The Giant of Seville: A "Tall" Tale Based on a True Story

Based on the life of a real circus giant, Captain Martin Van Buren Bates!

Nothing exciting ever happens in the sleepy town of Seville, Ohio—until Captain Martin Van Buren Bates arrives. Standing seven feet and eleven and a half inches, Captain Bates is a giant who has toured around the world in the circus. In search of a quiet home for himself and his wife, (who is also a giant!) Captain Bates decides to get off the train in Seville, although he fears he will be too big for the little town. But Seville is full of surprises, and the giant is about to learn that the only thing that matters is the size of one’s heart.

A “tall” tale based on the true story of a real-life circus giant, The Giant of Seville is a heartwarming story of friendship and acceptance that will resonate with children. The book includes an author’s note and an archival photograph of Captain Martin Van Buren Bates and his wife, Anna Bates, Seville’s most famous residents.

Dan Andreasen is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including Sailor Boy Jig, by Margaret Wise Brown; Chico, by Sandra Day O’Connor; and Streets of Gold, by Rosemary Wells. He lives in Medina, Ohio, about twenty minutes from Seville, with his wife and three children.