Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2005 (Vol. 73, No. 15))
The irrepressible Coville retells a rare and funny tale from Norse mythology, adding only a few details and a young human narrator. Great is the wrath of Thor when he discovers that his mighty hammer has fallen into the hands of the Giant Thrym, who demands the hand of Freya in exchange for it. Likewise great is the wrath of Freya when Thor asks her to do the deed-so at Loki's suggestion it's Thor himself who dons a veil and wedding dress, setting out for the wedding feast with a similarly clad Loki to do the talking, and Thialfi, tender of Thor's talking goats, as a servant. Playing this scenario for all it's worth, Coville gives Thialfi an important role in winkling out the giant's intended double-cross, and closes with a grand but not particularly violent mOlTe once Thor and his hammer are reunited. Written in an informal tone and illustrated with plenty of line drawings (not seen), this makes a hilarious alternative to Shirley Climo's more earnest rendition of the myth, Stolen Thunder (1994), illus by Alexander Koshkin. (afterword) 2005, Harcourt, 128p, $15.00. Category: Fiction. Ages 9 to 11. © 2005 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

April Spisak (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December 2005 (Vol. 59, No. 4))
The ancient Norse poem “Thrymskvitha” may seem an odd choice for the elementary set, but with its jocularity and adventure, this 135-line poem actually lends itself well to a novel-length adaptation. Narrator Thialfi, introducing himself as one of Thor’s servants and goat boy extraordinaire, opens the tale with the announcement that Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjollnir, has been stolen. Thialfi soon becomes deeply involved in the scheme to retrieve the hammer from the hands of oafish Thrym, who has demanded the goddess Freya as ransom. Cross-dressing intrigue abounds as Thor, Loki (god of mischief), and Thialfi disguise themselves as bride and bridal party and venture out to retrieve Mjollnir. The black-and-white illustrations provide additional humor, often translating the entertaining narration into laugh-out-loud scenes. The staggering scope of Asgard (land of the gods) and Jotunheim (realm of the hideous, slobbering, brutal giants) is conveyed through drawings of the tiny human narrator, never more than waist high, cowering his way through various scenes. An author’s note discusses some of the changes Coville made to the story, ending with well-chosen suggestions for further reading to satisfy the almost certain curiosity about Norse mythology this book will inspire. If a lesson is required, Thialfi does show personal growth as he frees his sister instead of himself and Odin, god of the gods, imparts wise messages to all; however, the gender-bending humor, thrilling pace, and quirky behaviors of the gods and giants are enough to recommend this loopy tale. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2005, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2005, Harcourt, 137p, $15.00. Grades 4-6.

Rachel Liesau (The Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2007)
Thialfi, the goat boy to the Norse thunder god, tells how he inadvertently helped a giant steal Thor’s magic hammer, the lengths that Thor must go to retrieve it, and how he helped along the way. As expected of Bruce Coville, a very entertaining book. A great way to teach young readers about Norse mythology. And even though Thialfi makes mistakes he learns from them and learns many lessons about friendships and putting others before yourself. This is a good book to recommend for boys. Category: Fiction.. 2005, Harcourt, $15.00. Ages 10 to 15.

Janie Barron (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 18, No. 3))
When Thor’s hammer is missing Loki, the god of mischief, comes up with a plan to get it back. Who could be strong enough to have removed the heavy hammer? Thialfi, the goat boy, and his friends Grinder and Gat-Tooth help Thor trick the giant Thrym and get the hammer back. Readers will enjoy this hilarious tale based on Norse mythology. Bruce Coville has once again succeeded in writing a very good book for young readers. Fiction. Grades 2-5. 2005, Harcourt, 132p., $15.00. Ages 7 to 11.