Product Description

Fairy tale about clever Jack, who climbs a beanstalk and outwits a hungry giant.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2455518 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: School & Library Binding

From Publishers Weekly
Though his text remains true to the popular version of this English fairy tale, Kellogg's ( Paul Bunyan ; Pecos Bill ) typically antic art gives this rendition a visual dimension that is uniquely his. Created with colored inks, watercolors and acrylics, the full-page illustrations have extraordinary texture and dimension. With a mouthful of pointy teeth and warts covering his scaly green face, Kellogg's villain is a truly horrid fellow who may in fact be a wee bit scary for fainthearted little ones--it's easy to believe that this giant eats little boys for breakfast. Slightly less menacing (though hardly comely) is his wife, who wears a necklace of tiny skeletons and hides Jack from her hungry husband. The pictures' variegated gold and bronze hues effectively cast an ominous glow over the ogre's palace. The art also features diverting details that youngsters may miss the first time around, which is one of many good reasons to read this book more than once. All ages.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Kellogg has streamlined Joseph Jacobs's version of the classic story, keeping much of its vigorous language. In the illustrations he has provided a story within a story. On the front endpapers, the ogre steals the gold, harp, and hen from pirates as a wizard floating by in a hot-air balloon watches; this has the effect of enlightening readers about some of the moral ambiguities of the story. The wizard is shown writing down the actual events that follow and provides Jack with the beans that set them all in motion. Kellogg's riotous, swirling pen is perfect for the energy of the tale; this is not the neat, contained English countryside of some previous editions. The ogre is toothy, warty, and a rather putrid yellow-green. His wife breaks the mold as well; she is tall and slim, fond of lipstick, and adorned in a necklace of skeletal shrunken heads. Colored inks, watercolors and acrylics throughout are similar in palette to Kellogg's recent work--lots of orange, yellow, and green--at times bordering on the garish. There are many humorous touches to delight children, who will also be happy to see Pinkerton accompanying the princess's entourage. Jack himself is irresistible. While many single-volume illustrated fairy tales have oversaturated the market, there should be plenty of room for this author/artist's extremely satisfying Jack and the Beanstalk . --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Not a retelling, but a slightly pruned rendition of Joseph Jacobs's classic--the flavor is retained, with no vital omissions (though some of the drama is transferred from the verbal to the pictorial), but some transitions seem abrupt. Kellogg's illustrations are grand: characters are broadly depicted, from a wide-eyed Jack to a truly gruesome ogre with just a hint of Pinkerton to keep him from being too scary; the story's dramatic side is elaborated with gusto (dark shadows in the heroic-scale castle) and leavened with Kellogg trademarks (e.g., a quartet of affectionate cats); the creatively boxed text is unusually well integrated with the illustrations. An excellent introduction to a favorite. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-10) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Deliciously scary read-aloud!
Kellogg's traditional tale interpretations are among the best. His illustrations take on the old-time feel of classic tales and seem to magically glow, as they do in all his books. I read this book to my Kindergarten class and they ask for it again and again. It is great to see them cover their eyes and ears at the scary moments--they are frightened, but smiling from ear to ear.

Well-Illustrated Classic
A faithful rendering of a classic story with artful decoration. Like most of the "Jack" stories, this story of cunning, belief in self, perseverence, duplicity, and violence evokes mixed feelings for adult readers. My young daughter loves the story and the pictures, but appeared to take the story too seriously at first. Now it's just another bedtime story with lovely pictures and a well-worn plotline.

great illustrations but somewhat awkward wording
Overall I enjoyed the book - the illustrations in particular are amazing (and yes, possibly scary for the under 5 crowd). My only complaint is perhaps what other readers may view as a positive - that the text tries to capture the "Old world" language flare. At times, I found the wording to be unintentionally tongue twisting... not just the choice of words but the rhythm to the sentences - all made it a little rough for this reader the first time through. As examples, try reading aloud:
"What!" said Jack's mother."Have you been such a dolt, such an idiot as to give away my Milky-white, the best milker in the parish, for a set of paltry beans? Off with you to bed! And as for your precious beans, here they go out the window."
So Jack went upstairs to his little room in the attic, and sad and sorry he was to be sure, as much for his mother's sake as for the loss of his supper.
....
My only other criticism of the book is that only once does the Ogre give the full recitation of
"Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum, I smell the blood of an Enlishman.
Be he alive or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread."
Most of the time he only says Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum, or perhaps the rest of the first line. I've read another version that repeats the full verse at least thrice, and by the third reading, all the children are gleefully reciting along with you. So when I read this particular version to my children, I just ad lib that part and read the full verse each time, which the children seem to enjoy.

Overall, I'd say the illustrations make the book. Otherwise, the version is a bit too awkwardly worded for me, but others may enjoy that style.