Mighty Jack: Homeschool Study and Book Club Ideas
Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke is a twisted tale of Jack and his magic beans. This fantastic adventure story for middle school kids is a great title to add to your homeschool study this year.
It’s the first book in a popular graphic novel series and it is worth adding to your child’s reading list. Best of all, once your child reads the two Mighty Jack books, they can enjoy both Zita the Spacegirl books, and then the final book in the series that includes both Zita and Jack.
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Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
Genre: Fantasy and Folklore; Adventure; Graphic Novel
Length: 208 pages
First Published: 2016
View on Amazon | View on Goodreads
Publisher’s Description of 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.
In Mighty Jack, 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.
My Goodreads Review
This twist on the classic fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk, makes for a fantastic adventure. Jack, Maddie (his sister), and Lily form a delightful trio and their magical garden adventures are a ton of fun. The artwork is bright and imaginative and the author uses graphic novel panels creatively.
The Mighty Jack series is considered a Young Adult graphic novel, so parents should consider the content before allowing younger children to read this adventure (there is a brief kiss and some language).
Note: Mighty Jack is book 1 of 3 books in the series, which concludes with a Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl joint adventure. You’ll definitely want to finish reading the series.
Mighty Jack Book Club Ideas
Decorate using green paper products and a green tablecloth. Bring any of your house plants into the meeting area for decoration as well.
Eat flower cookies as a snack during your book discussion. Have a bean salad or another favorite bean recipe.
Paint a flower pot and plant a seed in the soil.
Homeschooling with Graphic Novels: Discussion Questions
Be sure to grab this set of questions specifically designed to facilitate discussion about the format and artwork of the graphic novel:
About the Author: Ben Hatke
Ben Hatke describes himself as a “writer, artist, author of graphic novels and other kinds of books -most notably the Zita the Spacegirl trilogy and the picture book Julia’s House for Lost Creatures.” You can find him on his website.
Read this Q&A discussion between Zita the Spacegirl author, Ben Hatke, and Wired magazine.
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She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.
She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.
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