'Niamh Sharkey's Jack and the Beanstalk is both spectacular and eccentric, and its real originality is matched by Richard Walker's refreshing text' -- The Sunday Times

The late Richard Walker was a professional storyteller and freelance broadcaster who shared his tales with many audiences throughout the UK. His first children's book was The Barefoot Book of Trickster Tales, which was soon followed by the best-selling Barefoot Book of Pirates (1-84148-405-9). Richard Walker lived and worked in Shropshire, where he died in early 1999. Jack and the Beanstalk is a lasting tribute to his endearing and infectious sense of humour, wisdom and wit. Niamh Sharkey, an award-winning Irish illustrator, graduated from the College of Marketing and Design, Ireland, in 1994 with First Class Honours. She works in oils on a gessoed textured background to create the richness in colour that has already established her as a world class illustrator. Niamh has illustrated a number of best-selling titles at Barefoot Books: Tales from Old Ireland + CD (1-905236-03-4), The Gigantic Turnip + CD (1-902283-29-5) and Tales of Wisdom and Wonder (1-8-84148-191-2).