One of my kids’ favorite stories right now is “Jack and the Beanstalk”, in a parent/child “we both read” format. We’ve probably been reading it every single day for the past week but they can’t seem to get enough of it.
Jack and the Beanstalk book
I understand them. Who doesn’t like a story with a struggling beginning and a happy ending? In the beginning Jack and his mom are on the verge of starvation but by the end, Jack retrieves everything his deceased father used to own, including many gold coins and the goose with the golden eggs. I wouldn’t mind finding me one of those…
Jack and his mother seemed to heavily rely on their cow for food, so when she stops making milk, the mother asks Jack to go to town and sell it.
Jack and the Beanstalk - selling the cow
On his way to town, Jack meets a woman who offers him four beans for his cow:
Jack and the Beanstalk - selling the cow for beans
I LOVE the cow’s facial expression on this page? She’s clearly thinking: Dude, are you kidding me? You’re going to exchange me for four stinking beans???
Well, she must have made an impression on Jack because he refuses the offer but accepts it for five beans instead, after the woman explains they’re magic beans. I’m still looking for one of those too. Real life can be so disappointing…
Beautiful illustrations. That cow’s expression is priceless.
The illustrations really match the fantasy aspect of the story. It’s part of the kids really liking this book.
They should’ve had an illustration of Jack’s mom chasing after him with a broom while he defends himself by saying, “But mo’om………These are magic beans!”
The illustration didn’t show her chasing him but she sure didn’t look happy!