Jack's Tale

Walsh, Ellen Stoll

ISBN 10: 0152003231 ISBN 13: 9780152003234

Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books, 1997

Synopsis

Taking a unique perspective on the plot of fairy tales, an author asks Jack, despite his unease, to be a character in her latest tale, instructing him where to start, what to do, and to be careful on his adventure.

About this title

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 2. Jack, a frog, tells the author, another frog, that he does not want to be in her fairy tale because it's dangerous. "Leave me out. Fairy tales aren't safe." Jack is easily swayed, however, with the promise of fame. The rest of the book is more about the process of a story than the "story" itself. When warned not to continue on because of the dangerous trolls lurking in the middle of the tale, Jack proclaims, "If I go back, my story will end at the beginning." Widely appealing collage illustrations set Walsh's work apart. The artist's easily recognizable art proves that less is more. The oddly bipedal amphibians are colorfully speckled and set against a stark white background. The result is a high-contrast, illustrative following of the text. All-in-all, this story-within-a-story remains a simple, comfortable tale in its familiarity and guarantees the book's conclusion, "And they all lived happily ever after." Purchase this title if your readers have enjoyed Walsh's earlier works.?Christy Norris, Valley Cottage Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Jack is a cut-paper frog, applied to the page, whom Walsh (Samantha, 1996, etc.) uses to explain the broadest elements of a fairy tale: the challenge, the mettle tested, the happily ever after. The story opens with a writer contemplating a fairy-tale project. There will be royalty involved, and trolls--and Jack. He balks: ``Leave me out. Fairy tales aren't safe--I saw those trolls.'' At the writer's coaxing, Jack reluctantly agrees to participate. Thus the tale unfolds. The princess is abducted by trolls, the king calls on Jack to save the fair maiden, the trolls fall to bickering and pose no problem, there's a rescue, and a return. Walsh cleverly unravels the mechanics of the tale as she merrily erects its structure, but that unraveling also defeats any possibility of tension or drama--the very stuff of fairy tales. The expressionless, unblinking, upright hero, his damsel, and their foes further drain the story of interest, past the intriguing opening. Pair this with real fairy tales at story hours, for children will love the idea of the protagonist being persuaded to take on his task, and will want to apply Jack's formula, not only to see when it ``works,'' but when it varies, as well. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152003231
• ISBN 13: 9780152003234
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32