Bibliography: Hale, Shannon and Hale, Dean (authors) and Hale, Nathan (illustrator). RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. 2008. New York: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Print. 

 

ISBN: 9781599900704

Plot Summary:

Rapunzel is raised in a sheltered house behind a secret wall, but she has a mother with magical talents and a big secret. As a little girl she lives a charmed privileged life - though she's not allowed to see what's on the other side of the villa. One day after sneaking over the wall and finding her real mother, Rapunzel learns the truth about her step mother, Mother Gothel.  She is forced to return to the villa by Mother Gothel’s guards.  Rapunzel tries to escape from her evil step mother's clutches. But instead, Mother Gothel traps her in a magical tree and she is told to repent. As you can imagine, she doesn't - and the adventure only escalates from there. Not only does Mother Gothel’s spell make the tree grow fruit to feed Rapunzel, but it also makes her hair grow uncontrollably.  She learns to control and use her hair in various ways until one day she manages to escape the tree – and eventually her hair becomes her weapon.

Finally free and bent on getting revenge, Rapunzel continues on a quest to rescue her real mother.  She eventually ends up meeting and pairing up with Jack (from Jack in the beanstalk).  Together they battle bandits, wild beasts and even an adorable little antlered rabbit!  Will this unconventional duo defeat Mother Gothel and rescue Rapunzel’s mom? 

Critical Analysis:

Readers, who enjoy the witty dialog of comic books, as well as fairytales, will love this adventure! Authors Shannon and Dean Hale have transformed Rapunzel from a classic fairytale character to an action hero.  When Rapunzel turns twelve she learns the truth about her real family, it is at this point in the story that Rapunzel’s dynamic character starts its transformation.  Despite being afraid of her wicked step mother Rapunzel finds the strength to stand up to her.  You would think that losing this battle weakens her character’s resolve but instead she fantasizes about escaping, saving her mother, and exacting revenge on Mother Gothel.  After four years inside the magical tree Rapunzel finally escapes.  Although she is not very sure of herself in the beginning of her quest, she grows more and more courageous as she is forced to face some rather trying obstacles, such as a battling a gang of outlaws. 

This is a classic good vs evil story in which Shannon and Dean Hale create a likeable heroin worthy of the adventure. The injustices that Rapunzel suffers are so transparent that the reader will want to seek revenge with her; it is easy to identify with her.     

Although this plot still has plenty of whimsical fairytale elements, its originality will keep the reader interested. Rather than following the classic storyline where Rapunzel is trapped in a tower and rescued by a handsome prince, in Rapunzel’s Revenge we are treated to a new twist in the story.   This Rapunzel is a vengeful heroine who frees herself from a magic tree and sets out on a quest to overthrow her evil step mother so that she can free her real mother and the other inhabitants in the land.   Another unexpected twist is the setting of the story.  This story is set in the Wild West.  Rapunzel uses her long hair like a lasso and bullwhip...knocking down, disarming, and roping the outlaws that stand in her way.  Along the way she meets Jack, from Jack in the beanstalk, who thinks more like an outlaw than a hero.  The dialogue between Rapunzel and Jack is witty, sarcastic and grounds the story to it Wild West roots.     

This is a graphic novel version of the fairytale story of Rapunzel.  Illustrator Nathan Hale has skillfully captured the setting and emotions of the story.  Many parts of the plot are depicted only in the illustrations.  These scenes are essential to advancing the story even without the use of dialogue or asides. With a stoke of his brush Nathan Hale modernizes and helps to reinvent the story of Rapunzel where she is described as a tough and brave cowgirl who will be enjoyed by both boys and girls.    

Activities:

Invite students to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrasts the similarities and differences in the character of Rapunzel in Paul O. Zelinsky's Rapunzel and Rapunzel’s Revenge.

Invite students to create their own heroin or hero story.  Students can follow the writing process to create the story, but instead of writing their final version on paper they can structure the story in a comic strip format and use the website Comicmaster.uk.org to create their final version.  This is a user friendly site which allows users to create their own graphic novels.     

 

Recommended books by Shannon Hale:

• Calamity Jack
• Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends
• Ever After High: The Unfairest of Them All
• Princess Academy

Awards:

• ALA 2009 Notable Children's Book
• YALSA 2009 Great Graphic Novel for Teens
• Cybil Award Winner
• Young Reader’s Choice Award 2011

Reviews:

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… 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. -Tina Coleman- (Except from Booklist) 

The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside-a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. Illustrator Hale's detailed, candy-colored artwork demands close viewing, as it carries the action-Rapunzel's many scrapes are nearly wordless. With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.  (Excerpt from Publishers Weekly)

This version of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel is set in the old Southwest, complete with cowboys, coal mines, and coyotes… The Hale team creates an engaging heroine. Rapunzel gallivants across the unexpected setting, meets a cast of characters both humorous and threatening, and in the end comes to inherit the land that Gothel had stripped of life and returns it to the native people. This novel presents entertaining girl power at its quirkiest. (Excerpt from VOYA)

The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.-Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library (Excerpt from School Library Journal)

A beloved fairy tale gets a glossy graphic-novel makeover, reworked in a fanciful Old West setting. Rapunzel lives an idyllic life in Mother Gothel's verdant villa until she dares question her about what lies beyond the outer wall.  The Hales apply a new twist (or three) to the classic tale, creating a strong, sassy, braid-whipping character who waits for no prince. Nathan Hale's art, stylistically reminiscent of a picture book, provides a snazzy counterpoint to the folksy text. A dash of typical fairy-tale romance, a strong sense of social justice and a spunky heroine make this a standout choice for younger teens. (Excerpt from Kirkus Reviews)   

'Proving that fairy tales are not just for girls a fabulous, off the wall, cowboy-themed graphic novel' The Sunday Telegraph 'Exciting and fast-paced story makes for compelling reading' NATE, Classroom Issue 'If you ever thought of graphic novels as providing an easy read, this one will confound your expectations. It offers 144 pages of rip-roaring storytelling in which the familiar fairy-tale is hugely extended, gathering in its sweep all kinds of echoes from Wild West and Super-hero films as well as other fairy-stories' (Except from The School Librarian)