Hi, Jack!

A Jack Book #1

by Mac Barnett, Greg Pizzoli (Illustrator)

From New York Times bestselling author Mac Barnett and Geisel Award-winning illustrator Greg Pizzoli, an uproarious early reader series about a mischievous rabbit, a cranky old lady, and a lovable dog.
 
Meet Jack: He lives in a tree house. His interests include snacks, petty theft, and lipstick graffiti. Jack also loves his friends, he just has a funny way of showing it sometimes . . .
 
A perfect read-aloud with snappy, rhythmic text, this series will bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books and fill the Elephant-and-Piggie-shaped hole in young readers' hearts.

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Dogs, Juvenile

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2019

About the author

Born to non-farmers in a California farming community, Mac Barnett now lives near San Francisco. He's on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center for students in Los Angeles, and he founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hi, Jack! introduces readers to Jack, a mischievous rabbit that causes all sorts of trouble. Behavior I didn't find funny at all. I get that books need to show bad behavior, but I also like to see the characters learn from their actions. Jack stole and disobeyed and pouted and cried here, but readers never see him apologize or change. I just think there are plenty of other sources out there in the world for kids to witness and learn about bad manners and attitudes. I don’t want them reading about them too--especially at such a young age. That’s just me though.

Sadly...I cannot recommend this book.

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ohhhh no, Mac. No no no.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this, considering who the author and illustrator are. But I was hugely disappointed! My mom gave me this book for my son's first birthday since his name is also, aptly, Jack. But, after reading it, there is no way I would share this with my son.

Throughout the entire book the character is referred to as "Bad Jack". I don't want to share a book with him that communicates that he's "bad". My mom was so excited there was a series about a character named Jack but was so upset when I told her about the book that she immediately told me to give it away.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading lately about how the current model of teaching kids to read isn't as effective as the phonics model of our childhoods. One of the problems is that kids are being taught to read by taking clues from the pictures to figure out words instead of sounding them out (this works until the pictures disappear around 3rd grade and then some kids really struggle). I've noticed that many early readers follow this model so I was thrilled to discover the Jack Books. While the pictures are appealing, they don't tell the whole story. There are lots of short vowel sounds in this one along with "oo" combination, a few long vowel sounds and a decent amount of repetition. Plus Jack is hilarious and Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli are a marvelous combo.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really happy that the author and illustrator reconsidered and changed the monkey to another animal given the detailed research Edi Campbell has been providing about the use of monkeys in books and media https://crazyquiltedi.blog/2018/07/20....

Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of Jack. I think children will enjoy this more than adults. It is definitely going to make many laugh as they see all of the naughty behavior. It's just not my kind of humor.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not good at all. It just shows the antics of a naughty bunny named Jack. It doesn't teach a good lesson nor does it tell a good story. Instead, the humor is at the expense of an elderly character which I find horribly disrespectful. Of course, my 4 year old thought it was funny but I had to tell her not to follow the example of the bunny because it was naughty and not nice. I'd rather expose my daughter to better role models in her books.

[Michele]

This isn't really a review of the book as much as a reaction to some of the other reviews. I have a special needs child, she has a language delay and sensory issues which result in a lot of behavior problems. As I was reading this my immediate thought was, whoa, this is my kid! The mischievousness, the tantrum, the mess making... it's all her and how she processes emotions and not being able to communicate. She's obviously not bad, but the attitude that this isn't the type of behavior we should be sharing with kids or condoning made me kind of sad. Like my kid will forever be judged because she can't 'behave' in a way that's acceptable to the general 'well-behaved' society. Good on ya if your kid can discern between 'right and wrong,' but mine is still working at it and loves attention. She's super cool and funny and yeah, she colors all over the wall with absolutely zero remorse and will scream her head off in a public place, but we work every day to help her understand, communicate, and express emotions in a positive way. I can't wait to share this book with her.

[Melissa ~ Missy (FrayedBooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some kids might get a kick out of Jack being bad and stealing things, but this isn't something I would really recommend... it seems odd to reward Jack after he was bad and stole from the Lady. That's....not something I would think we want to teach kids? "Steal something, but give it back and throw a hissy fit and you'll be rewarded!" ....no?

The art wasn't my favorite either.

[Clive Oberholtzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked his funny name (his name is Jack, and he's a jackrabbit!). I wish there could be more characters in it.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: This is Jack. Hi, Jack! Look, Jack waves hi back!

Premise/plot: Jack is a very naughty rabbit who stars in Mac Barnett’s newest children’s book. Jack isn’t the only character, mind you. There’s also an old lady (the lady) and Rex the dog. It’s told in simple, easy-to-read words and short sentences. It is entertaining.

My thoughts: Mischievous characters can be quite fun to read about. I certainly wouldn’t want too many Jacks in real life! Early readers can often be a little lacking in story. This story is packed with equal parts naughtiness and reprimands. It also includes a bonus section where readers can learn how to draw the characters.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there anything cooler than the first book your kid reads by himself?
I got this from the library for my 5-year-old after hearing Mac Barnett read it at a conference. Within 10 minutes he had drawn Jack (there are instructions in the back, so great.) After that, he sat and read it to me. He loved it and thought it was hilarious.
I'm confused by all the response about Jack being "bad" and needing to learn. Why? He learns to feel remorse. Why are we so down on Jack but not mad at the Pigeon who keeps trying to steal the bus. I thought it was cute. I will get the others for him...and how wonderful to have easy readers that emerging readers actually want to read.

[Briana · Rating 1 out of 5]

These have to be some of the most annoying books I've ever read. Never mind the terrible morals. I can't stand the terrible prose and awkward repetition. (I know repetition is important in early readers, but the way it's used in this series is somehow incredibly grating.)

[Jack & Lily Wills · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only checked out because it had the name Jack in it - unfortunately it was about a bunny named Jack just being bad all around and being rewarded for it. I think we'll skip any other "Jack Books".

[R. G. Nairam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli read this to me (and a bunch of children of course), so

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

BL 1.2
Points 0.5

My kid loves this series. We read them all, repeatedly. At the end of it, I will read him the drawing instructions. "First you draw the top of his head. Then the line for his nose. Then the line for his chin...."

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jack is bad. He steals, draws on the dog, takes snacks with nary a thank you, and is pretty much your typical no-good jack rabbit.

Huge missed opportunity to say “Hello, Lady!” Basically ruined the whole book.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jack is a rabbit who lives in a tree house and loves snacks. But after swiping a lady's purse, the narrator has to scold him to get him to give it back. And in the meantime, Jack plays with the lipstick in the purse. The following chapters introduce the reader to Rex, a dog, who Jack uses the lipstick on, painting the dog's lips and writing the word Jack all over him. The last chapter introduces the Lady and her home, near whom, Jack and Rex live. But after Jack's misbehaves once again and is scolded, he cries and the narrator and Lady give in and give him a gift. He repays them with more mischief. While this book may be funny to young children, as a teacher and adult, I didn't find it funny at all. In fact, I found Jack's misbehavior annoying and the narrator and Lady's rewarding his tantrum irritating. Jack does not learn any kind of lesson and his behavior doesn't change. As much as I wanted to like the book, I really couldn't and it isn't one I would use with classes, except for an example of how NOT to behave. Children are likely to see the story differently however, and some will undoubtedly find Jack's antics hilarious. The illustrations are vintage Pizzoli and work well with the text. The down-turned eye-brows whenever Jack gets ready to cause mischief are a clever touch that hints at mayhem to come. My final assessment is that kids are likely to enjoy this more than most adults and adults need to be willing to either use the book to teach or be willing to let Jack's poor choices go.

[carrietracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huh. Not quite sure what to do about this one.

Pros: My little one could read it independently, and they love it when they can read things that look like big kid books all by themselves. The illustrations (by the incredible Greg Pizzoli) are terrific.

Cons: Jack gets into a LOT of mischief. At one time he is admonished that he is BAD. I had to stop and talk to my kid about how the behavior is bad, but how a kid who does a bad thing is not a bad person. It's a truly awful message stuck in a book for little kids. I also can't say that I love that at one point he acts so badly that he is offered a present/bribe. It's a crap message.

I wasn't a big fan of the NO David books and I think this falls in the same generally category there. I'll try maybe one more, but I can't see it being a big winner for me.

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

This book is a beginner reader book. We are introduced to Jack, Rex, and the Lady. Jack is not a likable character. First, he steals the Lady’s purse. What?! He gives it back, but keeps her lipstick and proceeds to draw on everything with it, including Rex. The Lady scolds him, and he has a temper tantrum, for which he is rewarded with a cookie. If the authors were trying to make Jack mischievous in a funny way, they did not succeed. Throwing a temper tantrum because you were scolded for bad behavior and then receiving a reward sends the wrong message. If you want to teach your child to read with likable characters, try another book, one that sends a good message and one you would want your children to emulate. Pass on this one. Bye Jack!

- Miss Elena

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally really enjoy Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli's work, but Hi, Jack fell a little flat for me. Jack is a rabbit who enjoys eating snacks in a tree house. And stealing an old lady's purse. And using her lipstick. And writing all over a dog with that lipstick. When Jack is reprimanded, he cries and is eventually given a present. The illustrations are very cute. There is some good humor in this. But while this was trying to be a simple, fun easy reader, the text feels flat and it is weird to see bad behavior rewarded with no effort made to do the right thing.

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of this series that is definitely written for children, not adult readers because kids are going to get a real kick out of this naughty monkey!

update 10.20.19 - I'm glad the publisher pulled the original series and changed Jack from a monkey to a rabbit. However, I'm still, as an adult reader, not in love with Jack and the things he does - seems to go beyond naughty and just rude. But, I'm interested in seeing kids' reactions to this character.

[Becky B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meet Jack. Jack is not a very good bunny rabbit. He gets in trouble for drawing on himself, Max the dog, and the wall with the lady's lipstick.

I usually love Mac Barnett's stuff, but this missed the mark for me. I think it was supposed to be funny, but it just read like a delinquent bunny who when he finally gets punished for the wrong he's been doing gets rewarded with a cookie for his tears. Yikes. At least the drawings were cute.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure about the appeal of this one note 'Bad Jack' beginning reader. The drawings have charm but the story is pretty dull and mean spirited. Jack impishly steals stuff, vandalizes, when chastened pitches a fit and then is rewarded with a gift that he is churlish about showing appreciation for. Perhaps this is a story for our age, but it is as boring and predictable as the bad behavior it chronicles.

[Sharon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Usually I love Mac Barnett books but I didn't like this one and I wouldn't purchase these for my library. The character Jack behaves poorly throughout the book. He steals and plays mean tricks. And the narrator continually says "bad Jack". I love easy readers but I wouldn't want children reading these books. They aren't even funny. The only thing I like is the end pages that show kids how to draw the characters in the book. Disappointing.

[Neha Thakkar · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Jack" is a bad Jack - he steals a purse, pink and red lipsticks, etc. from The Lady. Jack writes on The Lady's nice walls. The Lady gives Jack a gift! This early reader missed the mark for me, as I think there are better titles and series out there. See more of my review: thakkarsthinkers.blogspot.com

[Dax · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow! This book was awful. In between the terrible behavior and complacency of the characters I was rather disappointed. The part however that made it terrible to me is when they DO finally say something about his behavior and tell him that he is bad over and over. This is how you teach kids that their behavior is just who they are not something they've done. YOU are bad vs what you did was bad.

[E · Rating 1 out of 5]

My son was not happy with the character being naughty and getting in trouble and it actually made him very worried. That would be fine if I could use it as a teaching tool for how it made the lady feel or something, but it's just purely to be "naughty". I don't need a lesson in every book, but this one rubbed us both the wrong way.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like this author/illustrator team but the book was so-so for me. Good repetition of words and simple sentence structure but the repeating of “bad monkey” got old. Did like the piece that teaches the reader how to draw the characters.

From advance reader copy.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read on IG by Mac Barnett 4/17/20

[Angela]

What a rascally rabbit.