About
Jack
The (Fairly) True Tale of Jack and the Beanstalk
This tale relates the story of Jack, who, after trading his mother's milk cow for magic beans, climbs a beanstalk to search for his missing father in the land of giants.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe Jack.
Page 1 — He’s 12 years old, constantly gets into trouble, wants adventure instead of working on the farm, named after his 7-greats-grandfather who, as legend says, was a giant killer
1
Why is it significant that dirt fell in Jack’s eyes?
Page 12 — It supported what Jaber said, if it starts raining dirt, Jack should run because the giants are coming into Jack’s world
12
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 14 — Giants came down from the sky and ravaged the farm, taking whatever they wanted; they also took Jack’s dad
14
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Describe the sight Jack saw in town.
Page 28 — The town was gone, desolate; the giants tore up the buildings and took everything and everyone
28
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Compare the events in this chapter to the real fairy tale. Are they similar?
Page 37 — Jack sold the cow to a peddler for magic beans; yes
37
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What did the author mean on page 46, “The seed has been planted and the idea was growing in her.”?
Page 46 — Jack’s mother was getting used to the idea that there may really be giants
46
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Why do you think the plants are all dying?
Page 58 — Listen to your child’s answer
58
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
List the dangers Jack needed to watch for in this chapter?
Page 64 — Wood with splinters and nails, hot wax, a cat, giant
64
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Describe Mum Martha.
Page 69 — Giantess who is kind and loving; has another little boy named Tom Thumb; treats the boys as her own; is happy to have them since her son grew up and moved away; is a cook for the king; works all day
69
Were you correct in your assumption of why the plants are dying? Why, or why not?
Page 74 — Listen to your child’s answer; there’s a famine in the land
74
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What world is Jack in and how do you know?
Page 85 — Red’s, Grump’s and Rump’s; the king has the same name, there are pixies and messenger gnomes
85
Describe Tom.
Page 87 — Fun; same age as Jack; likes the same things as Jack
87
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
What did Jack learn in this chapter?
Page 95 — The queen’s brothers come down to his world to steal food, animals, people and buildings; Jack’s father might be with them
95
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Describe Bruno.
Page 106 — Giant; Sir Bluberys is teaching him how to be brave; one of the giants that goes to Jack’s world; Bruno doesn’t like stealing food from the elves; afraid of pixies; has a big brother whose mean to him
106
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What did Jack learn in this chapter?
Page 125 — His father is alive and just left in a shoe to the castle
125
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
How did the cobbler’s elves treat Jack? Why?
Page 130 — Like a prisoner; they wouldn’t let him leave the table; they feared he would die
130
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 137 — Jack found that Annabella climbed the bean stalk; he agreed that she could stay in the giant world; as they made their way up the road toward the castle a giant toad caught her with its tongue and carried her off
137
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
How did Jack and Annabella escape the toad?
Page 153 — The toad jumped after a fish and Bells jumped into the water; Jack grabbed her skirt and pulled her to him; they covered themselves with leaves and dead grass until the toad left
153
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Describe Annabella.
Page 158 — She’s 4 years younger than Jack; friendly and helpful; knows how to take care of Jack; smart and wise; thinks quickly in difficult situations
158
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
How did Jack get into the castle?
Page 174 — He hopped onto a wagon wheel that took him to the castle; he hopped onto Bruno and Frederick’s wagon that took him inside
174
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
Why did Tom get upset when Jack accused him of not caring about his dad?
Page 193 — He did care; Tom hasn’t talked about his dad; we’re not sure what happened to him
193
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
What convinced Queen Opal to help the elves?
Page 202 — She told them her story and she felt bad they had lost their father
202
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
Define kindling.
Page 218 — Small sticks or twigs used for starting a fire
218
How is the king going to punish Tom and Jack?
Page 218 — Use them as kindling
218
Chapter 21
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 219 — Jack and Tom were thrown into the dungeon to smash the gold eggs and make them into coins; when the king lifted up the coins, he threw down food and Jack found his father by fighting over an apple
219
Chapter 22
Comprehension questions
Describe King Barf.
Page 236 — His full name is King Bartholomew Archibald Reginald Fife; very selfish, very greedy, only cares about gold, doesn’t care about his queen or child, mean, angry
236
Chapter 23
Comprehension questions
How is Jack like his grandpa in this chapter?
Page 244 — He noticed the small things, the seeds; he figured out the yolks in the golden eggs were seeds
244
Chapter 24
Comprehension questions
Why didn’t anyone believe Sir Bluberys?
Page 250 — The things he said weren’t always believable
250
Predict Jack’s plan to save the two worlds.
Page 260 — Listen to your child’s answer.
260
Chapter 25
Comprehension questions
Were you correct in your prediction? What did Jack do?
Page 270 — Stole the chicken, but now he needs to deal with King Barf
270
Chapter 26
Comprehension questions
How did Jack defeat King Barf?
Encouraged him to eat the golden eggs; because of the seeds in the golden eggs, plants grew inside and out of him 277
Chapter 27
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 285 — Tommy is reunited with his father, Jaber
285
Epilogue
Comprehension questions
How did Jack grow in this story?
Listen to your child’s answer; matured, realized that his family was important to him, realized that his sister has specific strengths that he doesn’t have
Downloads
All the book’s resources, or just the ones you need, ready to read or print.
Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
