JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Not a retelling, but a slightly pruned rendition of Joseph Jacobs's classic—the flavor is retained, with no vital omissions (though some of the drama is transferred from the verbal to the pictorial), but some transitions seem abrupt. Kellogg's illustrations are grand: characters are broadly depicted, from a wide-eyed Jack to a truly gruesome ogre with just a hint of Pinkerton to keep him from being too scary; the story's dramatic side is elaborated with gusto (dark shadows in the heroic-scale castle) and leavened with Kellogg trademarks (e.g., a quartet of affectionate cats); the creatively boxed text is unusually well integrated with the illustrations. An excellent introduction to a favorite. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-10)