The legendary Paul Bunyan is brought to life in Paul Bunyan vs. Hals Halson, a 32-page picture book by Teresa Bateman. The story begins with the birth of Paul Bunyan and describes his larger-than-life size. As a baby, Paul was larger than grizzly bear, and as a boy he grew six inches a day. He ran faster than the wind and was too big to fit in the schoolhouse. The story then tells of the difficulty Paul had making friends; he was so big that he couldn't play games like the other children. Because he felt like an outcast, he decided to become a lumberjack and work alone, except for his big blue ox, Babe.

One day, while Paul was working in the forest, another giant, Hals Halson, came along and challenged Paul to a fight. Hals wanted to prove that he was the best lumberjack in the world. Even though Paul didn't want to fight, Hals tried to fight him anyway, but he was easily defeated. After Paul won, Hals asked to be hired by Paul. Paul Bunyan hired Hals, and they became good friends.

This is a charming book that is filled with colorful illustrations. Paul Bunyan vs. Hals Halson would make a nice addition to a home library, and it is a great introduction to Paul Bunyan and tall tales.

Product review by Courtney Larson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, July 2011