Historical fiction blends with the biography of one of the world's favourite
children's authors, CS Lewis.

   “Mrs Lewis laughed a little,
and he noticed how it lit up her eyes.
 “My son has two names too.
He likes to be called Jacks.”
 She put a finger on her lips.
“But his proper name is Clive,” she said in a loud whisper.”

Davy, a working-class boy living in East Belfast in 1908, is sent to work at the wealthy Lewis household. When he meets Jacks – the name by which CS Lewis was known to friends and family – Davy is captivated by his friend’s world of books and stories. Together the boys plunge into imagining and adventuring, and Davy discovers his own artistic talent.


But when Davy is offered a job at the shipyard, and Jacks’s mother falls gravely ill, their wondrous days of make-believe seem numbered. Will they lose their extraordinary shared world forever?

"A heartwarming and wonder-filled tale ... I highly recommend the book for all ages, but especially those children and ‘children-at-heart’ who’ve been enchanted by the stories of C.S. Lewis and know something of childhood wonder, the joys of reading, true friendship, and the bittersweet nature of growing up."  – Steven Elmore, President of the CS Lewis Foundation.

"Judith McQuoid seamlessly blends meticulous research into Lewis’s life story with imaginative storytelling and poignant reflections on her own family’s past. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in C.S. Lewis, the city of Belfast, and Irish writing!" –Dr. David Clare, lecturer in Drama and English at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick and author of Ireland in the Life and Work of C.S. Lewis (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025)

"A quietly charming, warmhearted story of enduring friendship." – Kirkus Reviews

"Giant is clear-eyed and big-hearted ... telling truths we need to hear about hardship and injustice, and about how simple friendship can close the gaps that divide us." – Sam Thompson, author of The Wolfstongue Saga"

Early-twentieth century Belfast, from the grit and danger of the shipyards to the leafy suburbs, is vividly evoked in this compelling celebration of the magic of friendship and the imagination." – Sheena Wilkinson, author of Hope Against Hope

"This is a really clever, unusual look at the life of a figure that we all know a bit, but none of us really know much about" –Read and Reviewed

Judith McQuoid was born in Belfast but grew up partly in Texas. She now lives in a small village in Northern Ireland, deep in the countryside but close to the city. Her homeland, its landscapes, and folklore inspire her to write authentic, enchanting stories for young people. Her first middle grade novel, Giant, was published by Little Island in 2025.

Photo by Nick Patterson