Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale

by Helen Ketteman, Diane Greenseid (Illustrator)

This fun retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk is full of cowgirl sass, as a young Texas girl discovers her luck at the top of a giant cornstalk.

Genres: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

author and mother of two grown sons. Texas, where she lived for 9 years, is one of her favorite places and several of her books are set there. She, her husband, and their two cats currently live in Sanibel Island, Florida--where plenty of armadillos live, too.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a funny fractured story of Jack and the Bean stalk. This story of a tough little cowgirl and her adventure at the top of a cornstalk are illustrated in a great way to engage multiple aged children. The story line is cute as well with her interaction with the many items that she collected. I love that this book has a happy ending that helps Waynetta's family to be successful.

[Michelle]

A retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk done Texas-style with a feisty cowgirl and a giant cowboy in the clouds.

I really enjoyed this version. It's nice to see a female represented in a traditionally male story. I also find it fun when I have the opportunity to use a southern twang when reading aloud. It's about the only accent that I can pull off! Plus different versions of a classic tale always make for a great compare/contrast lesson.

[Courtney Barter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect this book to end the way it did. I giggled the entire time reading it. I love the ending the most! "Fee Fi Fo Fat.. I think I smell a cowgirl brat!" Love it! Fractured Fairy Tale #2

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

sound kind of familiar, cool take!! where has Helen's reads been all my life ... i got to read "The Three Little Gators", "There Once Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant", "Senorita Gordita", "Armadilly Chili" & "Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale". these reads really are amazing, if you have never had a chance to read Helen's books please do so ... add them to your book shelf ... gift them to your kiddie friends. families. asap!! so fun. amazing illustrations. just so so fun!!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun twist on Jack and the Beanstalk. Waynetta and her mother were struggling to make their ranch thrive, and help they needed came through a trade for magic beans. Cute story and amusing illustrations.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this variation of the story Jack and the Beanstalk. I preferred to read it with a southern drawl which may be part of the reason I thought it fun to read with my 4 year old. ;)

[ConnieLettow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book to read

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww! A very nice Jack in the Beanstalk twisted tale. Lots of southern culture in here.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An OK retelling if Jack and the Beanstalk, but not as original as I like retellings to be.

[Lamar Daniel]

I like the sequence of the story. Allow the students to explain the what events happen in the story

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

CATEGORY
Two Versions of the Same Fairy Tale

BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION
Ketteman, H. (2007). Waynetta and the cornstalk: A Texas fairy tale (D. Greenseid, Illustrator). Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

SUMMARY
Waynetta, the Texas cowgirl version of Jack, ends up climbing a magic cornstalk rather than a beanstalk in Helen Ketteman’s revamping of the classic fairy tale. With colloquialisms exactly on target for a girl from east Texas, Waynetta yes ma’ams her way through the hurdles involved in saving their ranch from failure, rescuing their very own longhorn who “lays” gold cow patties, a lasso that never misses, and a bottomless bucket of water. In the end, the giant hits his head and knocks the mean right out of him, making the “happily ever after” include him and his wife as well.

Genre: Picture Book
Grade Level: K-3
Awards: Theodore Seuss Geisel Award – 2014
2 x 2 Reading List - 2014

PERSONAL REFLECTION OR REVIEW
While Diane Greenseid’s vivid illustrations will delight readers, the real hit in this book is Helen Ketterman’s mastery of voice. Waynette’s lilting east Texas twang never hits a sour note, making it as fun to read aloud as it is to have it read aloud. Older students will love the game of finding the idioms and explaining them—“worked as hard as eight-legged mules” and “so thin it took the three of them standing together to cast a shadow” are just two examples.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

K-3rd Grade
Helen Ketterman has put a Texas style spin on the classic Jack and the Beanstalk in this beautifully illustrated vibrant picture book. In this adventure Waynetta trades a longhorn for magic corn, and when it accidently gets planted, and a huge cornstalk grows she decides to investigate. When she climbs the cornstalk she discovers items that the giant has, can turn around the luck that her Mother and herself, she decides to steal them. This adaptation of the original has a lot of humor that kids will appreciate, and the characters dialog is patterned after a “real” Cowgirl. I laughed out loud when I read that instead of a goose laying golden eggs, there are cows that create golden “cowpatties”.
Science/Social emotional learning– This book can be used when creating a classroom garden for the students to learn abouthow plants grow. The students can develop a sense of what it felt like for the Mother and daughter to have lost everything and how people handle stress.

[Christina Bergstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and amusing take on the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. I liked that a more updated version was made for children to read. I thought that the ranch was a good setting that children could relate to. The illustrations correlated with the text and were enjoyable to look at. The ending was nice by showing that there could be another side to the giant. The fact that the "meaness" was knocked out of him and they could all work together was a nice twist to an old tale. As a teacher, I would use this to show same and different. Same Story different version. I would have the students make lists of the things that were the same in both versions and those that were different. Then I would have them write a quick write review to see what they thought of the two versions.

[Luanne Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading fractured tales and spinoffs on fairy tales, so I looked forward to reading this book. It didn't disappoint me, either! It was a fun book to read and my students will love it. Waynetta is "Jack" in this spinoff, but is not a lazy gal. She and her ma work really hard on their poor dried up ranch and finally have to sell their last longhorn. On her way to town, she meets a stranger and trades their longhorn for some magic corn. As expected, Ma isn't happy and throws the corn out the window. The next morning, Waynetta climbs a giant cornstalk. The giant woman lets Waynetta in the huge cottage and recognizes her as the daughter of the family her husband stole from years before. Waynetta's use of her lariat helps her each time to regain something back from the giant. There is a surprise to the ending!

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an interesting take on the beanstalk tale. These western renditions are fun to read, and sometimes surprising as to what they come up with. Seriously--a longhorn who "lays" gold cowpies? But I like the ending really was a "they ALL lived happily" and that you don't see them become greedy. They use just enough. I certainly have the resources for a Texas Fractures Fairy Tales Book Time, but would it be too much to have that AND the Chili theme AND an Old West theme? There are just too many good books to pass up.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a read aloud to my third grade class during block. It is really cute, its a play on the story Jack and the Beanstalk but with Texas twang... After we read the story, the students made Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the story.

[Zonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and the Beanstalk Texas-style.

[Saralyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this might be my favorite of the Texas fairy tales. I especially liked the ending. Very happy.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twist on the classic "Jack and the Beanstalk" using Texas twang and a cornstalk. The giant's wife is sympathetic to Waynetta's distress and all ends well for giant and human.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like it as much as 3 little gators and Aramadilly Chilli, but my kids LOVE it. They have me read it over and over and over again. It's cute.

[Patty Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have to read this one with a Texas drawl! My students liked the way this one ended - not predictable at all!

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes:
read this after reading original Jack folk tale; the kids think it's pretty funny

[Magila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute country-western take on the Jack and the Beanstalk tale.

The "fee-fie-fo" twists were adorable and also kind of gross. But the original story rhyme is also gross, so what can you do?

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Texas girl version of Jack and the Beanstalk. This is a funny story with colorful illustrations. I would highly recommend it for girls or boys in Gr. 2-4.

[Joe Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting retellling of the classic set in Texas with a female in the lead role.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice Graphics, didn't care about the twisted ending.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Westernized setting, happier ending