Kate and
the Beanstalk
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrator: Giselle Potter
Publishing Company: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: 2000
36 Pages
Traditional Literature
While looking for books in the traditional
literature genre, I was drawn to this book because of the illustration on the
cover. I was interested to find out how this book was going to differ from the
traditional story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
This version of the story starts off immediately with the main conflict. Kate
and her family do not have enough food after the cold, hard winter. Wanting to
help, Kate sets off to sell their only cow. Much like Jack, she sells her cow
for some magic beans, but when she arrives home to show her mother what she has
gotten for them, her mother, horrified, throws the beans out the window. That
very night, Kate gets up from a restless sleep and goes outside, once there she
discovers a giant beanstalk has grown in the middle of the yard! So, again, much
like Jack, Kate climbs the beanstalk. Once she gets to the very top Kate
discovers a castle and an old woman in the woods out in front of the castle.
This woman tells her the tale of a noble knight and his family and the
monstrous giant who came to steal the knight’s many treasures. Kate is wanting to
help and is determined to find all of the knight’s treasures in order to save his
wife and child from starving. Will she be successful on her journey? Who will
she discover along the way? What will became of her mother? You’ll find all of
these answers along with many more by reading this wonderful retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Giselle Potter’s illustrations
wonderfully depict Kate’s journey. These illustrations are completed with
pencil, ink, gouache, gesso, and watercolor. These illustrations are varied
between double spread depictions and single page illustrations. The text is
placed at the top and bottom of almost every page with very little variation
throughout. All of these elements Potter incorporates bring this version of Jack and the Beanstalk to life.
I think this book could be incorporated into the classroom in many different ways. One of the first ways I would most likely use this book would be in a comparing and contrasting unit. I would have my students read the original Jack and the Beanstalk before reading this version. Once they have read both stories I would have my student complete a venn diagram on the similarities and differences between the two versions. The second way I would incorporate book in my classroom would be through a creative writing lesson. I would read the story up to the section where Kate climbs the beanstalk, then after I stop, I would have my students complete a short story on what they think will happen next. After they have finished their stories, I would complete the book to see if what their predictions were correct. The third way I saw that this story could be incorporated into my classroom would be within a genre unit. This book would be a fantastic example of a fairy tale. Kate and the Beanstalk incorporates all of the necessary characteristics needed to depict a fairy tale. Overall I think this is a great book to use in any classroom.
I think this book could be incorporated into the classroom in many different ways. One of the first ways I would most likely use this book would be in a comparing and contrasting unit. I would have my students read the original Jack and the Beanstalk before reading this version. Once they have read both stories I would have my student complete a venn diagram on the similarities and differences between the two versions. The second way I would incorporate book in my classroom would be through a creative writing lesson. I would read the story up to the section where Kate climbs the beanstalk, then after I stop, I would have my students complete a short story on what they think will happen next. After they have finished their stories, I would complete the book to see if what their predictions were correct. The third way I saw that this story could be incorporated into my classroom would be within a genre unit. This book would be a fantastic example of a fairy tale. Kate and the Beanstalk incorporates all of the necessary characteristics needed to depict a fairy tale. Overall I think this is a great book to use in any classroom.
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