Jack and the Beanstalk [Hardcover]

E. Nesbit (Author), Matt Tavares (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 2006 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Jack's turn of fortune signals an exciting new direction for Matt Tavares, whose stunning full-color artwork enlivens this classic gift edition.

Jack can't seem to do anything useful for his poor mother. He can't even conduct an errand as simple as selling the cow; instead, he trades the beast for a handful of beans. But then, amazingly, those very beans sprout into a towering stalk, elevating Jack to a strange land ruled by a greedy giant. Jack must be clever and brave as he tries to return the giant's stolen treasures to their rightful owner. E. Nesbit's charming, wry retelling of JACK AND THE BEANSTALK was first published in 1908. Preserving the author's unabridged text, this gorgeously designed edition features the dynamic artwork and dramatic perspectives of Matt Tavares, realized in full-color illustrations for the very first time.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 3–This witty, elegant retelling of the beloved English fairy tale, originally published in 1908 in The Old Nursery Stories, uses rich language to depict an endearing, if lazy, ne'er-do-well who turns folly into triumph. Into the traditional story Nesbit injects clever details that make the setting vivid and bring the characters to life. Jack's cottage had dormer windows and green shutters whose hinges were so rusty that the shutters wouldn't shut. Jack had taken some of them to make a raft with. The narrative is fairly true to the familiar story with the notable absence of any fee-fi-fo-fums (instead, the giant smells fresh meat), and includes a guiding fairy who tells Jack the story of his father who once ruled this land, only to be killed by the giant who imprisoned the faithful subjects in the trees. Tavares's realistic pencil-and-watercolor paintings feature a muted palette of grays, greens, and browns, with a vintage look suitable to the old tale. Gold is used to particularly good effect, lighting up fairy glow, eggs, harp, and the giant's crown, as well as suggesting sunlight on the landscape. There is great variety in the page layout. Perspective, too, changes as the giant's head takes up one whole page; another spread features the fallen behemoth with his huge feet dominating the foreground. Front and back endpapers are stunning, panoramic views depicting the beginning and end of the story. What a treat to have Nesbit's delightful interpretation as its own picture book.–Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
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From Booklist

First published in Nesbit's The Old Nursery Stories (1908), this lively retelling adds character and wit to the timeless fairy tale, and Tavares' large pencil-and-watercolor illustrations, in shades of dusky brown and green, are a fitting accompaniment to the young boy's scary encounter with the giant. There is a bit of Lazy Jack in the small blond kid who doesn't like to work and is so clumsy that he makes a mess when he tries. But after climbing the beanstalk into a new world, he tricks the wicked ogre and brings home the gold. Pictures show the hideous, hairy giant, with bulging stomach, huge hands, and bare feet, surrounded by skulls as he counts his wealth in a dark house, an effective contrast to the small, cozy cottage where Jack and his mother live. The boy who transforms himself on his perilous journey to the sky is a timeless hero. Great for story hours. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; First Edition edition (September 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763621242
• ISBN-13: 978-0763621247
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.5 x 12.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Fee, No Fie, No Fo, No Fum - no way!, April 2, 2011

By 

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

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

Matt Tavares does a great job drawing the scary land at the top of the beanstalk - skeletal remains and twisted trees, grey and foreboding.

But the giant doesn't say his classic "FEE FIE FO FUM." It's wrong to omit that.

Jack has a cute, persuasive personality, and the giant is hideous with bloodshot eyes.

I put "FEE, FIE, FOE, FUM" in myself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Jack and the Beanstalk I Have Ever Read, June 21, 2010

By 

Shanna A. Gonzalez "eyelevelbooks.com" (Gaithersburg, MD) - See all my reviews

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

Edith Nesbit's classic dry wit shines through in her brilliant delivery of this traditional fairy tale (originally published in 1908), which is enjoyable on both a child's level and an adult's. Tavares' excellent paintings show the giant's evil partly through his personal demeanor -- his home is squalid, and the stains on his shirt almost smell of body odor. Nesbit keeps to the traditional story sequence, and Jack is transformed from a foolish ne'er-do-well into a hero, and through courage and intelligence recovers what rightfully belongs to his family.

The parental figures in this story are positive: Jack's deceased father was a good ruler, and his mother loves honest work and home, choosing to stay in her cottage even when their newfound wealth would have allowed her to leave. Nesbit's moralizing about Jack's laziness is a bit heavy-handed, but even this is tongue-in-cheek. This is the best Jack and the Beanstalk story I have ever read.