A retelling of Jack Tales follows the legendary Jack as he climbs a beanstalk and slays a giant, outsmarts ogres and witches, outwits cardsharks and kings, and wins the heart of pretty women.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In a lucid, vibrant voice, Caldecott Medalist Haley ( A Story, A Story ) recounts stories which originate in the rugged North Carolina mountain country. Following a diverting introduction comes an animated assortment of 10 fairy tales, fables and tall tales with one commonality: each revolves around Jack, a young man who encounters kings, giants, mysterious old men and talking animals. In one tale the kind and zealous protagonist has brothers or a wife; in the next, he has none. This folktale Everyman will "risk just about everything to have an adventure. It's like a hunger he has, and his dreams will lead him into places where an older, wiser person might think twice about goin'." Haley's use of metaphor, hyperbole and dialect captures the playful spirit of mountain lore. Her emotive, elaborate wood engravings--as well as her afterwords about the stories, the art and the language itself--enrich this buoyant anthology. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-6-- Haley retells nine Jack tales in this collection that provides a kind of sequel to her Jack and the Bean Tree (Crown, 1986). Once again, she uses Poppyseed, a mountain woman, to provide the framework for the stories. The selections come from Haley's grandmother, and have changed over time as she herself has heard versions from other countries and from such mountain tellers as Ray Hicks. The origins and influences on her stories are discussed in an afterword, as is the process of creating the art. Like Richard Chase's The Jack Tales (Houghton, 1943), the stories feature a North Carolina dialect (a glossary is provided), but Haley's voice is more matter-of-fact, less ironic, and there's less dialect but it seems more artificial. Each story is illustrated with one or two bland, black-and-white wood engravings that seem too stilted for what should be lively tales. Young readers will find these offerings accessible; older children, teachers, and storytellers will appreciate Haley's background information and may incorporate it into their own oral tellings. However, Chase's book is still preferred. --Barbara Chatton, College of Education, Univ . of Wyoming, Laramie
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Collection of Classic Appalachian Folktales,
By
This review is from: Mountain Jack Tales (Paperback)
I don't know what that reviewer was thinking who rated this book one star, she must have had a bone to pick. I've read many volumes of folktales from all over the world, and this one's a gem. It borrows classic themes in folk literature and lets them float down through an Appalachian sifter. And the wood engravings are wonderful and apt given the great wood carvings from eastern North Carolina and the Smokies. I didn't grow up in this part of the country but didn't find the language obtuse. Besides, there's a great glossary of terms in the back. Well worth a read. I'm adding this one to my collection!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flavorful and upbeat language mark this,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mountain Jack Tales (Paperback)
Written and illustrated by puppeteer, storyteller, and children's author Gail E. Haley, Mountain Jack Tales is a simply wonderful collection of short stories written in the classic style of the great folklore yarns of old, and focusing on the adventurer called Mountain Jack, and his fantastic exploits against ogres, card sharks, stubborn witches, and even Old Man Death himself. Flavorful and upbeat language mark this highly enjoyable, enthusiastically recommended compendium of original tall tales that are certain to entertain and please readers of all ages!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple the best collection of Jack Tales,
By
This review is from: Mountain Jack Tales (Paperback)
What else is there to say? The author has written some moving and accessible writing that makes the tales leap out of the page.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Well, howdy. Pull up a chair, and grab you-uns a knife and a pan. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
little rock hammer, pocket penknife, bean tree Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mourning Belle, King Marock, Northwest Wind, North Carolina, Old Graybeard, Old Raggedy Bones, King Botchfit, Old Brewer, Old Man Death, Hardy Hardhead, Old Death, Old Man Freezewell New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Well, howdy. Pull up a chair, and grab you-uns a knife and a pan. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
little rock hammer, pocket penknife, bean tree Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Mourning Belle, King Marock, Northwest Wind, North Carolina, Old Graybeard, Old Raggedy Bones, King Botchfit, Old Brewer, Old Man Death, Hardy Hardhead, Old Death, Old Man Freezewell New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 26
books:
See all 26 books this book cites
4
books
cite this book:
- Grimm's Fairy Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics) by Jacob Grimm in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Grateful Dead: The History of Folk-Story (Folk-Lore Society, London, Monographs, Vol 60) by Gordon H. Gerould in Back Matter
- Duke University NC 2006 (College Prowler Off the Record) by Margaret Campbell in Back Matter
- The Grateful Dead: THE HISTORY OF A FOLK STORY by Gordon Gerould in Back Matter
- Fairy Tales by Rh Value Publishing in Back Matter
See all 26 books this book cites
- Authors in the Kitchen: Recipes, Stories, and More by Sharron L. McElmeel on page 124
- Orville Hicks: Mountain Stories, Mountain Roots by Julia Taylor Ebel on page 104
- Educator's Companion to Children's Literature: Folklore, Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Biographies, and Tales from Here and There by Sharron L. McElmeel on page 20
- Perspectives on the Jack Tales and Other North American Marchen by Carl Lindahl on page 137
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