Adventurous middle-grade fantasy offering fairies, ogres,
mild peril, and a princess in distress.
Loved it!
Riffing off the old familiar fairy tale, Beanstalk is a middle-grade contemporary fantasy adventure. When Jackie’s dog disappears down a mysterious hole drilled by a supercharged vine, he and his friend Pete set out to find him. The pair – one the new kid in town, the other a misfit who befriends him – become ensnared by the beanstalk and are carried to a strange underground world called Ondergrondse. Here they meet three kindly fairies, one persuasive gnome, a beautiful princess, and a giant, angry ogre.
The boys learn that, according to an ancient prophecy, they’ve been lured here for a reason that doesn’t have anything to do with finding their dog. They must foil a plot to deny the princess her rightful place on the throne. They have to convince her to go with them to the only place she will be safe, their Connecticut home, in a world known to the inhabitants of Ondergrondse as Upworld. To do so, they will have to overcome many challenges.
Linda Nosul & Catherine Traver
One Backyard Beanstalk Opens A Hidden Kingdom
What if Jack didn’t climb up the beanstalk? That single question opens Beanstalk: Descent into Ondergrondse by Linda Nosul and Catherine Travers, where a familiar fairy tale takes an unexpected turn beneath the surface. Follow the first clues, meet the world below, and read on to discover why Jackie was brought there.
Meet The Authors.
Linda Nosul & Catherine Travers will take you on an undergraound adventure
They are the co-authors of Beanstalk: Descent into Ondergrondse, Book 1 of The Kingdom of Ondergrondse Series. Together, they reshape a familiar fairy-tale idea by asking what might happen if the beanstalk led down instead of up.
Their story blends contemporary family life with a fully imagined fantasy world. Jackie begins as the new kid in town, worried about fitting in and holding on to an old friendship, while Pete is a lonely boy who unexpectedly becomes his closest partner in adventure.
About The Book
What if jack didn't climb up the beanstalk?
Beanstalk: Descent into Ondergrondse turns the familiar Jack-and-the-Beanstalk idea upside down. Jackie is the new kid in town, still adjusting to another move, when his dog Ollie disappears near a mysterious hole created by an astonishingly fast-growing vine. Jackie and Pete, the lonely boy who has befriended him, go after the dog and are swept downward into Ondergrondse.
The hidden kingdom is divided into four provinces: Fairiehaven, Gnomestead, Meadowood, and Ogreville. There the boys meet fairies, a persuasive gnome named Uther, Princess Aliana, and dangerous forces gathering around her future.
Builds Brave Confidence
Jackie and Pete show how courage develops through difficult choices, teamwork, and discovering strengths you may not recognize at first.
Challenges First Impressions
The story encourages readers to look beyond labels and appearances, showing that character is revealed through actions, loyalty, and choices.
Young Fantasy Adventurers
Perfect for middle-grade readers who enjoy magical worlds, fairy-tale twists, friendship, mild peril, mystery, and fast-moving fantasy adventures.
Reader Reviews
Why Readers Love This Underground Adventure
See how readers describe the wonder, heart, and unexpected turns waiting beneath the world of Beanstalk.
Linda & Cathy your book Beanstalk is an amazing book
with incredible imagination and excitement. I didn’t know what
to expect knowing the story of Jack’s Beanstalk and loved how
you dipped into the mystical world of fairies and magic.
I can’t wait for my grandchildren to read this book and know
they will also love it. Hope you think of doing a sequel.
Beanstalk: Descent Into Ondergronde
Enter Ondergrondse Before The Prophecy Comes True
Follow Jackie and Pete beneath an ordinary Connecticut backyard and into a kingdom where fairies, gnomes, ogres, and a determined princess are waiting. Beanstalk: Descent into Ondergrondse turns a familiar fairy tale upside down with friendship, danger, humor, and heart. Open Book 1 and discover what grows beneath the surface just below.