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377th out of 920 books
—
5,226 voters
Crazy Jack
by
Donna Jo Napoli (Goodreads Author)
Once there was a boy named Jack who traded away a cow for a handful of beans. But Jack was no fool, he was haunted since the day his father climbed up into the clouds and vanished. When the beans provide a way for Jack to pursue his father, he enters the Giant’s world, where he discovers the terrifying ends of greed and desire. In Donna Jo Napoli’s transforming novel, Jack...more
Mass Market Paperback, 144 pages
Published
August 14th 2001
by Laurel Leaf
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At first I didn't realized that this story was a retelling of the popular Jack and the Beanstalk. Although I have seen a few similarities already, I was only sure of it when it came to the part where Jack planted bean seeds and it grew overnight.
More or less, the story has got the same plot as Jack and the Beanstalk, but with a twist. I like Jack's character in the story. Even though people called him crazy and all those foul names, he didn't care. Flora, who was his love interest in the story h...more
More or less, the story has got the same plot as Jack and the Beanstalk, but with a twist. I like Jack's character in the story. Even though people called him crazy and all those foul names, he didn't care. Flora, who was his love interest in the story h...more
In this retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, Donna Jo Napoli recounts the story of a young boy sent to town by his mother to sell their last cow. They are poor, hungry, and without hope. When Crazy Jack meets a fairy on the road, he sells his cow for a bag of seven rainbow-colored beans. Jack's mother is distraught. But, the magic beans yield a very sturdy beanstalk and a never ending supply of beans.
When Jack finally climbs the beanstalk, high above the clouds, he encounters a man-eating giant...more
When Jack finally climbs the beanstalk, high above the clouds, he encounters a man-eating giant...more
I read this book a long, long time ago, and after rereading, it still has a huge impact on me. Napoli's version of the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk was very well-written. It had all the stuff the old fairy tale had: the fee-fie-foe-fumming giant, his magical harp and chicken and pot of gold, the beanstalk, Jack... but the novel provided even more: there were plot twists, romance, magic, and hopes and dreams dashed by harsh reality. The author created the distinction between the magical...more
Aug 11, 2011
Lisa Rathbun
added it
I liked this story. The backstory of Jack's father presents such a warm and loving family; then seeing is disintegrate is heartbreaking. I liked how the fairy tale comes alive with interesting and compelling characters.
Caution: there is an apparant suicide, spousal abuse, and Jack overhears the giant with his wife. Because of this, I would definitely not recommend this book for children under age 14.
Caution: there is an apparant suicide, spousal abuse, and Jack overhears the giant with his wife. Because of this, I would definitely not recommend this book for children under age 14.
Sep 03, 2009
Sandra Strange
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
young-adult
Jack is crazy, all right, but only occasionally, usually around the anniversary of the day his gambling father climbed a mountainous cliff and disappeared into the clouds above. Then Jack trades the family’s only asset, a cow, for some colored beans. Sound familiar? It should. It’s Jack and the Beanstalk, told with characters who seem very real. The tiny bit of sexual content in the novel is merely hinted. Positive, though slightly dark.
not a bad story, interesting and well written, but the resolution took abouit 6 and a half minutes. probably should've expected that from a 130 page book. I love her writing style though, its old and ethereal without being overdone
Great re-telling of Jack and the Beanstalk. Napoli gives her characters more depth and more emotion than any other version I have heard or read before. I was so emotionally involved with the characters. Great read.
Crazy Jack started off rather slow but got better near the end, when the actual Jack and the Beanstalk tale got involved. The romantic end was highly predictable, but a nice detour from the original tale.
Loved it! I felt like it was a historical fiction for at least half the book. Loved the way the author weaved reality and the world of the fairies into a grand tale.
I seriously hope S can arrange an introduction for me some day. I would love to sit down with Napoli and pick her brain about literature theory. High marks for Crazy Jack.
This was an interesting take on Jack and the Beanstalk. I don't know how to rate it, because the story line itself, and the ideas that were presented by the author are great. I really like the way she explained why Jack would trade a cow for a few beans, and why he seemed a little... crazy. I also like what happened with the magic items when Jack brought them home. She made it into a story, one that reads and feels more folk than fairy tale. However, I didn't love the writing. It was good, but n...more
something about this book was so special i love the character jack :D
loved this version of jack and the beanstalk.
Love this retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Sep 13, 2007
Debbie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fairy tale fans
Shelves:
young-adult-lit,
1001-to-read-before-you-die
I have always been a fan of fairy tales and I love this author's retellings. Crazy Jack is based on "Jack and the Beanstalk."
Jack's father loses the family farm and then climbs up the side of a mountain, never to be seen again. Jack goes crazy with grief because he is unable to climb the mountain to follow his father. One day, he trades the cow for a handful of magic beans. Jack climbs the beanstalk and visits the gian't home. He manages to get everything he needs in order to create his very ow...more
Jack's father loses the family farm and then climbs up the side of a mountain, never to be seen again. Jack goes crazy with grief because he is unable to climb the mountain to follow his father. One day, he trades the cow for a handful of magic beans. Jack climbs the beanstalk and visits the gian't home. He manages to get everything he needs in order to create his very ow...more
Very pleasant novella of Jack and the Beanstalk. Has a romantic storyline. Nice.
A really interesting retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. Though before I read the book, I had kind of forgotten what the story of Jack and the Beanstalk was actually about!
This was a good take on Jack and the Beanstalk. I thought this was one of her better stories. I came to really like Jack and Flora by the end of the book. A 3.5 star read.
I love this author. She always takes fairy tales and then creates a beautiful world with incredible, believable characters around them.
This is an excellent and thought provoking book. It is loosely based on the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.
One of my favorite's by Napoli, because this one actually has a happy ending.
Retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk.
May 18, 2013
Jerome
marked it as to-read
May 09, 2013
Nancy
marked it as to-read
Apr 19, 2013
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
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From her website:
Donna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction.
Donna Jo has five children. She dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist. She loves to garden and bake bread.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to...more
More about Donna Jo Napoli...
Donna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction.
Donna Jo has five children. She dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist. She loves to garden and bake bread.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to...more
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