February 1, 2015
Boom! Boom! Boom! Giants are real! Jack sees them slide down from Above to raid his farm. Worse, they take his Papa. Inspired by stories about his seven-greats-grandfather, Jack the Giant Killer, Jack vows to climb Above to rescue his Papa. After he grows a giant beanstalk he has the means. Only he hadn't been expecting his bothersome little sister, Annabella, to tag along. In a land where even a bird poses a threat and poisonous pixies abound, this actually turns out to be a good thing. Annabella has a way with animals and understands the pixies. New friend Tom Thumb helps too. Shurtliff skillfully weaves Jack's tale together with other classics about giants and elves as well as her own previous book, Rump (2013). It turns out that the kingdom Jack enters belongs to King Barf, and the reason for the giants' raids is famine. Greedy King Barf is using magic to create gold, and the magic is pulling all the power out of growing things. If the story meanders a bit and the moral about treasuring what we grow feels tacked on, there are still enough boisterous adventures about a wee boy (and girl) overcoming big obstacles and defeating greed to keep youngsters hooked. Fans of retold fairy tales will be well-satisfied. (author's note) (Fantasy. 8-12)
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March 15, 2015
Grades 3-6 All his life, he has heard stories about giants, and 12-year-old Jack knows he is meant for greatness. So when giants climb down out the sky and steal most of his towncrops, cows, houses, even his father!Jack is determined to find a way to get to their world and stage a rescue. As we all know, he climbs a beanstalk to the giants' world. What we may not have thought of, and what Shurtliff illustrates so well, is what it would be like to be a kid in a giant's world. Suddenly, Jack is small enough to ride a mouse or be chased by an eagle; short distances become vast; and it's nearly impossible for his voice to be heard. Putting a unique spin on the familiar in a manner reminiscent of Donna Jo Napoli's work, this tale explores perspective, compassion, and resilience in an unobtrusive way. Shurtliff's second fairy-tale endeavor, following Rump (2013), soars into the sky and is a delightful story of family, perseverance, and courage.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2015
Dirt is raining from the sky, but it's no weird weather phenomenon. Giants have come and stolen half of Jack's town. When he gets to the giant world, Jack will have to brave everything from a jumbo toad to a gold-obsessed king to rescue his father. Shurtliff (Rump) once again uses her fertile imagination to add unforgettable new details to a well-loved classic.
(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)