book review - Odd and the Frost Giants

This is a kids book written by Neil Gaiman and it's very short, in fact my only complaint about the book is that it's way too short. I've read longer short stories, it's more like a tale told in front of a fire place on a winters night by some avuncular character than an actual book. But it's a good tale, so that's not so bad. It's the story of Odd (which according to Gaiman wasn't an Odd name in those times and in that place but even though Odd's name wasn't odd, he was) who as a young viking had faced many difficulties in his short life when one day he rescues a trapped bear from a tree only to find that the bear is actually the Norse god Thor who, along with Odin and Loki, have been transformed into animals and banished from Asgard. Of course Odd saves the day and rids Asgard of the conquering Frost Giant. I thought it was pretty neat that instead of a white hat/black hat dual morality Gaiman presents Odd instead with Gods and Giants that are equally culpable in their distresses and has him find a suitable solution to the problem. I plan to try and read this to my two little ones if I can con them into turning off their games and t.v. programs long enough.