Jack's late daddy once made the best barbecue in West Texas, until a giant stole his recipe book. Jack is determined to find that greedy old giant and get those recipes back! With a little bit of strength, the help of an unlikely jukebox, and a whole lot of luck, Jack outwits the giant and opens his own barbecue shack. John Manders' hilarious gouache paintings, accented with colored pencils and highlights, bring Eric Kimmel's version of Jack and the Beanstalk to uproarious life.
Jack and the Giant Barbecue
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Ages 5-8— Though Jack loves West Texas barbecue, his mother will not cook for him-not since his daddy died of a broken heart when a giant stole his recipe book. Vowing to get it back, Jack climbs Mount Pecos, steps onto the clouds, and follows a smoky sweet smell to a massive barbecue shack. The jukebox in the corner becomes a willing ally, hiding Jack as the giant comes in. After sniffing the air and downing vast quantities of ribs, sausages, and sweet tea, the giant falls asleep. Jack retrieves his father’s recipe book, turns the jukebox into a sled with giant rib bones, and pushes it across the greasy floor and out the door. The giant awakes, jumps in his pickup truck and chases the boy back through the clouds. Jack opens his own barbecue shack and lets the giant work for him. Full-color illustrations are done in gouache with colored pencil accents. Kimmel’s version of “Jack and the Beanstalk” is served up with country music playing on the jukebox and rows of pickup trucks in the parking lot. Though youngsters may miss the many references to country songs, they will enjoy the vivid language and larger-than-life elements- the giant’s truck flattens all the mountains in West Texas, making that area “flat as a skillet all the way to New Mexico.” Libraries in which Kimmel’s other Southwestern tales are popular will want this one. — School Library Journal, April 2012
From Booklist
Ages 5-8—Kimmel and Manders conspire to provide a fun riff on the Jack and the Beanstalk tale. This time out, instead of beans and golden egg-laying goose, our Texan Jack goes after the giant to recover his father’s barbecue recipe book and finds a companion in a talking jukebox. Kimmel keeps the tale moving along without strain and with the level of wit that children will delight in being able to share with an adult reading the book to them. Manders’ colorful and cartoony paintings provide us with Jack (about age seven) in a ten-gallon hat, a jukebox that indeed has personality, and a giant who looks like Paul Bunyan on steroids. Large typeface invites early readers to try to work through the text on their own, but the story is made for reading aloud and sharing the giggles. An endnote describes barbecue, should any non-Texan be left wondering after listening to Jack, his mom, and the giant discuss its glories. — Booklist, May 2012
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As the official blurb states, this book is a sort of re-telling of the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. The author puts his own West Texas spin on the tale, of course, and seems to have written the book, more specifically, for his close friends and family to enjoy, and hopefully they did. I, on the other hand, was disappointed by this book. From the product description, I really was expecting something funny from this book, so to not even chuckle a single time was a real let-down. My young son didn't care for the book, to be honest. He didn't grasp the country-western references and asked me to just read the real Jack and the Beanstalk story the next time.
The best thing about the book is probably the illustrations. The book is beautifully illustrated. The illustrator does a great job conveying the story through the art, and the book is probably more fun to look at than to read.
In short, if you are a Texan, you're going to be more likely to enjoy reading this book. To most others, there's nothing here to make you want to read it a second time.
The best thing about the book is probably the illustrations. The book is beautifully illustrated. The illustrator does a great job conveying the story through the art, and the book is probably more fun to look at than to read.
In short, if you are a Texan, you're going to be more likely to enjoy reading this book. To most others, there's nothing here to make you want to read it a second time.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jered Cuenco
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Illustrations are nice and the story is decent. However my kids just didn't respond to it. I think the nostalgia of knowing the original story is what makes it enjoyable and kids just don't have that context.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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My daughter Jenna loves reading this book, and has read it to me several times. The story line is fun and keeps her interest, and the wording is perfect for her reading level at 2nd grade.
She loves BBQ so this book was right up her alley. Great illustrations and well written.
She loves BBQ so this book was right up her alley. Great illustrations and well written.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
New twist
Loved the twist on the story of Jack and the bean stalk. Simply great and, highly animated illustrations in the book.
Published 4 days ago by Shop Guru
1.0 out of 5 stars
Awful childrens book
On a whim I downloaded this book to read for my5 year old to read to him at bedtime. I cant believe they would let this person write a children's book? Read more
Published 5 days ago by Lilie Winkel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good book
The author came to my son's school. He quickly fell in love with this book. He is in first grade.
Published 21 days ago by lisa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun for Text-to-Text Connection
What kid doesn't like Jack and the Beanstalk? This book put a western twist on it that the kids
found so much fun! Eric Kimmel has done it again!
found so much fun! Eric Kimmel has done it again!
Published 2 months ago by kindergarten teacher
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Texas-size tale that riffs on Jack and the Beanstalk
In this amusing riff on the classic talk of Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack goes in search of the giant who killed his father and stole all of his barbecue recipes. Read more
Published 3 months ago by James Korsmo
4.0 out of 5 stars
All a Matter of Taste
This one is all a matter of taste, pun intentional. There are plenty of Jack and the Beanstalk riffs in the picture book market and this is a fun one for those with a hankering... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Heidi Anne Heiner
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Finger-Licking-Good Barbecue take on Jack and the Giant Beanstalk
Jack and the Giant Beanstalk is remade into a story about finger-licking-good barbecue in west Texas. Read more
Published 4 months ago by akb--bookworm
4.0 out of 5 stars
A cute book for your BBQ lovin kids
My kids love ribs.... or as they like to say ribbies. BBQ pork is a big hit too. So when I found this book, I thought that they would really enjoy it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by digitalman
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Wonderfully Illustrated Regionalism of a Classic
This was definitely a cute book. I read a lot to my kids so we have read a lot of regionalized fairy tales and this does a fairly good job. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Bryan Newman
3.0 out of 5 stars
A review of "Jack and the Giant Barbecue"
"Jack and the Giant Barbecue" is based on the tale "Jack and the Beanstalk," about a boy, a giant, and a goose that lays golden eggs. Read more
Published 4 months ago by L. Jonsson
