Kate and the Beanstalk (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Giselle Potter (Illustrator) "Long ago, a girl named Kate lived with her mother in a humble cottage..." (more)
Key Phrases: Sheep Meadow

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A clever twist on a classic fairy tale, Mary Pope Osborne and Giselle Potter's Kate and the Beanstalk stars a whip-smart girl instead of traditionally lazy, not-so-bright Jack. Osborne's telling (aside from the gender switch) remains fairly faithful to the original: the hungry mother sends her child out to sell the cow, the cow is traded for magic beans, the angry mother tosses the beans out the window, a beanstalk grows, the hero(ine) climbs it, and vanquishes the evil giant, winning treasure in the process. A surprise ending (for Kate, anyway... astute readers may guess the outcome) gives the tale an extra jolt of happily-ever-after. It's Potter's remarkably original illustrations that make this version stand out, however. Rich yet muted tones invite the eye to linger over the flat pictures of oval-headed Kate (in her various disguises), the creepy, droopy-lipped giant, and the rest. Potter's award-winning illustrations have appeared in The Honest-To-Goodness Truth and Gabriella's Song, while the ever-popular Osborne is best known for her Magic Tree House series. (Ages 4 to 10) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

Osborne tweaks tradition with this feminist rendition of a classic fairy tale. Here it's Kate instead of Jack who trades her family's cow for magic beans, and later climbs the beanstalk to find a kingdom in the clouds. Like Ann Beneduce's recent Jack and the Beanstalk, Osborne draws from a late-19th-century source for her retelling that incorporates a disguised fairy queen and a motivation for repeated visits to the giantDavenging Kate's father's death. Osborne's witty and spry reworking (she changes the giant's famous refrain to accommodate Kate's gender, "Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum'un,/ I smell the blood of an Englishwoman") shows Kate in a confident light ("I fear nothing when I'm doing right," the heroine tells the fairy queen). Through her cleverness and resourcefulness (and the unwitting help of the giant's wife), the heroine earns back all that the giant usurped from her family. Potter's (Gabriella's Song) airy gouache and watercolor illustrations sparkle with humor and exploit the perspectives offered by the towering beanstalk. With her Princess Leia-style hairdo, a few disguises and a can-do attitude, Kate comes across as a real action heroine, whether setting off determinedly with the family cow, nipping up the beanstalk or pedaling an eggbeater to assist the giantess in preparing breakfast. There's much to enjoy in this spunky picture book, which puts a fresh face on an old favorite. All ages. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689825501
• ISBN-13: 978-0689825507
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #254,815 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's a New Heroine in Town..., December 4, 2000

By	Carole Burrage "TruCarMa" (Claremore, OK USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

... and her name is Kate. This terrific new spin on the old "Jack and the Beanstalk" story is fresh and exciting. While the old version was fun, I always felt a little uncomfortable rooting for a protagonist who was a sneaky, shiftless thief. "Kate" retains the adventure of the old story with a twist -- instead of committing larceny, our heroine is retrieving stolen property from the giant who swiped them from a poor, starving widow. Best of all, the illustrations are gorgeous, and evocative of the best folk art. Boys and girls alike will welcome the spunky Kate into their pantheon of fairy tale favorites.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kate and the Beanstalk, September 12, 2000

By	Xeneri - See all my reviews

It's not quite the same old Jack and the Beanstalk". Oh the basic story is still the same, but instead of lazy "Jack", our heroine is smart, resourceful Kate.

I did like Mary Pope Osborne's retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, but it's Giselle Potter's vibrant illustrations that really make my beans grow. And it is nice to see a smart girl be the "hero" for a change.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic retelling of old story--gorgeously illustrated, May 8, 2002

By	Liz Cary "Lizzie" (Upper midwest) - See all my reviews

This book is a favorite in our household and both my daughter and my son love it. The story is retold in such a way that it actually "makes sense." It is exciting--but never overly scary. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. They remind me of Modigliani in their simplicity and grace. If you think all children's books should be illustrated in the "Disney-style" then you may not like this one, but I found the style both unusual and lovely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with children aged 4-10.