A Bean, A Stalk and and Boy Named Jack

 A Bean, A Stalk and and Boy Named Jack

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       November 19, 2014

 

Author  William Joyce and Kenny Callicutt

Distributor:     
ISBN:                 9781442473492
Publisher:         Simon & Schuster
Release Date:    

Website:    http://www.simonandschuster.com 

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This is NOT the story of Jack and the beanstalk! ‘It is a beautifully illustrated children’s picture book about a boy called Jack and a magic bean. Each double page features some print and at least a full coloured page of bright illustration.

Sometimes the double page is wholly taken up with an array of wonderful colours and pictures with a readable text over the top. There are also smaller illustrations in circles on the white pages.

Magically Jack acquires a bean. His land is suffering from the effects of a terrible drought. The bean tells Jack to plant it and repeat some magic words. WHOOSH! The bean rises up with Jack clinging on. He arrives in a bathroom, where the giant’s child is bathing. The child has trouble with a “stinky pinky” which he can’t reach. Jack helps him with this task, then Mother giant taps on the door and tells baby he has been in there for a long time and to let the water out. The water drains down the bean and onto the land.

The storyline is different from the many Jack and the beanstalk stories, with water being the ultimate treasure and reward. The language is modern, humorous and very repeatable. Princess Blah Blah Blah and her father King Blah Blah Blah provide wonderful play words. The sentence structure and language used make this a very suitable book to be read aloud to little ones and for older children to read along.

This wonderful and attention grabbing book is sure to become a favourite. The art work in the illustrations is superb.

Childrens