Jack and the Bean Stew - Barbara A Cole Gates - Bog

Jack's mother makes a healthy new recipe, Bean Stew, on what is supposed to be pizza night. Jack refuses to try it and gets sent to his room to finish his bowl of Bean Stew. But he throws it out the window and falls asleep very hungry. The next morning he discovers a giant bean stalk growing outside his window and begins to climb.
At the top, Jack discovers a whole other beautiful world in the sky. He begins to explore, when a gunshot rings out! He rushes back to climb down the beanstalk, but the ground has closed in around the trunk and Jack is trapped.
Luckily, a young girl with long golden dreadlocks comes to his rescue, and brings him to safety at her cottage where she prepares porridge and directs him to Queen Bean who may be able to help him find his way home.
Along his journey to Queen Bean's Castle, Jack meets other modern day fairytale characters who help him along the way to overcome several moral and physcial challenges.
When he finally arrives at Queen Bean's Castle, he must face one more obstacle, the hunter who claims Queen Bean is a witch who "fattens up children and eats them for dinner!" But seven small men who arrive moments later assure him that the Queen of Beans will be very happy that Jack has finally arrived.
Indeed, she is a kind lady with long snowy white hair, who explains why the magic holds him and how he can break the spell: three kind deeds in a day. As it turns out, Jack's kindness to animals has already broken the spell, but he faces one more ultimate challenge. Queen Bean has made Bean Stew for dinner! Having already done three kind deeds, he knows he is free to refuse. Ultimately, he realizes trying her stew is a kind deed for Queen Bean. Upon tasting the Bean Stew, he discovers something else - Bean Stew is delicious!
Following the story, children learn that beans might really be magical! They are the lean and green protein - helping people to live long and strong, while conserving precious natural resources.