Rapunzel's Revenge. By Shannon and Dean Hale

Title: Rapunzel's Revenge
Author: Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrator: Nathan Hale
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Date: August 5, 2008
ISBN: 159990070X


Critical Analysis:
This story is about a girl named Rapunzel who was taken from her biological parents by a witch named Mother Grothel. Rapunzel starts to remember her real mother and makes a startling realization when she comes face to face with her real mother who is a slave in the mines. Mother Grothel finds this out and banishes Rapunzel to live in a tree tower in the swamplands where it is impossible for her to escape until her hair grows to an extraordinary length. Later she finds that her hair can be used as a weapon against her enemies in her quest to be reunited with her real mother. Rich with humor and action sequences throughout the story, readers will be thoroughly engaged!Shannon and Dean Hale created a wonderfully fast-paced graphic novel. The reader will connect with the characters in the story and the entertaining plot. The setting takes place in the wild old west and the illustrations are a true compliment to the text. The fairy tale twist is very interesting because Rapunzel is not the damsel in distress waiting for her true prince to come save her. Tine Coleman of Booklist wrote, “This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine” (Booklist, Sep. 1, 2008 (Vol. 105, No. 1)).


Review Excerpts:
Tina Coleman (Booklist, Sep. 1, 2008 (Vol. 105, No. 1)):

"This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mother’s cruel empire. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers. Grades 5-8" Retrieved from the Children's Literature Database (accessed on November 22, 2009).

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 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. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2008, Bloomsbury, 144pp, 18.99, 14.99. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 1: Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration." Retrieved from the Children's Literature Database (accessed on November 22, 2009).

Connections:

You can access more information about this book from the author's website by clicking on: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books_rap.html (accessed November 22, 2009). This website contains classroom activities that can be used after reading this book. You can also access a reader's theater script from this website that can be used in a classroom or book discussion.