Jack is the universal folk hero and adventurer. Tales of Jack's adventures are as timeless as bedrock but as fresh as dawn in the Appalachian hills. Whether Jack is outsmarting ogres, besting card sharks, wrestling with ornery witches, or even taking on Old Man Death himself, the plainspoken hero's common sense, goodness, and hill-country humor help him come out on top every time. Gail Haley is an author, award-winning illustrator, puppeteer, and storyteller. She has written and illustrated over forty books for children. She is the only North Carolinian to have won the Caldecott Medal and is the only person world-wide to have won both The Caldecott Medal and the Kate Greenway Medal. In addition, she won the Kadai Tosho Award in Japan. Parent's Choice Award for The Green Man and the Kerlan Award for Lifetime Achievement. She was a storyteller in residence at Appalachian State University for fifteen years and has lectured extensively in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and South Africa.