This book is a modern take on a classic tale or perhaps more of a sequel to Jack and the Beanstalk, but for me it fails to live up to its predecessor. The story is delightful and takes a different twist in which the boy brings gifts to the unhappy Giant and befriends him through this.
However, while it presents the characters in a different light, I would struggle to recommend this book over the original. The values placed at the centre of the book are somewhat different to Jacks' story and so I could see it been a useful counterpart to that. In this take the Giant is still mean and angry with a taste for boy, but this story delves deeper as to why he is suffering from this depression and perhaps could show children that situations are rarely black and white.
As I said, this is more an updated version of Jack and the Beanstalk, but it does have a place in the realm as counterpoint. However, I would always pick the original over this, perhaps that's a bias as I loved the original since I was a child.
However, while it presents the characters in a different light, I would struggle to recommend this book over the original. The values placed at the centre of the book are somewhat different to Jacks' story and so I could see it been a useful counterpart to that. In this take the Giant is still mean and angry with a taste for boy, but this story delves deeper as to why he is suffering from this depression and perhaps could show children that situations are rarely black and white.
As I said, this is more an updated version of Jack and the Beanstalk, but it does have a place in the realm as counterpoint. However, I would always pick the original over this, perhaps that's a bias as I loved the original since I was a child.