Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming

And an adventure story at that! What a fine gift.' Karas's gouache and pencil illustrations have a folksy quality and match the understated emotions conjured in Fleming's prose. When Jack explains to the royal (who's bored by the jewels she's received) what became of his present, she is delighted: 'A story!. He remains upbeat, even when only the berry remains-to which the princess is allergic. He trades for ingredients, giving a hen seed for two eggs and kissing a cow for a pail of milk, and tops his confection with the 'most succulent strawberry in the land.' Jack proudly sets off for the castle, but blackbirds, a troll, and a dancing bear devour parts of the cake. Too poor to buy a birthday gift for the princess, Jack decides to make her a cake.

The creators of Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! celebrate storytelling with a sparkling specimen of that very thing.

The conclusion-Jack’s story of his adventures is the best gift of all-sets the book up conveniently as an entrée to a discussion of favorite stories and best gifts, even if listeners secretly (or not so secretly) think the princess would rather have had that cake.By Grade + Interest - K to 1st By Grade + Interest - 2nd to 3rd By Grade + Interest - 4th to 5th Karas interprets this folkloric world through his own inimitable style there’s actually a touch of game landscape to Jack’s winding path through the neatly spaced obstructions, and his homey, rough-hewn style adds a touch of accessibility to the magical fairy-tale world and tapestry-hung palace. Its traditional structure provides rhythm and clarity, and audiences will enjoy the cameo appearances from lore favorites such as fourand- twenty blackbirds and a lone bridge troll. It’s a little hard that poor starving Jack deprives himself for a frippery and goes back to scarcity at the end, but otherwise this is an amiable folktale-modeled adventure. Unfortunately, on the long trip to the palace, he’s beset by birds, a troll, a dancing bear, and a hungry guard, each of whom take a portion of the cake, leaving Jack facing the princess emptyhanded- or so he thinks. He therefore makes a luscious cake, decorated and decked with candles, for the birthday girl. Jack may be poor, but he’s determined to join the other children of the realm at the princess’ tenth birthday party.

Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming