The Thief and the Beanstalk: A
Further Tales Adventure by P. W.
Catanese
The Thief And The Beanstalk
Everyone knows the story of Jack and the beanstalk. Everyone also knows
that Jacks little adventure made him a very rich man. But what they dont
know is what happened a long time after Jack.... Thats where Nick comes
in. Orphaned and desperate, Nick joins a rugged band of thieves in hopes
of a warm meal and a little protection. In exchange Nick must help them
break into the lavish white castle rumored to belong to an old man named
Jack. Legend says its full of riches from Jacks quest up a magical
beanstalk decades ago. When Nicks dangerous mission leads him straight
to Jack, he sees a chance to climb the famed beanstalk himself. But what
Nick doesnt know is that things are different from when Jack made his
climb. There are new foes at the top now. Ones with cruel weapons and
foul plans -- plans that could destroy the world as Nick knows it. Will Nick
come down the beanstalk a hero? Will he come down at all?

Personal Review: The Thief and the Beanstalk: A Further Tales
Adventure by P. W. Catanese
I began reading this book to my kids, but soon my wife was coming in to
listen too. Then I sent copies so my brother and sister could read it to their
kids, and gave it to an English teacher and an adult friend. I guess you
could say that I liked this book.
I was always disturbed by the tail of Jack and the Beanstock, to which this
tale is the sequel to. Fairy tales are usually morality tails where the hero is
rewarded in the end and lives happily ever after. But Jack was not much
of a hero. He was a fool, a wastrel and a bugler, yet where the traditional
tale ends, Jack ends up wealthy and happy. What kind of story is that for
children?
(Spoiler Alert!!) In the continuation of the story Jack is an old man, wealthy,
generous, and respected, but within, he was deeply troubled by knowledge
of how he attained his wealth. A young thief appears in his home, and he
sees much of himself in the boy, and a chance to resolve his own guilt.
Rather than live with what he had done, he sends this young boy into
profound danger, and risks disaster for everyone in an attempt to gain
solace for his crime. But with this act we can see that for all his trapping of
dignity and his wallowing in self-loathing, Jack remains self absorbed,
irresponsible, and untransformed, even near the end of his lifetime.
The story centers around Nick, a young orphan in a time of plague and
famine taken into a gang of highwaymen and thieves as his only hope of
survival. Yet this young thief does become a hero, and in him we see the
development of character in the face of adversity that makes this a classic
tale.
While many other flawed characters in this book serve their own narrow
self interests, Nick who has lived the most deprived life of any of these
persons, inspires us with his choices. It is a well told and captivating story.
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