Jim and the beanstalk;

by Raymond Briggs

Jim woke up early one morning to find a plant that was very like a beanstalk growing outside his window. Climbing to the top of the beanstalk, he found a castle and a giant, but with very modern problems that only Jim could help solve. Raymond Briggs brings a new generation to an old tale with humor and imagination.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Mathematics, Folklore, Humor, Fairy Tales

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Raymond Redvers Briggs was an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and author who had achieved critical and popular success among adults and children. He was best known for his story "The Snowman", which is shown every Christmas on British television in cartoon form and on the stage as a musical.

His first three major works, Father Christmas, Father Christmas Goes on Holiday (both featuring a curmudgeonly Father Christmas who complains incessantly about the "blooming snow"), and Fungus the Bogeyman, were in the form of comics rather than the typical children's-book format of separate text and illustrations. The Snowman (1978) was entirely wordless, and illustrated with only pencil crayons. The Snowman became Briggs' best-known work when in 1982 it was made into an Oscar nominated animated cartoon, that has been shown every year since on British television.

Briggs continued to work in a similar format, but with more adult content, in Gentleman Jim (1980), a sombre look at the working class trials of Jim and Hilda Bloggs, closely based on his parents. When the Wind Blows (1982) confronted the trusting, optimistic Bloggs couple with the horror of nuclear war, and was praised in the British House of Commons for its timeliness and originality. The topic was inspired after Briggs watched a Panorama documentary on nuclear contingency planning, and the dense format of the page was inspired by a Swiss publisher's miniature version of Father Christmas. This book was turned into a two-handed radio play with Peter Sallis in the male lead role, and subsequently an animated film, featuring John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft. The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman (1984) was a scathing denunciation of the Falklands War. However, Briggs continued to produce humour for children, in works such as the Unlucky Wally series and The Bear.

He was recognized as The Children's Author of the Year in 1993 by the British Book Awards. His graphic novel Ethel and Ernest, which portrayed his parents' 41-year marriage, won Best Illustrated Book in the 1999 British Book Awards.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author of 'The Snowman' and 'Father Christmas' writes a follow up to the classic fairy tale 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. Jim is living in a city when he finds a large plant growing outside his window. Being a curious boy he climbs the plant, discovering for himself the giant who lives in a castle in the sky. Since the giant was visited by Jack he has somewhat mellowed. The story is beautifully written, and the pictures are charming and magical.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A parody of the original and one in which Briggs decided to have Jim (Jack) as a carer of sorts for the lonely giant in order to step away from the bad-guy role that he had been forever trapped in. Fed up with the traditional role, Briggs decided to look more kindly on our giant who is often pestered by the continual rise of this beanstalk. Instead, we see him as a pensioner of sorts in need of glasses, teeth and a full wig in order to find a sense of his previous self once more. For me, handing the gold coin to Jim to pay for the items and as a gift of thanks at the end reminded me of my own grandfather and the pound coins I would get from visiting him and helping him in the care home. I think I am right in saying that this was the first venture that Briggs made from illustrating others' works to illustrating his own.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere between a level 1 and a level 2 reading book, this book is a fun spin-off of Jack and the Beanstalk. Enjoyed by all my children, this original story had all of guessing what the ending would be. The illustrations were a little unusual, flipping back and forth between colored pages and black and white, but detailed enough to make my 3 yr old twins fascinated with the story line. A nice story that we'll probably read again sometime.

[Daisy Toomey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally forgot about how good this book was for inference and prediction as well as being fairly enjoyable fairytale spin off type.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty funny, lovely absurdist touches in the artwork, and a heartwarming story of caring for a lonely elderly chap. Or is it? Something frightening is going on… or is it?

(Staying with a retired primary school teacher while visiting a lovely little church up in North Lincolnshire. Very fine bookshelves.)

[Courtney Barter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jim and the Beanstalk is a different rendition of the classic Jack in the Beanstalk. It is about a boy named Jim who climbs up a beanstalk and finds a castle. He only wants to stay for breakfast. The Giant is old at this time, because Jim is visiting him a long time after Jack had been there. Jim helps the Giant get new things for himself and makes friends with the Giant. The Giant sends Jim away before he craves "fried boy" again. Fractured Fairy Tale.

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

"The Giant shared his breakfast of beef and beer with Jim."

Even after the boy has remedied the Giant's loss of eyesight, teeth, and hair, the Giant gruffly warns, "You better go now before I feel like fried boy again." Followed up with a shout, "Chop that beanstalk down or I might come down and crunch you up with my new teeth."

[Liam Connolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of this wonderfully-illustrated book is to be a sort-of sequel to Jack and the Beanstalk, immediately inserting itself into a dialogue that all primary age readers should recognise. The strange drawings of the slightly surreal solutions to the giant’s problems will entertain readers of key stage 1 age, years 1 or 2. Despite the prevalence of the pictures, the book is quite wordy and may not be suitable for very young readers.

The story is very successful in balancing two contrasting facets of this new giant, part comic and part threatening. While ageing and decrepit, this giant hasn’t forgotten what his favourite food used to be and the subtle hints at what he may be planning for Jim can invoke both laughter and a little trepidation from young readers. Nonetheless, it is definitely not a scary book and the denouement draws everything to a close on a sweet and funny note, bolstered by the illustration of the giant’s handwritten note.

[Faye Ulph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when you get a sequel to a well loved fairy tale which is just as fun and exciting as the original! This book does just that for me and is brilliant at telling the following on story of 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. I think deep down the giant just wanted a friend and for someone to help him and what a brilliant friend Jim was. He may have been scared of the giant but he pushed past these to help, even though the Giant seemed to be thinking about eating Jim! The Giant was a very grumpy old man but Jim brought him back to life where he found his laugh again with glasses, a wig and teeth. This was a very funny book - my niece and nephew loved looked at the pictures and especially found the huge glasses, teeth and the wig very amusing!

[Corri Moran]

This is a modern twist on the well-known, classic tale of the magic beanstalk. Jim wakes up to find a giant beanstalk outside his window and decides to climb it. At the top, he finds a castle and a giant with some problems that Jim can help with. The pair form a friendship and help one another

I love this updated story of Jack and the Beanstalk. This is a fun story that can be shared with children of all ages! It has great illustrations as well that switch from black and white to colored each page!

This book can be connected to any other version of Jack and the Beanstalk to compare the tales, or with books such as How Big is a Foot and How Long or How Wide.

"It's terrific. I'm glad I didn't eat you."

[Courtney Bursnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many children know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, and this is a look at what might of happened if there had been another visit to the giant. It tells a lovely story of friendship between Jim and the Giant, that shows if you help someone, then they will be very grateful. It is interesting how the illustrations change between black and white, and colour. There does not appear to be a clear theme into why this has been done, but the large illustrations that fill pages are very beneficial to the story.

[Iain Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew there was a sequel ??? Superb.
I really like the premise and the story telling here. Undoes the wrongs of Jack's actions from the original story. (theft)
Lovely pencil drawings - lots of illustration.
You do need to know the Jack & The Beanstalk story before reading.
A bit repetitive.
Surprised to see a word like OCULIST used in a childrens book of this level. I dont know many adults that would use that word.
Ultimately a good story about helping others to be happy.
Caring and empathetic.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable take on the classic fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, but reversing all the damage the original Jack had done. I really love the idea of befriending, rather than stealing from/injuring/killing others, just because they happen to be very large and "monstrous." The story is a fantastic twist, teaching kindness rather than violence.

Recommended for fans of folktales who wish they were a little more pacifist!

[Jo Birt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where Jim helps the giant to read better, eat better and look better. Children can learn more about adults when they get older and what they need help with and can learn the job names and occupations. Jim gets rewarded for his kind gestures as the Giant gives Jim a gold coin - shows that hard work is rewarded.

[Bex Allum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful tale of Jim helping and making friends with a giant, helping the giant with his eye sight and teeth. Jim being a selfless child running errands to help his new friend.

This is a great story for children to consider the perspective of the giant from the traditional tale of Jack and the beanstalk.

[Grace Duthie · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I liked how some of the illustrations are in black and white and others are colour. Could discuss why the children think this might be.
* A sequel to Jack in the Beanstalk that I never knew existed!
* A funny story for children.
* Could be used to explain why some children wear glasses and others don't.
* Class could find the mistakes in the giant's note at the end of the book.

[Laura Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. The friendship that was made between Jim and the Giant was lovely to see and Jim was so kind to do all the things that the Giant needed help with. Although the Giant was grumpy to begin with, his attitude changed as Jim helped him find his things. The illustrations in the book are brilliant and I think children would enjoy reading this book!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim and the Beanstalk (Hardcover)
by Raymond Briggs
a fractured fairy tale for the jack and the bean stalk. Jim is a more helpful boy, and the giant has become old and weak. With Jim's help the giant is now able to see, to eat, and to have a better life. The giant has changed his opinion of boys, and protects Jim.

[Kary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ummmm, had to weed this one out of my library. The part where the giant shares a beer with obviously underage Jim? and when Jim asks the giant if he has glasses and he replies, "only beer glasses?" Don't think so.

[Tessa Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim finds a beanstalk and decides to climb up and see what he finds. There he finds the Giant who has a few problems he would like solved. The Giant needs glasses, teeth and a wig. Jim, unlike Jack, helps the Giant with all of his needs. As a reward, the Giant gives Jim a gold coin.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instead of taking from the Giant Jim gives the giant perks of the modern world. Very useful for looking at the change in technology and modern society. Nice twist to a classic folk tale. Would be good or TFW. Challenges childrens expectations.

[Emily Sefcheck · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd-4th grade
Genre: Traditional Fiction

This was another version of Jack and the Beanstalk. It was cute but not my favorite. I think children would love it, though. I think would be good to have in a classroom library.

[Christy Broderick⁷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything by Raymond Briggs! If you know about Jack and the Beanstalk, you’ll recognize some similarities with Jim and the giant. Lovely illustrations that go back and forth between B&W and color.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a funny and clever spin off to Jack and the Beanstalk. I smiled throughout and loved the illustration. I think it touches on some really lovely themes such as friendship and growing old.

[Moira Macfarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heerlijk, ik hou van de boeken van Briggs. Geweldig die tekeningen van hem, lekker dat seventiessfeertje ook.

"When he reached the top of the plant, Jim saw a castle.
'I'm hungry,' he said. 'I'll ask at the castle for breakfast. I hope they have cornflakes.'"

[Rosa Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant alternative to Jack and the beanstalk. In this book, Briggs presents the giant as a friendlier and uninformed character who the equivalent to Jack, known as Jim, decides to help by providing him with a wig, glasses and false teeth and therefore presents the moral view that it is good to be nice and helpful to everyone.

[Sarah Spice · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 year old son and I both loved this book. The illustrations are fabulous, we especially loved the image of Jim walking down the street carrying a set of giant’s false teeth.

[RhiannaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful take on the traditional tale that will have young audiences laughing throughout.

[Victoria Wardle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twist on a classic. Lovely book.

[Rebecca Gale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly a different take on jack and the beanstalk.