k-3 Wicked Jack is a mean character so he can keep people away. It is like he has the devil in him and does mean things just so he can be alone. I feel it turns very halloween with the scary theme and symbols. ( )

Wicked Jack was a man so mean that neither heaven nor hell would accept him. This folktale suggests that Jack is the namesake for Jack-O-Lanterns and is a cute story for halloween. Jack, to me, is the perfect example of "your deeds will follow you" and that is a great lesson for kids. Wicked Jack thought it so funny that he was so mean in life, and the negative effects of that followed him into death so he never found peace. He made bad decisions therefore his end was bad as well. I enjoyed the fact that the author had Jack laughing so much it would be hard for tiny kids to be super terrified of this book. As a kid I definitely wondered why Jack-O-Lanterns lit up and now i'll run with this story hehehe. ( )

"you, Jack, are meaner than a rattlesnake. But you bahaved right hospitable to me today so I'm going to give you three wishes as a reward."

As you might guess, mean old Jack wishes for three ways to keep people away and be just as mean as you'd imagine. He wishes that his rocking chair will keep rocking, that anyone who touches his sledgehammer will be stuck to it, and that anybody who touches the bush outside of his shop will be stuck in it until he shouts to be let go. Jack's an unusual character and these are certainly unusual wishes. Hilarity ensues when Jack grows old and the Devil sends for him.

Will HIllenbrand's illustrations glow like Jack's forge while strong line-work and shading contribute to a mean, sharp, but amusing characters. The scene is set with Jack's wishes and before the end of it you begin to feel a little sorry for the Devils who seem to have bitten off more than they can chew. It's an American Folktale, offering the best of the oral tradition. The dialogue is rich with quotations and the story is flanked by an explanatory message for the mysterious lights that can be found in marshes or swamps at night.

"And the light out over the swamp? Well, the scientific folk'll tell you it's marsh gas. But you and I know it's just old Wicked Jack a-wandering to and fro with his coal." I read this story out loud to a nine year old and a seven year old and they found just as much amusement in the slapstick illustrations as I did. While the Devils and the discussion of Heaven and Hell could prove too much for some, it comes from a tradition where the oral telling, with Appalachian Appeal, contributes so much more to a reader or listener's enjoyment. It's not too sweet and the feisty characters keep the lessons from hammering you over the head. ( )

Ok, the description is the spoiler. Well, it's a fun Halloween folktale anyway, recommended for fans of those stories in which clever people outwit Old Scratch. Jack's pranks are worth examining the illustrations to see in full. ( )

I had never heard of the Wicked Jack folktale from the South, so this book was not only fun, but enlightening. Quite frankly, I couldn't stop laughing. The illustrations by Will Hillenbrand are marvelous, with the portrayal of Jack being clever. This is a great story to help educate the young-uns about karma and how it will eventually come back to bite ya.


Book Season = Autumn (when mysterious lights flicker) ( )