'Jack couldn't help feeling envious of Jill, he wished he'd climbed a beanstalk instead of a hill...'

Whilst Jack lies in bed recovering from his fall down the hill, Jill sets out to save her family from ruin. When she sells their cow for a handful of magic beans, her adventures into the land of the giant begin but will the risk pay off or will her family go hungry?

Manju Gregory brings together a host of familiar faces from folktales and nursery rhymes in this inspired reworking of an old favourite. 'Jill and the Beanstalk' challenges convention and flouts readers' expectations by casting a confident young girl as the hero who slays the giant to save her family. This new version of the traditional tale invites readers to discuss gender, discrimination and preconceptions. Written in rhyme, Manju Gregory's adaptation will also allow more advanced readers to develop sophisticated vocabulary skills.

Mantra Lingua's 'Folktales, Myths and Legends' collection breathes new life into a selection of well-loved tales from around the world. Lively illustrations, delightful rhymes and ingenious twists mean that children and adults alike will love rediscovering these modern adaptations of classic stories. The titles in this collection have been specifically chosen to provide scope for exploring moral themes and Citizenship topics relevant to Key Stages 1 and 2. For more advanced readers, this collection also serves as an excellent introduction to the story telling tradition.