BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. 2008. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. Ill. By Nathan Hale. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781599900704
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
In RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE, Shannon and Dean Hale take an old classic fairy tale and modernize it to a larger than life tale that is both captivating and wildly entertaining. Written in a graphic novel format, the comic book illustrations carry just as much weight as the often hilarious captions. The traditional Rapunzel character is transformed into a tough, brave cowgirl in this book, and readers will find this spunky girl irresistible and endearing. Rapunzel’s conversational language and humorous expressions throughout the book, such as “yep” and “I’ll be swigger-jiggered and hung out to dry,” will further endear readers to this unique character. The fast-paced and unpredictable plot is also sure to engage readers as they follow this new Rapunzel on a series of incredible adventures complete with strange creatures, villains, and unusual twists and turns. The story begins with Rapunzel trapped in her Villa, unable to leave. The person she thinks is her mother has a special “growth magic,” and Rapunzel senses something is not quite right with her life and her mother. Desperate to learn more about the world around her, Rapunzel climbs the wall keeping her in and discovers an unpleasant world on the other side where people are forced to work in “mine camps.” There, Rapunzel quickly meets a woman whom she discovers is her real mother. Similar to the original fairy tale, Rapunzel was taken from her mother as an infant by the evil Gothel as punishment for her father stealing lettuce from Gothel’s garden. When Rapunzel confronts Gothel about her deception, Rapunzel is imprisoned again, this time in a “creepy tree.” The “growth magic” of the forest causes Rapunzel’s nails and hair to grow rapidly until she is finally able to escape using her long hair as a rope and lasso. From here, the story catapults into a series of incredible adventures as Rapunzel meets a boy named Jack, who travels with her as she sets off to free her real mother and exact revenge on the evil Gothel. Nathan Hale’s illustrations are outstanding, and they brilliantly bring to life this surprising and amusing twist on an old tale. The illustrations do a great job contrasting bright, colorful, adventurous scenes with the dull and bleak scenes of the mine camps. Readers of all ages, especially fans of comics and graphic novels, will enjoy this fun ride of a book.
CONNECTIONS:
The graphic novel format is becoming increasingly popular with children and young adults. Add RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE to a display of graphic novel books in the library. Booktalk several graphic novels and encourage students to check them out.
Since RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE offers a new twist on an old fairy tale in graphic novel format, encourage students to research other classic fairy tales and transform them into “twisted” graphic novels. Students could work in groups on this project, sharing the roles of writer, illustrator, designer, editor, etc.
Have students research the origins of the original Rapunzel tale. How is it similar and different to RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE?
REVIEWS AND AWARDS:
From HORN BOOK starred (January 2009):
“In this graphic novel, Rapunzel's a spunky, hair-whip-toting cowgirl. She joins with stolen-goose rapscallion Jack to rescue her mother and end her wicked stepmother's reign. The gutsy tale is particularly well suited to its format, with illustrations mixing the familiar and offbeat. High action, sensory thrills, and the wisecracking heroes are clearly conveyed through image cropping, text placement, and facial emotional cues.”
“In this graphic novel, Rapunzel's a spunky, hair-whip-toting cowgirl. She joins with stolen-goose rapscallion Jack to rescue her mother and end her wicked stepmother's reign. The gutsy tale is particularly well suited to its format, with illustrations mixing the familiar and offbeat. High action, sensory thrills, and the wisecracking heroes are clearly conveyed through image cropping, text placement, and facial emotional cues.”
From LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION starred (November/December 2008):
“This wonderfully illustrated graphic novel adds spark and excitement to the tale. The bright colors and duller tones distinguish between the haves and the have nots. Rapunzel and Jack are unique characters, and their dialogue allows that uniqueness to shine through. This is a fun read for all ages. Highly Recommended.”
“This wonderfully illustrated graphic novel adds spark and excitement to the tale. The bright colors and duller tones distinguish between the haves and the have nots. Rapunzel and Jack are unique characters, and their dialogue allows that uniqueness to shine through. This is a fun read for all ages. Highly Recommended.”
Notable Children’s Books 2009
Wilson’s Children 2009
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