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Mighty Jack #1
Mighty Jack
Jack might be the only kid in the world who's dreading summer. But he's got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to watch his autistic kid sister, Maddy. It's a lot of responsibility, and it's boring, too, because Maddy doesn't talk. Ever. But then, one day at the flea market, Maddy does talk—to tell Jack to trade their mom's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It's the best mistake Jack has ever made.
What starts as a normal little garden out back behind the house quickly grows up into a wild, magical jungle with tiny onion babies running amok, huge, pink pumpkins that bite, and, on one moonlit night that changes everything…a dragon.
What starts as a normal little garden out back behind the house quickly grows up into a wild, magical jungle with tiny onion babies running amok, huge, pink pumpkins that bite, and, on one moonlit night that changes everything…a dragon.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2016
193 people are currently reading
4819 people want to read
About the author
Ben Hatke
23Ìýbooks1,195ÌýfollowersBen Hatke is an author and illustrator of graphic novels and picture books. Most notably he is the creator of the Zita the Spacegirl graphic novel series.
He posts art and stories online at:
He posts art and stories online at:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 814 reviews
September 30, 2018
Ben Hatke has written some of my older son's favorite comics.
While that's high praise of sorts, it doesn't really do his work justice. I also really enjoy the comics Ben writes. They're good stuff. And maybe most important of all, I'm delighted for my boy to read them, given that they're... well... for lack of a better word, healthy.
By this I mean that they're full of good things. People loving each other. Children being honest to their parents. Bravery. Kindness. Thoughtfulness.
And that's all on top of the fact that they're *really* good stories. Full of mystery, magic, adventure, good characters, drama, good worldbuilding, etc.
But yeah. Highly recommended, and doubly recommended if you have a kid.
While that's high praise of sorts, it doesn't really do his work justice. I also really enjoy the comics Ben writes. They're good stuff. And maybe most important of all, I'm delighted for my boy to read them, given that they're... well... for lack of a better word, healthy.
By this I mean that they're full of good things. People loving each other. Children being honest to their parents. Bravery. Kindness. Thoughtfulness.
And that's all on top of the fact that they're *really* good stories. Full of mystery, magic, adventure, good characters, drama, good worldbuilding, etc.
But yeah. Highly recommended, and doubly recommended if you have a kid.
July 24, 2017
Mighty Jack is a new graphic novel series for children, including tweens, by the author of the popular Zita the Spacegirl series. I think you can expect this one will be popular, too. Based on the familiar Jack and the Beanstalk story, focused on Jack’s finding his strength by facing monsters, this version has Jack with a single mother working two jobs, both days and evenings, and Jack having to take care of his autistic sister Maddy. Jack takes Maddy to a fair, loses her for a time, and makes an (improbable) exchange (replacing the cow from the original story!) of his mother’s car keys for a box of seeds. As Mom tells him (and anyone can see), she needs him to grow up a little bit and be better at helping out.
The fun begins, as you might suspect, when some of the seeds get planted, and it is clear from the start that this garden (oh, yes, not a beanstalk, here) is not paradise. Home-schooled neighbor Lily gets involved in the fray, teaching Jack swordplay (role reversal, yay) but it’s not entirely if she is a great friend or not in this enterprise. But she tells him, not all dangerous things are evil. So we’ll see about that. There’s more danger than safety in this first volume, just to say.
Some Zita characters show up, so that’s fun. Swords are wielded, genres are bended, we have Maddy, who typically never speaks, who speaks to Jack about the seeds, and she seems to have some special knowledge about this seed/garden world. Still, she makes a mistake in planting a seed near the end of this volume that creates. . . a cliffhanger.
Overall, the art is great, the story okay, from my perspective, but all the 10-12 year olds in my house thought it was great, which kicks my 3.5 rating up to a 4.
The fun begins, as you might suspect, when some of the seeds get planted, and it is clear from the start that this garden (oh, yes, not a beanstalk, here) is not paradise. Home-schooled neighbor Lily gets involved in the fray, teaching Jack swordplay (role reversal, yay) but it’s not entirely if she is a great friend or not in this enterprise. But she tells him, not all dangerous things are evil. So we’ll see about that. There’s more danger than safety in this first volume, just to say.
Some Zita characters show up, so that’s fun. Swords are wielded, genres are bended, we have Maddy, who typically never speaks, who speaks to Jack about the seeds, and she seems to have some special knowledge about this seed/garden world. Still, she makes a mistake in planting a seed near the end of this volume that creates. . . a cliffhanger.
Overall, the art is great, the story okay, from my perspective, but all the 10-12 year olds in my house thought it was great, which kicks my 3.5 rating up to a 4.
first-second-publications
September 6, 2016This is the start of yet another amazing series by the wonderful Ben Hatke!
Mighty Jack is vivid and sensitive modern-day graphic novel retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. It's Ben Hatke's best yet—and if you think we say that often, it's because Ben Hatke's works grow increasingly more awesome every time! We are very proud of Mighty Jack and hope that the readers come to love it as much as we do.
Mighty Jack is vivid and sensitive modern-day graphic novel retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. It's Ben Hatke's best yet—and if you think we say that often, it's because Ben Hatke's works grow increasingly more awesome every time! We are very proud of Mighty Jack and hope that the readers come to love it as much as we do.
October 8, 2016
This review was part of a blog tour in which I also talked about my 2 favorite fairy tale adaptations, so if you'd like to hear me gush about those, make sure to
Mighty Jack is a retelling of one of my "problem" fairy tales, Jack and the Beanstalk. Like all kids, I loved this tale as a kid, because it frankly doesn't get much more silly or whimsical than this (in mainstream fairy tales, at least). THAT SAID, even as a kid, Jack really bothered me. REALLYÌýbothered me. I mean, selling the cow for beans is bad enough (you fool!), but repeatedly breaking into a giant's house and stealing his ish is a whole other level â€� and then Jack has THE NERVE to kill the giant over it! And is considered a hero!
That's messed up.
So Jack and the BeanstalkÌýhas never sat right with me, even though I still kinda love it. (It's iconic!)
But a Ben Hatke retelling of the story. . . now that's something I can get behind. Hatke interprets the tale in very clever modern ways, but the smartest thing he's done is to capitalize on the whimsy while also giving Jack a lot of heart. He's not the thoughtless, foolish, selfish boy of the original, but a caring, compassionate and only-sometimes-foolish brother, son, and friend. Circumstances (and beans. Lots of beans) conspire against him to make him seemÌýthoughtless, when really he's trying so hard, and has so much weight on his young shoulders, and it makes for such an engaging and sympathetic take on the character. He's a young kid who genuinely cares for and is trying to protect his overworked mother and autistic sister, and he kinda keeps drawing the short strawâ€� mostly due to magic beans. (Of all kinds. Hand-beans that throw things at you. Beans that explode. Beans that want to eat you...)
One of my favorite things about Hatke's stories is the amazing female characters he creates. I'd imagine it's in large part due to the gaggle of fierce, creative, amazing daughters he has, but whatever the reason, these are the types of stories and characters I longed for (and struggled to find) as a kid. Of course, his characters are great across the board, always; it's one of the things he excels at, and one of the reasons I love his stories so. And he always gets me with those damn quirky, should-be-inanimate characters. Rocks. Robots. An onion/turnip/mandrake thingy that, okay, I don't even know what is this or why, but I love it and I want one.
(But a not-probably-evil one. A Gizmo, not a gremlin.)
And of course, the art is fantastic. The line work is delicate and fantastical, the coloring soft and dreamy, and all of it expressive and clean and beautiful. I've never, in any of Hatke's books, had a single complaint about the art or his ability to craft a story. (And fans of the Zita series might see a familiar face or two...)
Also, it's really funny; did I mention that it was really funny?
And that's probably all I should say, other than: you should definitely pick this up. If you're a fairy tale fan, pick it up. If you're a Ben Hatke fan, pick it up. If you're a comic and graphic novel fan, pick it up. If you have kids (in your classroom; visiting your library; expelled from your uterus), pick it up and read it with them. It has the heart and the art I've come to associate with Ben Hatke, and both of things are all you really need to know to know it's going to be good.
And I'll just be over here, *patiently* waiting for book 2.
...and, err... Sorry for all of the ellipses and parentheses and em-dashes and run-ons... I ramble when I talk about fairy tales and things I like.
Mighty Jack is a retelling of one of my "problem" fairy tales, Jack and the Beanstalk. Like all kids, I loved this tale as a kid, because it frankly doesn't get much more silly or whimsical than this (in mainstream fairy tales, at least). THAT SAID, even as a kid, Jack really bothered me. REALLYÌýbothered me. I mean, selling the cow for beans is bad enough (you fool!), but repeatedly breaking into a giant's house and stealing his ish is a whole other level â€� and then Jack has THE NERVE to kill the giant over it! And is considered a hero!
That's messed up.
So Jack and the BeanstalkÌýhas never sat right with me, even though I still kinda love it. (It's iconic!)
But a Ben Hatke retelling of the story. . . now that's something I can get behind. Hatke interprets the tale in very clever modern ways, but the smartest thing he's done is to capitalize on the whimsy while also giving Jack a lot of heart. He's not the thoughtless, foolish, selfish boy of the original, but a caring, compassionate and only-sometimes-foolish brother, son, and friend. Circumstances (and beans. Lots of beans) conspire against him to make him seemÌýthoughtless, when really he's trying so hard, and has so much weight on his young shoulders, and it makes for such an engaging and sympathetic take on the character. He's a young kid who genuinely cares for and is trying to protect his overworked mother and autistic sister, and he kinda keeps drawing the short strawâ€� mostly due to magic beans. (Of all kinds. Hand-beans that throw things at you. Beans that explode. Beans that want to eat you...)
One of my favorite things about Hatke's stories is the amazing female characters he creates. I'd imagine it's in large part due to the gaggle of fierce, creative, amazing daughters he has, but whatever the reason, these are the types of stories and characters I longed for (and struggled to find) as a kid. Of course, his characters are great across the board, always; it's one of the things he excels at, and one of the reasons I love his stories so. And he always gets me with those damn quirky, should-be-inanimate characters. Rocks. Robots. An onion/turnip/mandrake thingy that, okay, I don't even know what is this or why, but I love it and I want one.
(But a not-probably-evil one. A Gizmo, not a gremlin.)
And of course, the art is fantastic. The line work is delicate and fantastical, the coloring soft and dreamy, and all of it expressive and clean and beautiful. I've never, in any of Hatke's books, had a single complaint about the art or his ability to craft a story. (And fans of the Zita series might see a familiar face or two...)
Also, it's really funny; did I mention that it was really funny?
And that's probably all I should say, other than: you should definitely pick this up. If you're a fairy tale fan, pick it up. If you're a Ben Hatke fan, pick it up. If you're a comic and graphic novel fan, pick it up. If you have kids (in your classroom; visiting your library; expelled from your uterus), pick it up and read it with them. It has the heart and the art I've come to associate with Ben Hatke, and both of things are all you really need to know to know it's going to be good.
And I'll just be over here, *patiently* waiting for book 2.
...and, err... Sorry for all of the ellipses and parentheses and em-dashes and run-ons... I ramble when I talk about fairy tales and things I like.
March 11, 2021
So far everything I've read by Ben Hatke has been incredible. This one has all the heart, art, and magic that I look for in his work. My kid didn't really understand the teenager emotion drama (There's really not too much of that) but was still totally hooked.
August 7, 2017
Mighty Jack is a bit light on plot � I felt like it ended right as it got going � but its beautiful, simple artwork, tantalizing world-building, and delightful characters and relationships do a great job of making up for it.
I don’t love this one quite as much as Zita the Spacegirl, but where Zita is more fantastic, Mighty Jack remains grounded in real life. I think Hatke deserves a whole lot of credit for dealing with some really sensitive topics in a middle grade book.
Read more of my reviews (plus cat pics!) on .
I don’t love this one quite as much as Zita the Spacegirl, but where Zita is more fantastic, Mighty Jack remains grounded in real life. I think Hatke deserves a whole lot of credit for dealing with some really sensitive topics in a middle grade book.
Read more of my reviews (plus cat pics!) on .
May 27, 2019
Very well put together. This story draws on elements of magic, reality, and bravery...a perfect combination for a plot! Jack and his girlfriend Lilly are doing their best to protect their home from forces they can barely understand, much less control. A very very nice graphic novel!
November 29, 2017
Professional-voiced review:
This garden is out of control! Jack and his sister, Maddy, procure seeds from a mysterious vendor at a flea market. Soon, they find themselves battling carnivorous vegetation with their new friend, sword-wielding Lilly. Hatke is known for his blockbuster series, “Zita the Spacegirl,� and here, he introduces a new family and epic adventure set in the same universe as Zita. There are several crossover characters from the Zita stories, and the ending of this first volume leads the reader to expect more familiar faces or places. The plot also borrows some elements from the classic fairytale “Jack and the Beanstalk.� Maddy is autistic, introducing a welcome ability-diverse character to Hatke’s universe. Though an astute reader might wish for more visible or cultural diversity, there is potential for improvement in this area in future volumes. This is the first time Hatke has depended upon colorists for an entire published work, but his previous quality level is sustained, and readers will not notice any lack of continuity in his aesthetic. He varies his panel and page layout, ensures the story is well-paced and easy to follow, and keeps his characters distinct. A surefire hit with fans of Hatke’s oeuvre, and heartily recommended for all libraries serving children, teens, or a general audience.
Less-so/Other stuff:
Single-parent families, SCA/reenactment-type groups, J romance, female-identified people teaching male-identified people how to sword fight, superpowered plants with moral nuance, scifi/fantasy questionmark, necessity of lying bc the truth is unbelievable, genrebending, sagas, parent/child conflict, epics, financial woes, giant snails, dragons apparently made of plant matter tho I totally didn't catch that till someone pointed it out.
I follow both Hatke and his wife, Anna, on Instagram, and there's a lot of this book that seems ripped straight from their lives. The house looks kinda like theirs, the characters look like their family, the ancient weapons in modern setting thing is straight from his world. That's another reason the white white whiteness didn't bug me as much as it might in other authors/books - the characters are a straight-up tribute to his wife/the characters of Jack and Lilly are very very much modeled on them. And Maddy is Jack's sister, so there wasn't a lot of room for varying skin tones in those three core characters.
Although.
Maybe....
Hmm....
That might be a thing nuanced/astute/WNDB readers might discuss.
Anyway, this is great. From my perspective.
But feel free to fix my ignorance, if we've got any on our hands.
This garden is out of control! Jack and his sister, Maddy, procure seeds from a mysterious vendor at a flea market. Soon, they find themselves battling carnivorous vegetation with their new friend, sword-wielding Lilly. Hatke is known for his blockbuster series, “Zita the Spacegirl,� and here, he introduces a new family and epic adventure set in the same universe as Zita. There are several crossover characters from the Zita stories, and the ending of this first volume leads the reader to expect more familiar faces or places. The plot also borrows some elements from the classic fairytale “Jack and the Beanstalk.� Maddy is autistic, introducing a welcome ability-diverse character to Hatke’s universe. Though an astute reader might wish for more visible or cultural diversity, there is potential for improvement in this area in future volumes. This is the first time Hatke has depended upon colorists for an entire published work, but his previous quality level is sustained, and readers will not notice any lack of continuity in his aesthetic. He varies his panel and page layout, ensures the story is well-paced and easy to follow, and keeps his characters distinct. A surefire hit with fans of Hatke’s oeuvre, and heartily recommended for all libraries serving children, teens, or a general audience.
Less-so/Other stuff:
Single-parent families, SCA/reenactment-type groups, J romance, female-identified people teaching male-identified people how to sword fight, superpowered plants with moral nuance, scifi/fantasy questionmark, necessity of lying bc the truth is unbelievable, genrebending, sagas, parent/child conflict, epics, financial woes, giant snails, dragons apparently made of plant matter tho I totally didn't catch that till someone pointed it out.
I follow both Hatke and his wife, Anna, on Instagram, and there's a lot of this book that seems ripped straight from their lives. The house looks kinda like theirs, the characters look like their family, the ancient weapons in modern setting thing is straight from his world. That's another reason the white white whiteness didn't bug me as much as it might in other authors/books - the characters are a straight-up tribute to his wife/the characters of Jack and Lilly are very very much modeled on them. And Maddy is Jack's sister, so there wasn't a lot of room for varying skin tones in those three core characters.
Although.
Maybe....
Hmm....
That might be a thing nuanced/astute/WNDB readers might discuss.
Anyway, this is great. From my perspective.
But feel free to fix my ignorance, if we've got any on our hands.
August 18, 2016
This was SOOO good! Adventure, family, relationships, magic, mystery...it's all there in this graphic novel. Kids are going to love this one! I guarantee this would be passed around student to student in my classroom and not be on the shelf again until the end of the year. I only wish I could read the next one already!!
February 6, 2018
A fun retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, in a graphic novel format, with a pleasant art, modern new ideas and some nice diversity in the cast.
I didn't think I'd enjoy this one so much. The story was interesting, I liked this peculiar family with its single mom and its autistic kiddo. You don't see that often in books and especially in graphic novels. Jack was likable, I enjoyed to see his relationship with his sister in various situations, it showed well that you can have warm relationships/interactions when you are different from one other. The gardening part and the paranormal stuff associated was really pleasant to discover, with some very lively art and nice designs, even if the fight scenes were a little tiresome after a moment. I was thrilled to see several characters from Hatke's other series, liked almost all the cast of Mighty Jack, but really couldn't deal with Lilly (I found her, at best, annoying and rude). Overall, always a pleasure for the eyes to enter another Hatke's work and I appreciated again he's way to tell a story. I'm looking forward to read the sequel.
I didn't think I'd enjoy this one so much. The story was interesting, I liked this peculiar family with its single mom and its autistic kiddo. You don't see that often in books and especially in graphic novels. Jack was likable, I enjoyed to see his relationship with his sister in various situations, it showed well that you can have warm relationships/interactions when you are different from one other. The gardening part and the paranormal stuff associated was really pleasant to discover, with some very lively art and nice designs, even if the fight scenes were a little tiresome after a moment. I was thrilled to see several characters from Hatke's other series, liked almost all the cast of Mighty Jack, but really couldn't deal with Lilly (I found her, at best, annoying and rude). Overall, always a pleasure for the eyes to enter another Hatke's work and I appreciated again he's way to tell a story. I'm looking forward to read the sequel.
October 2, 2016
My son and I read this separately and both enjoyed it. He immediately asked for the next book in the series. The illustrations are bright and delightfully evocative, the story moves along briskly, and the heavy burdens on Jack's shoulders are dealt with respectfully and delicately. It's great seeing an autistic main character. Also, as a homeschool family, I love seeing a homeschooled character.
We checked this out from the library but will be buying our own copy, and I've added the series to my watch list so that we can get the next book as soon as it comes out. I might let my kid read the next book first.
Maybe.
We checked this out from the library but will be buying our own copy, and I've added the series to my watch list so that we can get the next book as soon as it comes out. I might let my kid read the next book first.
Maybe.
May 20, 2021
Jack hates summer. He ends up having to watch his autistic sister, Maddy, while his mom works a second job.
The awkwardness of tween years emerges like the mysterious, bizarre and magical garden that Jack, Maddy, and their sword-wielding neighbor, Lilly bring about, growing as individuals as the magic plants do.
What begins as the fairytale of Jack we all know so well, takes a dive into the gardening element with Onion Babies, biting pink pumpkins, and a vine-infused dragon.....
Enjoy the action, awkwardness, and family dynamics of this easy-to-read, fast-paced middle-grade/reluctant reader graphic novel. Great colorful illustrations!
You want something familiar but...NOT AT ALL. Find the hero in you...Check out Mighty Jack!
The awkwardness of tween years emerges like the mysterious, bizarre and magical garden that Jack, Maddy, and their sword-wielding neighbor, Lilly bring about, growing as individuals as the magic plants do.
What begins as the fairytale of Jack we all know so well, takes a dive into the gardening element with Onion Babies, biting pink pumpkins, and a vine-infused dragon.....
Enjoy the action, awkwardness, and family dynamics of this easy-to-read, fast-paced middle-grade/reluctant reader graphic novel. Great colorful illustrations!
You want something familiar but...NOT AT ALL. Find the hero in you...Check out Mighty Jack!
March 22, 2018
Graphic novels are not my favorite genre to read but, in the book there was a good mix between fantasy and adventure which was amusing to read. The illustrations in the book clearly described how the characters were feeling and how they interacted with each other. All and all this was a good book. I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure, fantasy, and action... or someone who is looking for a quick read.
September 20, 2016
NOOOOO!!!!! I need the next book right now!!! I really, really, really liked this graphic novel! When is the next one?????? I NEED it!!! Great story, awesome pics...I want a big print of the dragon...it's gorgeous!!!!! (Okay, I'll admit it. I took a picture of the dragon page and set it as my phone's wallpaper. I couldn't help myself! LOL!!!)
December 23, 2016
Great new series by one of my favorite graphic novelists. The characters all have great depth, the Jack in the Beanstalk tie-in is modern and believable, and there's a GREAT (grrr...) cliffhanger at the end of book one!
September 17, 2023
So perfect.
September 21, 2016
As soon as this one came in yesterday I went to reading it, I just had to, I have wanted the book since it got announced!
And did I like it? Oh yes I did, though I absolutely despised the ending. I already had a niggling feeling that it would get a sequel (with how the story pans out, and how you see things escalated but the pages kept dwindling), but I just kept hoping I was wrong. :(
But other than that I just adored the story. It is not only a story about a magical garden, about dragons, about monsters, but it is also a story with a hint of sadness. Jack's mom working overtime just to be able to provide for her kids, Jack's sister Maddy not saying anything and acting way belong her age. I did love the contrast though, and with all this I can imagine why Jack might act the way he did in the book (he was at times a grumpy teenager).
The garden was really interesting, though I wouldn't want one. No thank you. Not that I have a place for a garden (I live high up), but if I had one, I will just go for cute little flowers and not deadly monsters of doom. No thank you. :P Those big snails really are a big no-no.
I am still curious as to why Jack was chosen to get the garden (or actually his sister Maddy was). I do hope we get some more answers in the next book.
I also loved the cameos that happened in the book. :P
Lily/Lilly, I am still not sure what to think of her. At times I really liked her, but at other times I just wanted to throw her for some deadly plant in the garden. I didn't like what she did (with the garden), and how she acted even when stuff really got dangerous. But I did like her sword-fighting, and how she helped Jack with Maddy. I also love her bravery.
Jack was a great character, even with (as I said) his grumpiness. But he was also a terrific guy, a great brother. Always there for his sister, trying to help her out, trying to get her to eat, to talk. He doesn't give up.
Maddy, I am still not sure about the character. Maybe if I had gotten more information on her, maybe if I knew what was going on with her, for now I was mostly annoyed with her baby-ish character and the fact she never talked.
The art is of course fabulous. :)
All in all, I would definitely recommend this one, though I do wish the second book will be out soon. :P
Review first posted at
And did I like it? Oh yes I did, though I absolutely despised the ending. I already had a niggling feeling that it would get a sequel (with how the story pans out, and how you see things escalated but the pages kept dwindling), but I just kept hoping I was wrong. :(
But other than that I just adored the story. It is not only a story about a magical garden, about dragons, about monsters, but it is also a story with a hint of sadness. Jack's mom working overtime just to be able to provide for her kids, Jack's sister Maddy not saying anything and acting way belong her age. I did love the contrast though, and with all this I can imagine why Jack might act the way he did in the book (he was at times a grumpy teenager).
The garden was really interesting, though I wouldn't want one. No thank you. Not that I have a place for a garden (I live high up), but if I had one, I will just go for cute little flowers and not deadly monsters of doom. No thank you. :P Those big snails really are a big no-no.
I am still curious as to why Jack was chosen to get the garden (or actually his sister Maddy was). I do hope we get some more answers in the next book.
I also loved the cameos that happened in the book. :P
Lily/Lilly, I am still not sure what to think of her. At times I really liked her, but at other times I just wanted to throw her for some deadly plant in the garden. I didn't like what she did (with the garden), and how she acted even when stuff really got dangerous. But I did like her sword-fighting, and how she helped Jack with Maddy. I also love her bravery.
Jack was a great character, even with (as I said) his grumpiness. But he was also a terrific guy, a great brother. Always there for his sister, trying to help her out, trying to get her to eat, to talk. He doesn't give up.
Maddy, I am still not sure about the character. Maybe if I had gotten more information on her, maybe if I knew what was going on with her, for now I was mostly annoyed with her baby-ish character and the fact she never talked.
The art is of course fabulous. :)
All in all, I would definitely recommend this one, though I do wish the second book will be out soon. :P
Review first posted at
November 13, 2018
It's summer, and Jack has big plans. Unfortunately, whatever plans he had are put on hold as he's tasked with watching Maddy, his younger, autistic sister while his single mom works two jobs to keep them afloat. One day at the flea market, Jack sells his mom's car for a bunch of mysterious seeds. Why would he do that? Well his usually uncommunicative sister suddenly told him to do it. He's rightly astonished, and it makes him do this foolish thing.
I won't spoil what happens, but know that they end up planting those beans, and they become a magical garden full of wonder and mystery and danger. Jack, his sister, and an enigmatic and headstrong neighbor named Lilly have to figure out what's happening, and grow a little along the way.
The characters are great--real, vulnerable, truthful. And the artwork, while simple, is simply terrific. It's evocative, colorful, and never had me wondering what was happening. One of my favorite affectations of author Ben Hatke is that he uses words as visual descriptions on the frame. When Maddy grabs Jack he writes "Grab!" in big letters. When Lilly picks a fruit, he writes "Pick!" And another time we see "Shove" and know just what's happening. It's a simple and effective way to convey action.
When this book ends, you'll be glad the next book is already out. I wager you'll want to find out what happened as much as I did. Mighty Jack is mighty good.
I won't spoil what happens, but know that they end up planting those beans, and they become a magical garden full of wonder and mystery and danger. Jack, his sister, and an enigmatic and headstrong neighbor named Lilly have to figure out what's happening, and grow a little along the way.
The characters are great--real, vulnerable, truthful. And the artwork, while simple, is simply terrific. It's evocative, colorful, and never had me wondering what was happening. One of my favorite affectations of author Ben Hatke is that he uses words as visual descriptions on the frame. When Maddy grabs Jack he writes "Grab!" in big letters. When Lilly picks a fruit, he writes "Pick!" And another time we see "Shove" and know just what's happening. It's a simple and effective way to convey action.
When this book ends, you'll be glad the next book is already out. I wager you'll want to find out what happened as much as I did. Mighty Jack is mighty good.
April 5, 2017
This was another wonderful Hatke graphic novel. My 10 year old son and I both love the Zita the Spacegirl series and he was the one who actually brought this book to my attention. This was a wonderfully entertaining and fun read that I enjoyed a lot.
This book deals with Jack and his sister Maddy. Their mom is desperately trying to make ends meet when Jack lends his mom’s car to a mysterious man selling amazing garden seeds. There are some cameos in here from a couple of the Zita the Spacegirl characters as well which was neat.
I absolutely loved the crazy creatures/plants that took root in Jack’s garden. The addition of a dragon made things even more fantastic. This whole book was action-packed and so much fun. It also touches on some nice family issues and issues with disabilities.
The illustration is amazing, full of bright colors and easy to follow. I love Hatke’s illustration style.
Overall both me and my 10 year old son absolutely loved this book. The illustration is wonderful and the story is action-packed and very creative. This is just such a fun read and is great for those who love graphic novel fantasy adventures. I would recommend to those who also enjoyed Zita the Spacegirl, Cleopatra in Space or Amulet.
October 11, 2018
Why I Recommend Moving This UP On Your TBR:
â—� Extremely engaging
â—� Pulls you in right from the start and keeps you reading until the end
â—� Includes Autism rep (I recommend you check out an #ownvoices review to find out if it's handled well)
â—� Contains realistic depiction of financial difficulties
â—� The girl saves the boy and is written like a badass knight in training
â—� There was a deeper meaning/lesson to the story
â—� The fantasy elements were unique and entertaining!
â—� I'm excited for the next volume!
I do have to mention regardless of circumstances it's harmful to ask one of your children to watch the other if they're both not adults, but it's also a part of many families' realities and it was written in as a plot device here.
â—� Extremely engaging
â—� Pulls you in right from the start and keeps you reading until the end
â—� Includes Autism rep (I recommend you check out an #ownvoices review to find out if it's handled well)
â—� Contains realistic depiction of financial difficulties
â—� The girl saves the boy and is written like a badass knight in training
â—� There was a deeper meaning/lesson to the story
â—� The fantasy elements were unique and entertaining!
â—� I'm excited for the next volume!
I do have to mention regardless of circumstances it's harmful to ask one of your children to watch the other if they're both not adults, but it's also a part of many families' realities and it was written in as a plot device here.
January 5, 2018
I really liked the details of this one--the lettering is great, and the design of the garden is really nice. However, I'm not super sold on the story, and I didn't find any of the characters particularly dynamic or likeable. There are a lot of convenient ex machina moments, which I find frustrating. There are tons of amazing graphic novels out there for kids, but this one is just simply mediocre. Plus, while I think the inclusion of an autistic character was great, there were tons of missed opportunities here for more a more diverse cast of characters.
October 9, 2020
While I like the interaction of Jack and Lilly, I'm disappointed with Maddy's portrayal. She is a burden to her brother and a source of worry and hardship for her mother. She's also a source of trouble because of her curiosity and naïveté. She's duped into taking the seeds. And finally she's kidnapped by a magical creature, thus launching the hook to the second volume. Maddy is essentially a prop and a plot device, not a wholly realized character.
CCFFFF siblings utopia cornfield
CCFFFF siblings utopia cornfield
April 8, 2017
My least favorite trope: talented, skilled, experienced, competent gal plays second fiddle to the Hero Guy and teaches his clueless butt everything he needs to know and carries him through to success in saving the day, while she gets stuck in the sidekick role. See also Harry Potter, the Lego Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc
October 11, 2018
I read a graphic novel! And I LOVED IT!! Usually this format is hard for me to follow, but I really enjoyed Jack and will look for the second book. Also helps that G snuggled up next to me and read at the same time. Fun book to share.
Not sure why Ben Hatke had to include “crap� in his text... that’s the only thing...
Not sure why Ben Hatke had to include “crap� in his text... that’s the only thing...
February 15, 2019
Jack trades the family car for some magic beans, and....
Okay, not really. But there is a shifty salesman, a police report, a single mom, a mute sister, a homeschooled neighbor, and a boxful of alien seed packets. I hit page twenty and was flailing in fangirly ecstasy. Needless to say, this story is awesome!
Note: Best to read the three Zita the Spacegirl books first.
Okay, not really. But there is a shifty salesman, a police report, a single mom, a mute sister, a homeschooled neighbor, and a boxful of alien seed packets. I hit page twenty and was flailing in fangirly ecstasy. Needless to say, this story is awesome!
Note: Best to read the three Zita the Spacegirl books first.
July 10, 2018
4.5 and rounded up - I enjoyed this graphic novel so much and can't wait to read the next one. I'm excited to share it with my nieces and nephews too. :)
November 9, 2021
Jack dreads summer because his single mother has to work and leaves him at home with his boring little sister who is autistic. She doesn't talk at all. Ever. But one day while they are at a flea market, she does talk. She tells Jack to trade their mother's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It's the best mistake Jack has ever made! -Andy
December 18, 2020
This book is very good. A retelling of Jack and the beanstalk, but with a modern twist. I could not recommend this book more for kids 10 and up.
March 1, 2018
Mighty Jack is a graphic novel. Jack is the main character in this book and he definitely has some weird things going on in his life. Mighty Jack is a Maine student book award and is very fast read.
April 21, 2019
I’m utterly charmed by Ben Hatke
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