From a review that included the Spanish translation of my Jack and the Beanstalk retelling.
“Stone Arch has put its best foot forward with this new line of graphic novel adaptations of fairy tales, books that succeed on every front . . . The translations are also strong, with natural word choice and dialogue that pays [...]
“I have to admit this book cracked me up. Eek & Ack travel to earth in their spaceship - that really looks like a washing machine - to discover why it is so hard to conquer. Their disguises are hilarious - one wearing a tutu and the other in a hooded robe of sorts. They [...]
“A great retelling of the famous myth in graphic novel format. . . . Definitely a fun story for kids to read about and a great way to learn about mythology.
—Bookworming in the 21st Century
And great timing on this review. I just learned that Stone Arch Books will be creating an interactive version of Perseus [...]
“The small town of Tarry has a new schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane. As he adjusts to his post, he hears rumors that a terrifying headless horseman is on the loose in the nearby valley. Crane, being a superstitious fellow, must face his fears as he crosses creepy Sleepy Hollow in search of beautiful Katrina, his [...]
“This retelling of the famous Greek myth is quite complete in its details, including parts of the story not always included in children’s versions, such as the Gorgons, which frequently get dropped. But I was most impressed with the inclusion of the side story of Perseus’s return journey home, including his saving of Andromeda before [...]
“Eek & acK vs the Wolfman is more comedy than horror with just enough monster goodness to tickle a child’s fancy but not enough to give anyone the slightest nightmare. I laughed throughout the book and constantly thought of the kids at my school and how they would really dig this book. The girls and [...]
“Aliens Eek and Ack want to find out why Earth is so hard to conquer. They dress up in “traditional Earthling costumes” and arrive on the planet during a meteor shower, a perfect disguise for their landing. They do not realize that it is Halloween or that the Wolfman is on the loose. Harpster’s characters [...]
“Eek & Ack are two aliens who fly around in a spaceship which looks suspiciously like a washing machine. They decide to visit Earth to find out why it is so hard to conquer. They arrive on Halloween night dressed in costume with funny results but eventually meet up with a Wolfman who has also [...]
“It’s “Fee Fie Foh Fum” when Jack runs smack into the beanstalk upon waking. Later a huge “rumble” spreads across the page when the giant enters the room. Large panels, easy-to-read speech balloons, and a muted full-color palette craft an effective retelling.”
—School Library Journal
“The graphic novel, Jack and the Beanstalk, is about a boy who gets magical beans and they grow into a beanstalk. Jack goes on an adventure finding out about the giant and getting back his family’s things that the giant stole. The pictures in the book are comic book style. This is a great book! [...]
