Rapunzel’s Revenge

Rapunzel’s Revenge

By: Shannon and Dean Hale

Illustrated by: Nathan Hale

Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books ©2008

ISBN #: 9781599900704

This graphic novel is an interesting combination of the Rapunzel tale with a little bit of Jack and the Beanstalk thrown in. Rapunzel’s world comes crashing down on her twelfth birthday when she discovers that Mother Gothel is not really her mother. Rapunzel goes on an adventure to save her mother and the people of the surrounding lands from Mother Gothel’s iron grip. She is trapped in a tower (or really tall tree) and her hair does grow impossibly long; however, Rapunzel doesn’t wait around for some prince. She uses her hair as a lasso and sets herself free. She teams up with the disreputable Jack and his goose; fights bandits, wolves and a giant snake; and discovers Mother Gothel’s secret to her power. This story has action, adventure, romance, and humor. In this high-fantasy tale, Shannon and Dean Hale create an engaging story in a concise, fast-paced format that is wonderfully enhanced by Nathan Hale’s artwork. The Hales have a quirky voice in this fractured fairy tale that is only truly understood when combined with the illustrations. “There were three books in the tower. By the second year, I had them pretty well memorized. And then I started to find other ways to pass the time” (Hale 30). This quote is matched with various pictures. One shows Rapunzel reading a book entitled “Girls Who Get Saved and the Princes Who Save Them.” The next few frames show Rapunzel performing acrobatics.

In a unit on fairy tales, this graphic novel could be used in a compare and contrast assignment. In an English or art class, this graphic novel could inspire students to illustrate or make a comic strip of their favorite fairy tale.

Horn Book Magazine—“Readers familiar with graphic novels will feel at home with the conventions of image cropping, text placement, and facial emotional cues. Newbies may not realize how particularly well-matched the Hales’ gutsy tale is to its format, but this introduction—with its high action quotient, immediate sensory thrills, and wisecracking heroes—should win many converts” (Burkam).

Booklist—“Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers”(Coleman).

Works Cited:

Burkam, Anita L. "Rapunzel's Revenge." Horn Book Magazine 84.6 (2008): 705-706. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

Coleman, Tina. "Rapunzel's Revenge." Booklist 105.1 (2008): 100. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.