Variations of Jack and the Beanstalk Books

Did you know that the original design of the Growing Book by Book theme and the name itself came from the book, Jack and the Beanstalk? It did! And, I can’t believe that it’s taken me a decade to do a book list of variations of Jack and the Beanstalk books for kids. So, today is the day. Let’s get climbing.

Jack and the Beanstalk Books

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Traditional Jack and the Beanstalk Books

Jack comes home with a bag of magic beans much to his mother’s dismay. Well, those beans grow into the largest beanstalk you have ever seen. So, Jack climbs that stalk and encounters a castle, a giant, and a golden fowl. And, when Jack returns, life is looking up. Read Jack and the Beanstalk by Paul Galdone.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi is one of my favorite picks for young listeners.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Mara Alperin has playful cartoonish type illustrations with the traditional story.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg has the classic illustrations that yell Steven Kellogg was here. The text is a bit longer in this traditional tale.

Variation of Jack and the Beanstalk Story

Jack and the Baked Beanstalk by Colin Stimpson is the story of a boy and his mother selling food from a food truck. Troubled times fall upon them and soon Jack finds himself accepting magic beans instead of the coffee beans his mother requested. Soon there is a baked beanstalk in his room and Jack climbs upward to find a friendly giant who is very giving. Jack and his friends return home with treasure and the giant even comes along a little unexpectedly.

Imagine jelly beans that tasted of french fries, melon, and even chocolate pudding. That’s what the giant eats in Jack and the Jelly Bean Stalk by Rachel Mortimer. Jack climbs a magic jelly beanstalk and makes a quick escape with the goose. Once home, there are no golden eggs but rather delicious speckled ones and lots of jellybeans for life.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Nina Crews feels a little dated but the illustrations are so interesting with the photography. Jack’s magic beans grow in the city and he climbs upward to find a giant, his wife, and a special hen. The twist here is that Jack breaks a spell and the giant and his wife return to land to be with their family.

Two fairy tales collide in Jack and the Three Bears by Turner. Turns out Little Bear and his family spot a beanstalk on their walk while the porridge cools and they meet Jack at the top. Will they be able to escape from the giant?

The narrator and Jack talk back and forth in It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk by Josh Funk. The narrator has Jack climbing the beanstalk but Jack is about to put a whole new spin on the story.

Instead of Jack, we have Kate in the Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pop Osborne and this version has some twists and turns. There is even a surprise twist ending. This one is a bit longer so I recommend it for kindergarteners and up.

Get ready to learn a little Spanish vocabulary in Paco and the Chile Plant by Keith Polette. Paco plants some chile seeds that grow and grow. Paco climbs and discovers la casa grande and a giant too.