Jack and the Beanstalk

Title: Jack and the Beanstalk
Author: Richard Walker and Niamh Sharkey
Genre: Traditional Literature
Major Awards: N/A
Age Group: 8 - 10 years old

Summary:
Jack and the Beanstalk is one of the first fairytales I remember hearing when I was younger. I was fascinated with the storyline.
The story is about a young boy, Jack, who lives with his mother and their cow. One day they have no food and the mother tells Jack to go out and sell the cow. He is reluctant but ends up doing so anyway. The next day he is out looking for someone to buy the cow and runs into a man who wants the cow but only has magical beans to which Jack agrees to and takes them home eagerly. His mother is upset because Jack has no idea what they can do, but he plants them anyway despite his mother's annoyance towards the situation. In the middle of the night, Jack wakes up to see that the magical beans grew into a large beanstalk and just like any curious boy he decides to climb it.
When he gets to the top he reaches a gate and someone comes out and guides him to the magical castle in the sky. The guide warns of the giant but Jack is not afraid. Once the giant falls asleep Jack begins stealing all the wealth the giant has and the giant's servants want to go as well. As soon as Jack begins to leave with the harp it cries out and awakes the giant. Now it is a race to get back to the bottom without the giant following after. Jack gets to the bottom and manages to flick him off the beanstalk. Jack, his mother, and the fellow servants all lived happily ever after.

I would use this book in an upper elementary class. I think the book would teach good lessons on what not to do and teach moral values such as if something is not yours do not take it.

I think the appropriate grade level would be third grade to fourth grade. This book is too long for younger elementary grades and would not keep their interest for long. However, the book itself is big enough for them to hold and be able to follow along. The illustrations are done well.

In my classroom, I would have the class write a story about what they would do in the story. This shows their creative side as well as their writing side.