Jack and the Beanstalk may be a classic
fairy tale, but this graphic novel adaptation may not be suitable for very young children.
The artwork is dark and frightening and may cause nightmares if read as a bedtime story. BUT…if you know students who enjoy a good adventure filled with suspense, then this version of Jack and the Beanstalk is a must-read. The graphic novel format appeals to many - from reluctant readers to comic book fans.
A young boy named Jack lives with his widowed mother in England. Long ago a man-eating giant killed Jack’s father and stole the family treasures. All he left them was a cow named Milky White. Jack and his mother run out of food, so he must sell the family cow. On the way to the market Jack meets a strange old man and trades Milky White for “magic beans.” When Jack’s mother finds out she is furious and throws the worthless beans out the window. Overnight the magic beans grown into an enormous beanstalk.
“FEE FIE FOH FUM! I smell the blood of an Englishman!” – the Giant
Jack climbs up and finds a castle owned by an angry giant with blazing orange eyes who likes to eats little boys on broiled toast. The wife of the giant helps Jack hide until her husband falls asleep. Then Jack steals the giant’s bag of gold and escapes down the beanstalk. It turns out that the gold was actually stolen from Jack’s family in the first place. Jack returns to the giant’s castle and steals a magic hen that lays golden eggs and a golden harp (also his father’s). The last trip turns deadly as the giant chases Jack down the beanstalk. The only way to stop the thundering giant is to chop the beanstalk down.
In the back of this
educational resource there is a brief history of the different versions of Jack and the Beanstalk, plus Discussion Questions and Writing Prompts to help teachers.
About the Author Graphic novelist Blake A. Hoena grew up in central Wisconsin writing stories about robots conquering the Moon and trolls lumbering around in the woods behind his parent's house—and the fact that the trolls were hunting for little boys had nothing to do with his pesky brothers. Hoena has written many other graphic novels, including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2008) and Ooze Slingers from Outer Space (2007).