1.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hale, Shannon and Dean
Hale. Illustrated by Nathan Hale. Rapunzel's Revenge. New York, N.Y.:
Bloomsbury, 2008.
ISBN 978-1-599-90288-3
2.
PLOT SUMMARY
Rapunzel’s
Revenge is a fantasy graphic novel in which Rapunzel is separated from her real
family as a little girl and taken in by the evil Gothel. At age 12, Rapunzel
decides to look over the wall and see what it outside. What she sees is
desolate and ugly. Beyond the wall, she meets the woman who is her real mother. She is separated from her again and is taken
back to Gothel who punishes her by locking her up in a tall tree for four
years. During this time, Rapunzel’s hair grows to incredible lengths, and she
eventually escapes her prison vowing to find and free her mother. This vow
takes her on an adventure where she meets Jack. Jack and Rapunzel become good
friends and work together to find a way to free Rapunzel’s real mother from the
evil Gothel.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Set in the Wild West, Rapunzel’s Revenge has familiar elements
to the classic tale but is different from the traditional story. One of the
main differences is the setting. This allows
Hale to have Rapunzel braid her hair into two long braids and use them as
lassos. The illustrations are clever at
sharing the exciting, non-stop action of the Wild West. The colorful and vibrant frames are filled
with illustrations that complement the storyline. The layout of
the book is a graphic novel which allows many alterations in plot and setting.
While the plot is engaging and is a pleasant departure from the more
traditional Rapunzel, the inclusion
of Jack as a side kick instead of a prince is unusual. This change may appeal to some readers, and it
also might encourage more young male teenagers to read the book. While
the traditional tale is appropriate for younger readers, the altered format
limits the audience to readers who are older and may be familiar with the
graphic novel format.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
YALSA Great
Graphic Novels for Teens - 2009
Young Readers Choice Award: Intermediate
ALA Notable Children’s Book- Middle Readers Category- 2009
From School Library Journal: “The dialogue is witty, the story is
an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically
fun and expressive.”
From Booklist: “Rich with humor and
excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast
favorite of young readers.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Gather read-a-like
books to read such as:
Levine, Gail Carson, Ella Enchanted, ISBN: 978-0-060-27510-5
Yolen, Jane, Foiled, ISBN: 978-0-606-14452-0
Gather other Shannon and Dean Hale books
to read such as:
The
Princess in Black, ISBN: 978-0-763-67888-3
Calamity Jack, ISBN: 978-1-599-90373-6
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