MIGHTY JACK by Ben Hatke

What I’m Reading: Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke
Illustrated By: Ben Hatke
Published: FirstSecond, September 6, 2016

Ben Hatke has once again created magic in his fifth graphic novel. I’ve talked about my love of Zita the Spacegirl and Little Robot before. Mighty Jack is actually the first of his books with a male protagonist, and he’s a fantastic one.
Jack is a regular kid with an unusual situation. His mom has to work all the time, so Jack has to take care of his sister Maddy. Maddy is autistic and doesn’t ever speak.

Except, one day, at the flea market, she does. She tells Jack to buy a box of seeds. Which he does, by trading the family car.
If you know Jack & the Beanstalk, you’ve got a pretty good idea where this is going… Jack and Maddy plant the garden and what grows is nothing like they’ve ever seen. Giant snails, moving plant people, magic power producing peppers; the garden has them all. But magic never comes without a price and Jack has to make sure that Maddy isn’t the one who pays it.

I loved this book and I cannot wait until I can share it with everyone! The folks at FirstSecond were nice enough to send me a review copy, and, the best part: BEN HATKE IS COMING HERE IN SEPTEMBER!!!
We’ve got some school visits and then a signing at the Homewood Public Library on September 29! I’m so excited about this, you have no idea!