author

John-the-Giant-Killer

Best known for a playful 18th-century collection of riddles for children, this mysterious writer appears in print under the striking name “John-the-Giant-Killer.” The surviving record is slim, which only adds to the charm of the book and its old-world sense of fun.

1 Audiobook

Food for the Mind: Or, A New Riddle-book

Food for the Mind: Or, A New Riddle-book

by John-the-Giant-Killer

About the author

John-the-Giant-Killer is the credited author of Food for the Mind: Or, A New Riddle-book, a children's riddle collection published in London in 1778. The book was presented as being “compiled for the use of the great and the little good boys and girls in England, Scotland, and Ireland,” and it reflects the lively, playful style of early children's literature.

Very little reliable biographical information about the person behind the name appears to survive. In practice, John-the-Giant-Killer is known today mainly through this work and later reprints and digital editions, including listings from Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive.

That small footprint makes the author a bit of a literary curiosity. What remains clear is the appeal of the book itself: a cheerful assortment of verse riddles designed to entertain young readers while sharpening their wits.