Jack: The (Fairly) True Tale of Jack and the Beanstalk

by Liesl Shurtliff

320 pages, Library Binding

Published January 5, 2016

About the author

Liesl Shurtliff is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of books for young readers. Her books include RUMP, JACK, RED, and GRUMP, all part of the (Fairly) True Tales series from Knopf/Random House, and the TIME CASTAWAYS trilogy from Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins.

Liesl was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Before she became a writer, Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. She now lives in Chicago with her husband and four children. Visit her online at www.lieslshurtliff.com and @lieslshurtliff everywhere.

Reviews

[Mrs. Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack offers a delightful retelling of “Jack and the Beanstalk” that feels fresh and engaging. After enjoying Rump, I was excited to see how Shurtliff would reimagine another classic, and she didn’t disappoint. Jack’s headstrong personality and the evolving bond with his little sister, Annabella, provide both humor and heart. I especially appreciated how this story cleverly ties into Rump, connecting the worlds in entertaining ways.

Though it’s a fairy tale, Jack has surprising depth, exploring the importance of family, true heroism, and what it really means to find treasure. Familiar elements from the original story blend seamlessly with new twists—like “elves” (small humans) serving giants, a boy named Tom Thumb, and the idea that magic comes at a cost. Overall, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable retelling packed with adventure, endearing characters, and meaningful themes—highly recommended for fans of creative spins on classic tales.

[Candis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book aloud to my 8 year old. I asked him how many stars he would give it and he said 20💚