Nursery Classics: Jack and the Beanstalk [Hardcover]

Norman Messenger (Author), Rosemary Wells (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Series: Nursery Classics

Deep within the folds of the hills in the distance lies the secret of Jack and the Beanstalk. Retold here with expressive language by Rosemary Wells, this age old tale is perfectly suited for reading aloud. Norman Messenger's exquisite, softly shaded illustrations create visual interest that will enhance enjoyment of this engaging book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2. While libraries may long for a new version of Jack and the Beanstalk, this isn't it. Wells adds a father snatched and hidden in the giant's cellar, subtracts Jack's theft of the giant's gold, exchanges the giant's helpful wife for a cook, and omits the "Fee, fi, fo, fum" verse. No explanation of this tale's provenance or notes suggest the liberties the reteller has taken with this traditional story, and readers who know it are likely to be confused. The open format looks inviting to emerging readers but expressions such as "thick as a brick," "skivvied down," or "lurching through the pillowy clouds" take the text out of the realm of beginning readers. While Messenger's precise renderings on heavy cream-colored paper and decorated endpapers lend elegance, the traditional story has been better delivered in versions by Lorinda Bryan Cauley (Putnam, 1983; o.p.) and Steven Kellogg (Morrow, 1991).?Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789411709
• ISBN-13: 978-0789411709
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,717,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)