Product Description

A mean old blacksmith's actions leave him unwelcomed by both Saint Peter and the Devil when he dies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1828649 in Books
• Published on: 1997-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 28 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Narrated with a breezy Southern twang, this pleasingly tart picture book by a first-time author tells of a man so mean that even the Devil is afraid of him. Wicked Jack's favorite trick is to invite unsuspecting strangers in for a bite to eat, then practice his dastardly tricks on them. So when a crippled man passes by, Jack lures him into his cottage with false kindness and is just about to begin his pranks when the stranger turns into Saint Peter and grants him three wishes. Saint Peter says these are "three of the sorriest wishes I ever did hear of," but they enable Jack to one-up the Devil when he pays Jack a call. Jack, however, proves the chief victim of his own nastiness?after he dies, he is welcome in neither Heaven nor Hell, and must wander the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia and North Carolina with a piece of coal. Hillenbrand (Asher and the Capmakers) captures the slapstick humor of this feisty read-aloud with great verve in his finely wrought illustrations, rendered in graphite, oils, oil pastels and "a smudge of coal." His characters are both idiosyncratic and lassic, giving the book the feel of a well-loved fairy tale. Intelligent and fun, with a moral thrown in for good measure. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3?From the first page, readers are sure to realize that this is one of those great spooky-funny books where they're laughing too hard to ever be really scared. Those familiar with Appalachian folklore will know the story of Wicked Jack, who accidentally does a nice turn for St. Peter and is given three wishes. Of course Jack, "...meaner than a rattlesnake," comes up with the "...sorriest wishes" St. Peter has ever heard. Jack ends up being rejected at the gates of Hell by the devil himself, which accounts for those mysterious lights in the swamp at night. Wooldridge's rhythmic phrases and colorful expressions read aloud particularly well. Hers is an assured voice, using a sly understatement that provides a terrific backdrop for the pictures done in graphite on paper with oil, oil pastels, "...and a smudge of the coal left over from the illustrator's jack-o'-lantern." Children will especially love the slapstick humor: the text reads, "After that, Jack got meaner than ever," and the pictures show him dropping hot coals down a neighbor's pants, then hoisting him up and shooting him with a slingshot. And Jack himself is priceless, a lumbering oaf with a massive body and ridiculously delicate little feet. Hillenbrand can create figures that will provoke a laugh just by being there. All in all, a book with surefire child appeal.?Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 5^-8. Using classic source material by Richard Chase and Zora Neale Hurston, Wooldridge makes an auspicious debut with this folksy retelling of "Wicked John and the Devil." For those unfamiliar with the southern mountain tale of wishes and visits, the mean blacksmith defeats the devil and his young sons with a chair that won't stop rocking, a sledgehammer that won't stop pounding, and a fire bush that keeps on sticking. In the delectable ending, Jack, now deceased, is turned away from the underworld by terrified demons. "You take this here coal and go start a hell of your own." He does. Hillenbrand's imaginative mixed-media paintings (with smudges of coal) have thin, robust lines, angular figures, subtle colors, and a distinctive style. A folktale adaptation that works. Julie Corsaro

Customer Reviews

Stunning art work and hillarious plot.
As a tutor in an elementary school I used this book as often as possible. Frankly, I'm guilty of reading it for the kids who couldn't. The art work is very beautiful and 'Wicked Jack' stirs one's mean funny bone. The type is about 13 or 14 point, and the vocabulary is just right for most 8-9 year olds. However, there's little moral to this story, as Jack is simply shunned.

Wonderful book!
I had never heard this folk tale before, so I was pleasantly surprised when I first read this book. It really is delightful, and the pictures are very well drawn. My five year old son hid behind me mid-way through the story, (understandably a little frightening for young children the first time through) but he soon peeked back out at the book, and was right beside me giggling at Wicked Jack's antics again. My husband chuckled so much during this story that I thought maybe I should have bought the book for him instead of our son. It really is a cute story, and has become one of the most requested by our children. Reading it a southern accent really enhances it!

Great for kids and adults!
Excellent retelling of an old folktale that you've probably never heard before. A story-line that keeps kids and adults alike interested. Great illustrations.