Jack and the Beanstalk; The Beanstalk Incident

by Birch Lane Press and Tim Paulson

Book Overview

After reading the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, the reader is invited to turn the book upside down and read an updated version told from the giant's vantage point. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559720484
• ISBN13: 9781559720489
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Carol Publishing Corporation
• Length: 13 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.9" x 11.2"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Easy and Fun Alternative to the Traditional Tale

Another quick and cute read for us, Jack and the Beanstalk/The Beanstalk Incident is both the traditional tale, told in the most basic and standard way AND it's also something totally different. Once you've read the original, from Jacks perspective, you flip the book over and meet the Goose the Lays the Golden Eggs (who tells her version of the story) hearing how it REALLY went down! The original tale, is predictable and won't be any big shakes for readers/listeners familiar with the tale already, nor does the illustration style really enhance the story. Where Red Riding Hood/The Wolf's Tale was heavy on the text and light on pictures (in my opinion), I found the mix of text and illustration to be just about right, additionally, they are done in a style that I found more appealing than with our last Upside Down Tale. Once you flip the book over to read about the "incident", you can image the goose calling you over...for some reason I got an image of an old biddy (kind of a nosey parker) who feels the need to "set the record straight). Those nice giants (their names, as it turns out, are Alvin and Edwina), they DO NOT eat people...sure they like to cook and eat...but NOT PEOPLE. It turns out, they LOVE to entertain and play Chinese checkers! As the goose tells it, Alvin and Edwina go out of their way to be good hosts to the rude Jack, who at the end of a very hospitable visit tries to steal their goose! I found The Beanstalk Incident to be simple but slyly clever tale with a cute ending that is not entirely predictable...well worth a read. The Beanstalk Incident also has the same illustration style which I found charming and playful. Overall I give it 4 stars for the pure enjoyment of the giants side of the story. This is a very clean version and the book has a very clean, non-dark atmosphere to it. Worth a read for all lovers of traditional fairy tales and would make a fantastic read aloud story for younger readers already familiar with the traditional story.