The House that Jack Built

by Jeanette Winter

Here is the beloved nursery tale of Jack and his friends and his famous house, with an unexpected and lively new ending. The vivid and dramatic paintings, filled with activity, will draw children in, and a rebus puzzle on each page adds to the fun. Young listeners will delight in repeating the simple rhyme again and again, and watching as a house is built within the book's pages, from the ground up!

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Childrens, Nonfiction, Nursery Rhymes, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

Reviews

[Jaden Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without this book I would not know how to read!

[Charity]

Summary:
This book is about a house that Jack built. In this story, slowly but surely, more and more people and creatures start coming to the house. They all interact with each other in interesting ways and make it a very interesting household. In the end, Jack has a lot of pets and friends that are with him at his little house he built on the top of the hill.

Analysis:
This book was a funny read. I enjoyed it greatly. It reminded me a lot of the book "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." It brought back good memories for me. I also thought it was cool that it had pictures of the characters in the story instead of saying their names every time.

Classroom Ideas:
I think this could be used to explain rhyming and poetry to children. It can also be used to help children recall images and what they stand for as the story goes on.

[Gabrielle Palmisano · Rating 2 out of 5]

I personally thought the story was cute for this but I did not like how it was told. This story is told through words and pictures which could be confusing for some people and children. Jack builds a house that a rat, cat, dog, rooster and cow live in along with a maiden, a man, a priest, a farmer and of course Jack. The noun in the sentence is bold, in capital letters and a different color. This signifies to the reader what word and where will be a picture next. The illustration of the noun is also at the bottom of the page so the reader knows what the noun looks like. Jack is a very selfless person because he did not build a big house on top the hill. The house was overcrowded with guests.

[Meghann Sniffen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awards the book has received (if any): none
Appropriate grade level(s): pre-k- first
Original 3-line summary: The book starts off with Jack who is walking up a hill to build his house. On every page, a new element is added while repeating what happened before. In the end, Jack completes his house.
Original 3-line review: I think this is a good book to teach children that if they set their mind to something they can do it. Obviously you can't build a house that young, but I think if they see a child around their age do it they will realize they can too.
2-3 possible in-class uses:- teaching children memory and repetition
- teaching that even as a child you can do a lot

[CarolineDearman RDNG4130 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Jack, the house he built, and everything that goes on inside. Each page, something or someone new comes along to add to the chaos, but in the end, everyone has found peace and enjoys living in the house.

I like this book because even though it's a childrens' book, it made me have to think. Each page, the word is replaced by a symbol and it is added on to what's already been told. By the end, there are eleven symbols that represent words that you have to remember.

I think this book can be used in a classroom to teach about rhymes and riddles, or to teach that words can be represented by different pictures and symbols.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great way to introduce rhyme and repetition to young readers. As the story continues new phrases are added that children can help read with the images that are given. The illustrations are detailed and interesting to look at. Depending on the age of kids you are reading this to, the pictures as word replacements might be confusing for them so this is something to take into consideration when decided to read it.

[Sylvie Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeanette Winter illustrates the classic nursery rhyme in her signature folk art style, with added introductory and closing rhymes. Each repetition of the rhyme's many lines is presented in rebus style so that even the youngest non-readers will soon learn to identify Jack, the house, the malt, the rat, the cat, etc. and to say the rhyme along with those reading it to them.

[Tiffany May Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun interactive book, truly meant to read aloud, together. Pictures replace words in a repetitive rhyme, allowing your preschoolers to join in on the reading fun. We really enjoyed going through this one together. My 5 year old was excited to be able to read this with me. It’s a fun memory game as well, as the words that become pictures aren’t all that familiar to her.

[Mummy Cat Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an Imagination Library book choice. I enjoyed the illustration and colors. My child enjoyed the way the story is told. These types of books are good for children to hear and be able to imitate. She was able to finish the sentence and understand what comes next.

[Tupelo Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my doll's favorite book. It has a ton of animals in it, and it keeps adding more animals.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked it. I really like when there were pictures instead of words and I loved the rhymes and each page has one more sentence. I really like the dog and how the rat plays dead.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jack builds a house in sequential steps that repeat the house gets fuler and fuller. Elementary and up

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just a lot of fun to read. The absurdity of it amused the girls.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some of the story, but the artwork wasn't great and just not a fan.

[Mary Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite version of this story! I can’t believe it’s the first time I have read it this year.

[Stacie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Familiar rhyme but illustrations of words didn’t really do much for me.

[Natalie Haldeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The House That Jack Built
Author: Jeanette Winter
Genre: Nursery Rhyme
Theme(s): Nursery Rhyme, Children's Poetry, Cumulative Tales, Animals
Opening line/sentence: This is Jack.
Brief Book Summary: This is a fun story to read with a catchy tune. This story starts off with Jack climbing to the top of a hill and building his house while also having some visitors inside his home. On each page something new happens while also repeating everything else that happened.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Falconer, Elizabeth (HornBook)
(3) K-3 series. Colorful, comfortable illustrations, chock-full of interesting, humorous details, pique readers' imaginations in a rebus version of the cumulative nursery rhyme that begins when Jack builds a house.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Ilene Cooper (CLCD)
The familiar, cumulative rhyme gets a few additions and new life through Winters' clever illustrations. Executed in acrylics, the paintings appear as both full-page pictures and, on the snow-white text pages, as smaller introductory pictures of Jack and the other animals and objects in the rhyme. To add to the fun, the mouse, the house, and everything else make the text a rebus puzzle. The clever, sprightly colored artwork in a folk-art style is full of fun. The book's format is on the small side, but this version will still be fun to share with a group of the right size.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both of these reviews talk about how good the illustrations are, and I agree with both of them. The colorful pictures, and illustrations in the sentences make for a fun read. The second review talks about how it is more on the small side, but this book would be great to read to pre-k through first grade students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book is designed to be attractive to young readers. It has visual pictures inside of the text to indicate whichever character the reader is reading about. Throughout the whole story the plot changes on every page getting bigger and bigger.
Consideration of Instructional Application: There are a few youtube sing a long videos to this book that the teacher can put on for the students and have them sing along. This book would be perfect for preschool through first grade students to read a long with. Students could create their own story much like this one, but could make a replica of their own house with things that are inside it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this simple, rhyming book. There is strong pictures to support the text which makes it less confusing for children. I liked how it started out... "This is Jack." and showed a picture of Jack. I thought that it was a great simple choice of an introduction. I would reccommend this book to parents to read to their children ages, 3-6.

From Publishers Weekly
Winter's (My Name Is Georgia) cheerful, acrylic pictures have a folk-art quality well suited to this familiar, cumulative tale, which she supplements with several original verses (an early one places Jack's house on top of a hill and a final verse informs that "he lives there still"). She handily targets her audience by giving this version a rebus format, making it all the easier for preschoolers to follow along. "This is the DOG " for instance, runs at the top of the left-hand page with the cumulative text below, along with a spot illustration of the pooch; the opposite page shows a framed rendering of the dog interacting with the other characters. Each right-hand full-page picture features a cross-section look at the interior of Jack's house and offers a hint about who will next join the lineup (e.g., the muzzle and a hoof of the soon-to-arrive cow is visible at the edge of one illustration). While maintaining an appealing simplicity, Winter's illustrations reveal some diverting goings-on. With its rollicking, repetitive text and picture clues, this is a fine choice for youngsters just beginning to read on their own. Ages 3-6. (May)
Copyright 2000

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The House That Jack Built" is a story of a man named Jack and he decides to build a house on a hill. The as the story goes on more and more people and animals keep crowding into the house that Jack built. The major Conflict in the story is that the house starts to look crowded andthe reader will start to wonder, "Where will Jack fit?" This book was similar to a book i've read called "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." It is similar to that because of the way it is written. In the story, The first caricter is jack and as it goes on, every page adds a new character to the house that Jack built. I refered to Chapter two of our textbook and found out that this book is suitable for a child about two to seven years old. This would be considered the preoperational period. In this period, children learn to use symbols to represent ideas. That is exactly what this book does. It shows a picture with a label of what the picture is and then uses only the picture. This forces children to look at the picture and remember what the picture means. The story will only make sense if they are able to do that. I really liked this book. I thought it was really cute. I think it would be a really good book to read aloud to a group of children. Not only would it be a good read, but it is aso a good interactive book. The kids have to look at the pictures and use their memory to recall what each picture means.

[Shante' Polite]

Title: The House That Jack Built
Author: Jeanette Winter
Publisher and Date: Dial, 2000

Here is the story of Jack and his famous house as only award-winning artist Jeanette Winter could present it. The words of the classic nursery rhyme appear in a charming rebus puzzle, with added verses that place Jack's house on a hilltop. Witty paintings bursting with color and action show the satisfying havoc wreaked by the series of animal and human visitors who come up the hill. Young readers will delight in reciting the words of this cumulative rhyme that has entertained children for centuries. And with each turn of the page, they'll revel in the drama that unfolds in the lively and beautifully crafted art.

Activity: I could read the book the class when teaching about poetry. This book rhymes and builds on previous stated sentences. The repetition could help the students remember the words based on memory, and then associate the word when reading. This will also teach students about rhythm.

[Dynasty Zayas]

Here is the story of Jack and his famous house as only award-winning artist Jeanette Winter could present it. The words of the classic nursery rhyme appear in a charming rebus puzzle, with added verses that place Jack's house on a hilltop. Witty paintings bursting with color and action show the satisfying havoc wreaked by the series of animal and human visitors who come up the hill. Young readers will delight in reciting the words of this cumulative rhyme that has entertained children for centuries. And with each turn of the page, they'll revel in the drama that unfolds in the lively and beautifully crafted art.

Activity: I could read the book the class when teaching about poetry. This book rhymes and builds on previous stated sentences. The repetition could help the students remember the words based on memory, and then associate the word when reading. This will also teach students about rhythm.

[Kaitlyn Tankersley]

Here is the story of Jack and his famous house as only award-winning artist Jeanette Winter could present it. The words of the classic nursery rhyme appear in a charming rebus puzzle, with added verses that place Jack's house on a hilltop. Witty paintings bursting with color and action show the satisfying havoc wreaked by the series of animal and human visitors who come up the hill. Young readers will delight in reciting the words of this cumulative rhyme that has entertained children for centuries. And with each turn of the page, they'll revel in the drama that unfolds in the lively and beautifully crafted art. I could read the book the class when teaching about poetry. This book rhymes and builds on previous stated sentences. The repetition could help the students remember the words based on memory, and then associate the word when reading. This will also teach students about rhythm.

[Spencer Wanlass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winter, Jeanette. The House That Jack Built. New York: Dial for Young Readers, 2000. Print. Poetry. The House the Jack Built is about Jack who builds his house. That’s literally all it is. It’s a cumulative tale in which the line keeps building on it’s self. I wasn’t a huge fan of this story because it felt like it dragged, but that was the point and it wasn’t meant for The story brings the reader through all the steps of how Jack built his house. It’s a great story because of it’s repetitiveness in which kids love to recite rhymes, stories, and poems. This story will capture their attention and a great introduction for poems. I would read this in a kindergarten setting where kids are learning basic things and The House that Jack Built is great story that can do these things.

[Peacegal · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The House that Jack Built” was never really a favorite poem of mine.

It is kind of violent (the cat kills the rat, the cow tosses the dog with her horns). I guess each child will react differently to that based upon their sensitivity, but I always hated to hear about any story characters being hurt (especially if they were animals!)

(Vegan parents note: In this book, as well as all renditions of this 16th-century rhyme, the text contains the elements listed above as well as a maid who “milks the cow with the crumpled horn.”)

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Illustrated by the author. Read alone, there is nothing wrong with this book. The illustrations are cheery but not really impressive. The story is a classic cumulative tale. Compared to Simms Taback's version though, this one just seems SO boring. It does have words represented by pictures in the text though, so that might make it fun for kids who are wanting to read but can't yet. Overall, it was just fine, but nothing more than that.

[Betsy McElhannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. The House that Jack Built by Jeanette Winter
2. Awards: none for this book
3. Genre: Poetry
4. Setting: The house of Jack
5. I could read the book the class when teaching about poetry. This book rhymes and builds on previous stated sentences. The repetition could help the students remember the words based on memory, and then associate the word when reading. This will also teach students about rhythm.

[Nashiea Edmiston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nursery rhyme that is cumulative, or builds on itself, and the best part of it for me being that after introducing a word such as house or cat, it then shows an image of the house on the following page so that a child can read it using the images for the more difficult words. It will help beginner readers in that it uses repetition and rhyme along with the images. I would recommend this book for early elementary, K-2.

[↜ƈɦǟռ☂ɛℓℓɛ↝ · Rating 2 out of 5]

★★The House That Jack Built by Jeanette Winter

The is part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. It's a great program, but not all the books are. This ones ok, teaches kids memorization through repetition, but there is a lot of violence and killing in a book geared towards preschool kids.

[Agnes Mukoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published on March 24, 2003, and it is about a man named Jack who build a house on a hilltop. It is filled with rhymes, animal ,colors and humans with nice illustrations, repetitive text and picture clues. It is a fine choice for children as they read along with the picture. It promote social emotional and cognitive development.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very cute book that will really test the memory of a child (and an adult for that matter!!). I have read this one with both of my girls multiple times & they love seeing me get tripped up as the story goes on. Loads of fun for all!!
We were fortunate to receive this book for free through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.