This is the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk story. A little boy and his mother live together and are poor so they sell their cow to get food. On the way to sell the cow, Jack meets a man that talks him into trading his cow for some magic beans. Once Jack got home his mother was furious at him for not selling the cow for food. The beans were thrown out of the window and when they woke up the next morning there was a huge beanstalk that had grown in their yard. Jack climbs to the top and becomes greedy. He finds gold and keeps going back to get some despite the giant that lives at the top of the beanstalk. This book teaches the lesson that we should not be greedy. I think it is a fun book for kids to read independently or with a small group. ( )

Summary of Book:
The book is about a little boy, named jack, and his mother. They were poor and did not have money for food so they had to sell their cow. On the way to sell the cow the little boy meet a guy. The guy told him he wasn’t going to get much money out of the cow, and he had something better, three magical beans. The boy traded the cow for the beans and went home to tell his mother. His mother was furious, she through the beans out the window and told the boy to go to bed. The next morning the little boy saw a huge beanstalk and he climbed it all the way to the very top. At the top he saw a house and knocked on the door, for he was very hungry, a giant opened the door and told him to go home, but the boy begged. The women let him in, and fed him. Then the giant’s husband was coming, she told the boy to hide. The giant’s husband came in and ate some food then asked his wife to bring him his gold so he could count it. The giant was very sleepy and fell asleep. The boy got out of his hiding spot and grabbed the gold and went back down the beanstalk. Jack and his mother lived on the gold, but then it ran out, and they were poor again. Jack ran up the beanstalk again and did the same thing as before, but this time he took a hen that laid golden eggs. Jack and his mother were able to live on the eggs the hen laid, but jack wanted more. He went back up the beanstalk and stole the giant’s golden harp. The giant woke up and saw the boy. Jack ran down the beanstalk before the giant could catch him, and then he chopped down the beanstalk.

Personal Reaction:
I have always loved this book. It is an excellent book.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. I would do an activity with my students about growing plants.
2. I would use this book as a lesson on how you shouldn't steal.