When Jack meets Old Man Death coming towards his cottage, he realises at once what's up. "You're not taking my old mother!" he cries, and hits out at Death with his fists. With each punch, Death gets smaller and smaller, until Jack is able to squeeze him inside a hazelnut shell. He throws the nut far out to sea, and goes home, but he will soon learn that death is an essential part of life.

 

There are 32 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2007 by Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd .

Illustrator: Paul Hess studied graphic deisgn before going on to work as an art director in various design studios. Paul began illustrating full-time in 1991 and has illustrated several children's books. Eric Maddern has written many books for Frances Lincoln such as Earth Story and Life Story, Curious Clownfish and Rainbow Bird. The Fire Children, illustrated by Frane Lessac, was chosen for Junior Education Books of the Year 1993 and selected for Children's Books of the Year 1994. Whereabouts: Gwnyedd, Wales; Paul Hess's books include an animal series published by Zero to Ten; Josephine Poole's Jack and the Beanstalk, Alan MacDonald's Pig in a Wig and Sam MacBratney's Once There was a Hoodie, and Malachy Doyle's The Great Castle of Marshmangle. Whereabouts: Frome