Kid Konnection: It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk & Giveaway

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you an adorable picture book that is a twist on a classic fairytale.

Summary: Jack is not fond of the bossy narrator of his fairy tale! When Jack is told to trade his beloved cow Bessie for some magic beans, throw the beans out the window, climb the ENORMOUS beanstalk that sprouts overnight, and steal from a GIANT, he decides this fairy tale is getting out of control. In fact, he doesn’t want to follow the story line at all. Who says Jack needs to enter a life of daring, thievery, and giant trickery? He takes his story into his own hands—and you’ll never guess what happens next!

With laugh-out-loud dialogue and bold, playful art (including hidden fairy tale creatures for kids to find), this Jack and the Beanstalk retelling will have children rolling with laughter till Bessie the cow comes home. -- Two Lions

IT'S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK by Josh Funk and illustrated by Edwardian Taylor is not your typical fairytale. While the book begins with the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk story, it quickly becomes apparent to the reader that this picture book is definitely "not Jack and the Beanstalk." This take on the the classic kids' story is a hilarious look at Jack's encounter with the Giant!

In IT'S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, Jack is a bit annoyed by the narrator of the story. He's a bit bossy and likes things just-so. Jack isn't so sure that he wants to obey the narrator's directions. I mean, Jack does have a point -- why would he trade his cow for some magic beans? Then, why wouldn't he just eat the beans? And finally, why in the world would he climb a huge plant?

Jack tries to change the story to better suit his needs; however, the narrator makes sure that Jack stays on track...  at least as much as he can. Jack definitely has a mind of his own, and when he eventually takes over the story, the ending is a fun and silly twist for young readers!

I laughed quite a bit while reading IT'S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK. It is a very fun take on the story, and Jack is a piece of work. I think adults will definitely appreciate the humor (although some of it might fly right over younger kids heads), and elementary age children will find Jack's antics to be very silly -- especially his references to not wearing pants and toots!

I thought the way this book was presented was extremely cute. The story goes back and forth between Jack and the narrator (with a few other characters chiming in!). The narrator's voice is in traditional text, while Jack's voice is written in speech bubbles. In addition, they banter throughout the entire book reminding me a bit of a parent and child (just sayin'). Regardless of how you take it, the narrator and Jack provide some funny entertainment.

I also enjoyed the illustrations which were the perfect complement to the story. The pictues are brightly colored, and the characters have proportionately large eyes which allow the illustrator to show their feelings. All in all, they are as silly as the story!

I think   IT'S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK is a very entertaining picture book. If you'd like to learn more about the book, check out a book trailer, collector’s cards, and more at https://www.joshfunkbooks.com/stuff-for-kids.

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

Thanks to the fine folks at Two Lions, I have a copy of IT'S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK to share with one lucky reader. To enter, just fill out the form below before Friday, October 6th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!



If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!