The Coming of the Iron Man

by Ted Hughes
The Coming of the Iron Man cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Children's Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 351
  • Added: 2025-09-10
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • ISBN: 9780571382736
  • Publisher: Faber & Faber Children's Books
  • Published: 2025-08-14
  • Reviews: 3

This beautifully abridged edition introduces The Iron Man, a towering figure made of metal who first appears by falling off a cliff and then begins consuming farm equipment, alarming local farmers. After being trapped in a pit, he escapes and is befriended by a boy named Hogarth, who finds a scrapyard as the perfect place for the Iron Man to live and feed. The story explores themes of fear, acceptance, and friendship as the Iron Man integrates into the community. The narrative escalates when a colossal space dragon lands on Earth, threatening humanity. The Iron Man is called upon to confront this new danger, using intelligence and courage rather than violence. This tale, told like a modern fairy tale, highlights the transformation of outsiders into heroes and critiques irrational fear and conflict, making it a compelling story for children and adults alike.

Reviews
Books For Keeps · 2025-08-14
warm 4.00

This abridged edition of The Iron Man is praised for introducing the story to a picture book audience with effective language play and a strong appeal for reading aloud. It is noted as a timeless tale with themes of bravery, acceptance, and intelligence overcoming violence.

The review appreciates this specially abridged version for making Ted Hughes’s classic accessible to younger readers, especially as a picture book. The language is highlighted as playful and engaging, making it suitable for reading aloud in homes and classrooms, which enriches the storytelling experience. The review also touches on the thematic depth of the story, mentioning how it deals with bravery, prejudice, and inclusion. It praises the story’s message about understanding and accepting those who are different, as well as its critique of violence and the celebration of intelligence and friendship, making it a valuable modern fairy tale for children.

Quick quotes

    This specially abridged edition of The Iron Man takes us from his mysterious arrival.

    Playing with language through the story makes it perfect for reading aloud in class or at home.

    The story teaches children not to fear people who are different but to learn to understand and accept them.

Scope for Imagination · 2025-07-08
engaging 4.25

The Coming of the Iron Man is celebrated for its suitability as a read-aloud book, with engaging language and captivating illustrations that invite repeated sharing. It is seen as a story that resonates well with both children and adults.

This review emphasizes the book’s strengths as a read-aloud experience, ideal for both classrooms and family settings. The playful language and the rhythm of the storytelling help to captivate listeners and readers alike, encouraging repeated enjoyment and discussion. Additionally, the illustrations by Mini Grey are highlighted as wonderfully effective in bringing the story to life, complementing Hughes’s narrative. The book is positioned as a timeless classic that continues to delight new generations, with its themes of friendship, bravery, and understanding wrapped in an accessible and beautifully presented format.

Quick quotes

    Perfect for reading aloud in class or at home, The Coming of the Iron Man is sure to be shared again and again.

    Playing with language through the story brings it to life and makes it very engaging.

    This gorgeous abridged edition brings The Iron Man to a picture book audience for the very first time.

Giles book reviews · 2021-01-05
intriguing 4.50

The story is an intriguing modern fairy tale that explores the dynamics between insiders and outsiders with a simple, direct style accessible to both children and adults.

The review highlights the book as a surprisingly readable modern fairy tale that uses straightforward language rather than complex metaphor or symbolism, making it appealing not only to children but also to adult readers. The reviewer appreciates the story's focus on themes of acceptance and coexistence, as the Iron Man moves from being a feared outsider to a community member who ultimately helps save the Earth from a cosmic threat. The narrative's simplicity and powerful themes make it a compelling tale about understanding and friendship across differences. They emphasize the book's effectiveness in portraying the shift from conflict to harmony through the character of Hogarth, who helps the Iron Man find a place to belong. The story's climax, involving the Iron Man's challenge to the space-bat-angel-dragon, is seen as a satisfying resolution that transforms a destructive force into a beneficent one, reinforcing hopeful messages about cooperation and change.

Quick quotes

    It's an intriguing modern fairy tale and a pretty powerful take on the dynamics of insiders and outsiders.

    The story is told in a very to-the-point style, with none of the metaphor or symbolism or complexity of language you might expect of Hughes.

    The Iron Man comes to the earth’s rescue, challenging the monster to show its strength by going close to the sun.

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