Jack and the Beanstalk [Paperback]

John Howe (Illustrator)

Book Description

Here is the classic English fairy tale, retold and illustrated with great sweep and power by one of the most talented of today's young illustrators. John Howe's pictures of both Jack's earthly home and the giant's kingdom in the sky are rendered with such immediacy that they establish this title as a book to be collected now and savored for years to come.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Varying visual perspectives admirably communicate the magic of the beans, the hen, the gold and the singing harp," said PW. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-- A dramatically illustrated story that sets Jack in a rainy, dark England in the late Middle Ages. Howe's vivid two-page spreads fill the pages , while the text is inset in framed white space with, usually, a smaller illustration that advances the action. He contrasts Jack's thatched hovel and ragged tunic with the bright cloud country with its towering, turreted castle and almost dandified, armorclad giant. Howe's retelling, however, is somewhat mundane. The magic hen episode precedes that of the gold coins--a less logical sequence since the hen's inexhaustible supply of eggs eliminates the need for the coins. Compared to Pearson's recent retelling (S. & S., 1989) in which Jack "felt the beanstalk lurch and shudder, and knew that the Ogre was following him," Howe's version seems flat--He "could hear the giant climbing slowly down after him." Jack's popularity with young readers is such that many libraries will want to have both books, but Pearson's version, while not as illustratively impressive, will be more useful. --Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv Pap) (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316375624
• ISBN-13: 978-0316375627
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,836,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the one., April 5, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jack and the Beanstalk (Paperback)

We are in a golden age of children's book publishing.

This is the best version of "Jack and the Beanstalk" that we have read. And we read a LOT of fairy tales.

First the story - the retelling is just as you remember it, with the FeeFieFoFum of the giant, and all of Jack's interactions with the giant's wife. (The giantess?)

Now the illustrations -- Unmatched. The rain on the grass as Jack walks to market... the stormy sky as Jack climbs up... the breathtaking castle in the clouds... and the clothes on the giant! And the teeth on the giant! And the gargoyles framing the portcullis on the castle... and even Jack's haircut.

Keep this book. It is masterfully done.

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical history, magnificent illustrations, May 12, 2010

By 

Pedro Maia (Lisboa, Portugal) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jack and the Beanstalk (Paperback)

Just wanted to share with everyone how glad i am to have this book. The history is a classic, but what really makes the difference in this edition are the fantastic illustrations from John Howe.It's hard to describe the art of John Howe but i must say, in a very simple way, that the amount of details, the vivid colors, and the atmosphere in every illustration of Jonh Howe transport us to another time, another place, and we are really there, we almost sense the rain, the footsteps of the giant...

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Beanstalk out there..., October 10, 2005

By 

Norman R. Harris (Roanoke, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jack and the Beanstalk (Paperback)

FE FI FO FUM. A classic tale, true to form, with fantastic illustrations. The giant is scarey enough to make it believable that he would "grind his bones, to make my bread"! Your kids are going to love this one. This is the Jack and the Beanstalk to own.