Book Review: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. Robin Hann Leon, Flock Media LLC, April 2026, ebook, 38 pages.
Reviewed by Kaleene Robertson.
Learning something new can become easily discouraging when it doesn’t sound or look perfect the first time. You have an idea in your head of perfection (perhaps genius), but when it proves harder than expected, motivating yourself to keep going can feel difficult. To improve can feel lonely and daunting. The same is true for Robin Hann Leon’s character young Catalina, in Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, living in Peru, a beginner who finds a violin one day and starts to play - only for her ears to meet the screeching sounds of someone who has never played before.
She runs to her mother in search of an answer. Her mother encourages her and explains that, in order to improve and learn, we “should stand on the shoulders of giants. “These are people who have mastered the skills we want to learn and can pass their expertise on to us as we grow and improve. They are our teachers. Catalina searches and finds her giant, playing her screeching violin along the way, much to the dismay of the people she encounters. Her giant reassures her that he didn’t know how to make music when he began. Through her giant’s encouragement and lessons, she gets better and better, eventually earning an invitation to perform.
There’s something meaningful here, when we create a foundation for others (especially by developing our own skills and then teaching others what we’ve learned) we become stepping-stones for those who come after us. The phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants” comes from a quote often attributed to Isaac Newton, who is famous for describing gravity. In a way, Newton became a “giant” for later scientists, including Albert Einstein, who built on earlier ideas to explain gravity more fully. Learning something new doesn’t have to feel isolating, scary, or discouraging.
The story uses magical realism to transform a simple message into a work of art. Catalina’s giant is more mystical than real, helping her find the music within. The book is wonderfully illustrated and designed by the author. It’s a special skill in itself not only to write a book, but to draw and design it as well.
I read the book to my five-year-old daughter, who has a habit of sitting down and pouting when trying anything new. I have all the sayings and gentle coaxing of a mother trying to encourage her child, but having a book reinforce the message helps a lot. It’s almost like a giant for us mothers to stand on as we encourage our young children.
I am well into my thirties, but I find the gentle reminder to practice and learn from mentors refreshing. It is a simple message that is timeless. Perhaps my stumbling and persevering in the new things I choose to learn, can be a small shoulder to stand on for two little girls, whose eyes and attention are always on me.
