindest giant in town!

Let's do this! Thank you so much for tuning into today's story. Don't forget to tell your grown-up to go check out the Ryers Readers' Instagram page for more fun content. Before we get into the story, do you want to know a fun fact? Did you know that foxes have excellent hearing? They can hear a watch ticking from 118 feet or 36 meters. away. They can even hear small animals digging underground. Pretty cool, huh? Okay, story time. Today, we have a very special Ryer's Reader's request from four-year-old Amalia and Israel. Amalia

requested to hear the spiffiest giant in town by Julia Donaldson. I hope you enjoy this story, Amalia, let's do this. George was a giant, the scruffiest giant in town. He always wore the same pair of old brown sandals and the same old patched-up gown. I wish I wasn't the scruffiest giant in town, he said sadly. But one day, George noticed a new shop. It was full of spiffy clothes, So he bought a spiffy shirt, a spiffy pair of pants, a spiffy belt, a spiffy striped tie, some spiffy socks with diamonds on the sides, and a pair of spiffy shiny shoes. Now I'm the spiffiest giant in town, he said proudly. George left his old clothes behind in the shop.

He was about to go home when he heard a sound. On the sidewalk stood a giraffe who was sniffing sadly. What's the matter? asked George. It's my neck, said the giraffe. It's so very long and so very cold. I wish I had a long, warm scarf. Cheer up, said George, and he took off his. striped tie. It didn't match my socks anyway, he said, as he wound it around and around the giraffe's

neck. It made a wonderful scarf. Thank you, said the giraffe. And George strode home. He sang to himself, my tie is a scarf for a cold giraffe, but look at me up and down. I'm the spiffiest giant in George came to a river. On a boat stood a goat who was bleeding loudly. What's the matter? asked George. It's my sail, said the goat. It blew away in a storm. I wish I had a strong new sail for my boat. Cheer up, said George, and he took off his new white shirt. It kept coming untucked anyway. He said, as he tied it to the mast of the goat's boat, it made a magnificent sail. Thank you, said the goat.

George strode on singing to himself. My tie is a scarf for a cold giraffe, my shirt's on a boat as a sail for a goat, but look at me up and down on the spiffiest giant in town. George came to a tiny ruined house. Beside the house stood a white mouse with lots of baby mice. They were all squeaking. What's the matter? asked George. It's our house, squeaked the mother mouse.

It burned down, and now we have nowhere to live. I wish we had a nice new house. Cheer up, said George, and he took off one of his shiny shoes. It was giving me blisters anyway, he said. As the mouse and her babies scrambled inside, the shoe made a perfect home for them. Thank you, they squeaked. George had to hop along the road now, but he didn't mind. As he hopped, he sang to himself.

My tie is a scarf for a cold giraffe. My shirt's on a boat as a sail for a goat. My shoe is a house for a little white mouse, but look at me up and down. I'm the spiffiest giant in town. George came to a campsite. Beside a tent stood a fox who was crying. What's the matter? asked George. It's my sleeping bag, said the fox.

I dropped it in a puddle. I wish I had a warm, dry sleeping bag. Cheer up, said George, and he took off one of his socks with diamonds on the sides. It was tickling my toes anyway, he said. As the fox snuggled into it, it made a very fine sleeping bag. Thank you, said the fox. George hopped on singing to himself. My tie is a scarf for a cold giraffe, my shirt's on a boat as a sail for a goat,

My shoe is a house for a little white mouse. One of my socks is a bed for a fox, but look at me up and down. I'm the spiffiest giant in town. George came to a big, squishy bog. Beside the bog stood a dog. Who was howling? What's the matter? Asked George.

It's this bog, said the dog. I need to get a car. but I keep getting stuck in the mud. I wish there was a safe, dry path. Cheer up, said George, and he took off his spiffy new belt. It was squeezing my tummy anyway, he said, as he laid it down over the bog. It made an excellent path. Thank you, said the dog. The wind started to blow, but George didn't mind. He hopped on singing to himself. My tie is a scarf for a cold giraffe.

My shirt's on a boat as a sail for a goat. My shoe is a house for a little white mouse. One of my socks is a bed for a fox. My belt helped a dog who was crossing a bog, but my pants are falling down on the coldest giant in town. Suddenly, George felt sad and shivery and not spiffy at all. He stood on one foot and thought, I'll have to go back to the shop and buy more clothes. He decided. He turned around and hopped all the way back to the shop.

But when he got there, it was closed. Oh, no, cried George. He sank down onto the sidewalk, and a tear ran down his nose. He felt as sad as all. all the animals he had met on his way home. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bag with something familiar poking out of the top. George took a closer look. Oh, he yelled, my dear old gown and sandals. George put them on.

They felt wonderfully comfortable. I'm the coziest giant in town, He cried and he danced back home along the road. Outside his front door stood all the animals he had helped. They were carrying an enormous present. Come on, George, they said. Open it. George untied the ribbon.

Inside was a beautiful gold paper crown and a card. Look inside the card, George, said the animals. George put the crown on his head and opened the card. Inside, it said, You gave your scarf to a cold giraffe, your shirts on a boat as a sail for a goat. Your shoe is a house for a little white mouse. One of your socks is a bed for a fox.

Your belt helped a dog who was crossing a bog. So here is a very fine crown to go with the sandals and gown of the kindest giant in town. The end. Don't forget to stick around to see if you can answer today's paying attention question. Before you go, do you think you can answer today's paying attention question? What did George give to the dog to help him safely cross the bog? If your answer was, his belt,

You did it! Great job! You sure were paying attention! I hope you enjoyed that story. I wonder what we're going to read next. Bye, Amalia! My name is Amalia. I love your stories. Thank you.