Jack and the Beanstalk
Five little beans. One enormous beanstalk. And a brave adventure high above the clouds.
A story to read together
Jack and the Beanstalk
Take your time. Let the story unfold.
Long ago, Jack and his mother lived in a small cottage. They were poor, but they had one precious cow that gave them milk. One day, the cow stopped giving milk. Jack’s mother asked him to take her to the market and sell her so they could buy food.
Five little beans
On the road, Jack met a stranger who offered him five unusual beans for the cow. The stranger said they were magic. Jack believed him and made the trade.
When Jack reached home, his mother was upset. “We needed money for food,” she said. She tossed the beans out of the window. Jack felt sorry that he had made such an important choice without thinking it through.
That night, something extraordinary happened. By morning, a thick green beanstalk had grown beside the cottage. It stretched up, up and up until its leaves disappeared into the clouds.
A climb above the clouds
Jack was curious. He looked at the tall beanstalk and wondered where it led. He began to climb, holding each thick stem carefully. Higher and higher he went, until he reached a land above the clouds.
There he found a huge castle. Inside lived a giant. The giant’s wife saw Jack and kindly hid him before her husband came into the room.
“Fee, fi, fo, fum!” boomed the giant. “I smell someone in my home!” Jack held his breath and stayed very still.
The hen and the harp
The giant ate his dinner. Then he asked a golden hen to lay an egg, and it laid an egg that shone like gold. After that, he asked a harp to play. Its gentle music filled the castle, and soon the giant fell asleep.
Jack had never seen anything like it. He knew he should leave the castle, but he was tempted by the treasures. He quietly picked up the hen and the harp and hurried toward the beanstalk.
Back home, safe and sound
The harp suddenly began to sing. Its music woke the giant, who rushed after Jack. Jack climbed down as quickly as he could, while the giant followed behind.
When Jack reached the ground, he called for his mother. Together they brought an axe and chopped the beanstalk. It shook and fell across a soft, leafy hill. The giant landed safely, far from their cottage, and could not climb back up.
Jack and his mother were safe. The hen laid golden eggs, and the harp filled their little home with music. Jack learned that a brave adventure can be exciting, but important choices deserve careful thought.
The end
After the final page
There is no single right answer. Invite young readers to notice, wonder and imagine.
What did Jack trade for the five beans, and what grew from them?
Which of Jack’s choices was brave? Which one could have been safer or fairer?
If you could leave Jack one helpful note before he climbed, what would it say?
Make something: Draw a safe map from Jack’s cottage to the castle in the clouds, and mark one place where he should pause and think.
