Kate And The Beanstalk

Rating:
Summary: There's a New Heroine in Town...
Review: ... and her name is Kate. This terrific new spin on the old "Jack and the Beanstalk" story is fresh and exciting. While the old version was fun, I always felt a little uncomfortable rooting for a protagonist who was a sneaky, shiftless thief. "Kate" retains the adventure of the old story with a twist -- instead of committing larceny, our heroine is retrieving stolen property from the giant who swiped them from a poor, starving widow. Best of all, the illustrations are gorgeous, and evocative of the best folk art. Boys and girls alike will welcome the spunky Kate into their pantheon of fairy tale favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: I am writing mainly to disagree with the reviewer who thought that the "resourceful girl" aspect of the story is a bit forced. I disagree totally! This is a very graceful adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk, and the ending is much more satisfying to me than the ending of the traditional story. It does not read like a feminist diatribe but like a delightful fairy-tale.

I agree that "fee-fi-fo-fum'un" is a stretch, but I see this as funny rather than forced. So does my daughter. Moreover, I expect that the author intended it to be funny.

My daughter loves the Steven Kellogg version of Jack & the Beanstalk, and I agree with her. It is one of our most-often-read titles. But after reading Kate and the Beanstalk, she says she likes it better.

Rating:
Summary: Kate and the Beanstalk
Review: It's not quite the same old Jack and the Beanstalk". Oh the basic story is still the same, but instead of lazy "Jack", our heroine is smart, resourceful Kate.

I did like Mary Pope Osborne's retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, but it's Giselle Potter's vibrant illustrations that really make my beans grow. And it is nice to see a smart girl be the "hero" for a change.

Rating:
Summary: An Old Fairy Tale with a New Twist
Review: Mary Pope Osborne has taken the old Jack and the Beanstalk fairy tale and given it a nice new twist. The basic story is still in place. But, instead of lazy Jack, trading his cow for magic beans and then stealing riches from the giant, Ms Osborne gives us Kate, a resourceful, kind and determined young lady who outsmarts that horrible, cruel giant so that she can return his riches to their rightful owner. This wonderful text is complimented by award winning illustrator, Giselle Potter's expressive and creative artwork and youngsters will be entranced as they hear this old familiar story told with a new heroine and surprise, happy-ever-after ending.

Rating:
Summary: Tedious, predictable... dare I say STRIDENT retelling?
Review: The "clever girl heroine" idea is not a new one, and Osborne (of Magic Treehouse fame) will disappoint many fans with this book which -- though critically acclaimed for breaking new ground -- is actually a rather ho-hum retelling of the original which will be entirely predictable to parents who are forced to read this thing aloud.

The traditional "fee-fi-fo-fum" that resonates so well in the original is here supplanted by "fee-fi-fo-fum-un," to rhyme better with "woman," and that's just the start of where this book goes wrong. Osborne holds Kate up as a heroine before a generation who -- thanks to great books like "The Paperbag Princess" -- are already aware that girls can hold their own in a fable. Osborne forces this point, and her version comes across as more polemic than enchanting.

Potter's illustrations are bright and cheerful in her signature style, which works well in other books, but which (again, dare I say it?) seems a little too ugly for the fairy-tale genre. And I suspect they'll make this book look rather dated in just a few years, though your kids will probably tire of this story long before then.

My kids (5 and 6) had somehow never heard the original "Jack and the Beanstalk" story before. They enjoyed this version enough on its first telling, but haven't asked to hear it again. Osborne's version clearly lacks the timelessness of the original.

Rating:
Summary: this is a great book!!!!
Review: This book is a favorite in our household and both my daughter and my son love it. The story is retold in such a way that it actually "makes sense." It is exciting--but never overly scary. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. They remind me of Modigliani in their simplicity and grace. If you think all children's books should be illustrated in the "Disney-style" then you may not like this one, but I found the style both unusual and lovely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with children aged 4-10.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic retelling of old story--gorgeously illustrated
Review: This book is a favorite in our household and both my daughter and my son love it. The story is retold in such a way that it actually "makes sense." It is exciting--but never overly scary. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. They remind me of Modigliani in their simplicity and grace. If you think all children's books should be illustrated in the "Disney-style" then you may not like this one, but I found the style both unusual and lovely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with children aged 4-10.

Rating:
Summary: Kate and the Beanstalk
Review: What a GREAT story for a girl! Kate, unlike Jack, is a brave girl out to right the wrong done by the giant. Unlike the original version, Kate is taking back what the giant stole and returning it to its rightful owner. A great role model and a positive message that girls can be brave and fabulous!

Rating:
Summary: this is a great book!!!!
Review: Would you ever want to climb a beanstalk? That is what happens in Kate And Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborn. Kate is a little girl who lives with her mother and is very poor. Her mother said to take the cow to the town and sell it for some money. But Kate disobeys her mother and trades it for some beans from a beggar. Her mother gets mad and throws the beans out the window. Does she ever see the beans again or does her mother get madder!! Read more to find out!!