Jack and the Beanstalk [Hardcover]

Scudder Smith (Adapter), Felipe Lopez Salan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2006 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Jack and his widowed mother are dreadfully poor. There’s no hope but to sell their only possession, a cow. On his way to sell the animal, Jack meets a mysterious old woman, who convinces him to trade the cow for a handful of beans. His mother is furious, and angrily throws the seeds out the window. The next morning, a fabulous beanstalk has sprouted, reaching clear to the sky. The old woman promised the beans would bring great fortune . . . could it possibly lie at the top of the stalk? Jack’s adventures up the beanstalk, where he battles a fearsome giant with nothing more than courage and quick wits, make for a spellbinding lesson in resourcefulness.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The classic tale of boyhood spunk and upward mobility gets a solid retelling here. Smith's brisk, matter-of-fact narrative allows the story's inherent momentum, magic and music—including the familiar refrain of "Fee-fi-fo-fum!"—to shine through. Spanish artist Salán's crisp ink lines and sunny, neatly applied watercolor wash display a comic-strip sense of composition and character (especially Jack's openhearted face, dots for eyes, and pointy pug nose). Interestingly, Salán chooses not to illustrate the story's most dramatic moment, when Jack commands his mother to "Bring me the axe!" and chops down the beanstalk while the giant descends. Instead, a final chase among the clouds gives way to a scene of a now elegantly dressed Jack and his mother calmly gazing down from the clifftop, where the only reminder of the giant's demise is "a single red boot nestled in a treetop far below." That may actually be a plus for younger audiences who find the giant's rage too scary. All ages. (May)
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From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–In this straightforward retelling of a traditional tale, Jack trades the family cow for five magic beans. When a beanstalk grows where his dismayed mother has tossed them, Jack climbs it to pay three visits to the giant at the top. He emerges from the trips victorious and wealthy while the giant ultimately plummets down a mountainside. This title stays true to the core elements of the tale, but it does little to stretch beyond its backbone and softens much of the rich language that traditionally draws readers into Jack's adventure. One is not left terrified, or even slightly shaken, upon reading this version, for what is a Fee-fi-fo-fum without the subsequent threat of crunching bones? López Salán has depicted the giant as a sort of oversized leprechaun and while his angular, spare illustrations may have succeeded alongside a humorous, tongue-in-cheek retelling, they fall short when paired with this watered-down version. If in need of a Jack tale rich in classic references, suspense, and humor, try Steven Kellogg's Jack and the Beanstalk (HarperCollins, 1991) or Gail E. Haley's Appalachian gem, Jack and the Bean Tree (Random, 1986).–Jill Heritage Maza, Conn Elementary, Raleigh, NC
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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Purple Bear Books (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933327111
• ISBN-13: 978-1933327112
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,962,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)