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A review by books_n_pickles
Fearsome Giant, Fearless Child: A Worldwide Jack and the Beanstalk Story by Paul Fleischman
2.0
Doesn't quite live up to the delight that is [b:Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella|690483|Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal A Worldwide Cinderella|Paul Fleischman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1317066259l/690483._SX50_.jpg|676828]. I suspect that Fleischman wanted to create a boy-oriented equivalent for those who won't buy "princess" stories for boys, and as a result this tale feels a little more cobbled together than GSGS.
I was particularly thrown twice: first, when some of the "fearless child"'s siblings popped into the story apparently along for the ride instead of waiting back home for the child's triumphant return--I even checked to be sure I hadn't missed a page; and second, at the end when a princess mentioned nowhere else wishes for an inch-tall character to become average-height, implying a romantic ending that doesn't quite fit with the "child" theme.
It was also a little disappointing that "fearless child" is genderless and the introduction mentions "Molly Whuppie", but there didn't seem to be a girl child in the mix. Granted, there's no reason why most of the children pictured couldn't just as easily be boys as girls, but that does require a bit more imagination.
Paschkis's illustrations are, as always, absolutely stunning. I wish I had my copy of GSGS with me for comparison, but it looks like she again looked to the local cultures of the stories for inspiration. This works better with the versions of the stories not set in northern and central Europe, which have more distinct styles and settings than, say, England, France, Germany, and Denmark do. Perhaps true to its melting pot/tossed salad nature, the full-page spread inspired by a U.S. version of the story looks more like a mix of a couple styles than anything really distinct. I guess I should count my blessings that the page wasn't nationalistic red-white-and-blue!
A decent story and a beautiful book, but not one I feel compelled to save for my fairy tale picture book collection.
I was particularly thrown twice: first, when some of the "fearless child"'s siblings popped into the story apparently along for the ride instead of waiting back home for the child's triumphant return--I even checked to be sure I hadn't missed a page; and second, at the end when a princess mentioned nowhere else wishes for an inch-tall character to become average-height, implying a romantic ending that doesn't quite fit with the "child" theme.
It was also a little disappointing that "fearless child" is genderless and the introduction mentions "Molly Whuppie", but there didn't seem to be a girl child in the mix. Granted, there's no reason why most of the children pictured couldn't just as easily be boys as girls, but that does require a bit more imagination.
Paschkis's illustrations are, as always, absolutely stunning. I wish I had my copy of GSGS with me for comparison, but it looks like she again looked to the local cultures of the stories for inspiration. This works better with the versions of the stories not set in northern and central Europe, which have more distinct styles and settings than, say, England, France, Germany, and Denmark do. Perhaps true to its melting pot/tossed salad nature, the full-page spread inspired by a U.S. version of the story looks more like a mix of a couple styles than anything really distinct. I guess I should count my blessings that the page wasn't nationalistic red-white-and-blue!
A decent story and a beautiful book, but not one I feel compelled to save for my fairy tale picture book collection.