Module 13 - Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale

Bibliography:

Hale, Shannon. (2008). Rapunzel's Revenge. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781599900704

Summary:

In this graphic novel remake of the classic fairytale, Rapunzel takes her happy ending into her own hands. Growing up in a beautiful villa, but always surrounded by a very tall wall, Rapunzel climbs over the wall of her "mother's" house, who happens to be an evil witch, and discovers who her real mother is, a mother who is a slave to the evil witch, Gothel. She finds out that Gothel stole Rapunzel from her parents when she was a young girl because Rapunzel's father stole into Gothel's garden to bring his pregnant wife some Rapunzel lettuce. Upon discovering the truth, Rapunzel lashes out against Gothel, her fake mother, and in turn Gothel has Rapunzel taken into an over grown forest and locked in a room inside a very large tree. Because of Gothel's growth magic in the tree, Rapunzel's hair grows and grows. She finally manages to escape by learning how to wield her hair as a lasso and weapon. Upon escaping, she meets the handsome prince that is to rescue her, but she realizes he is a rich snob, so she deserts him and eventually meets up with Jack, as in Jack and the Giant Beanstalk, and his goose (whom he is waiting to lay a hefty egg..)and they decide to travel together, in through the land that Gothel has made barren with her powers. Rapunzel travels in the efforts to right the wrongs Gothel has created and to help people along the way, but most importantly, to try to save her real mother. Rapunzel and Jack are constantly chased by the evil witch's henchmen as well as people after Jack. But eventually, they manage to free Rapunzel's mother, destroy Gothel's magic as well as Gothel, and restore the land back to its healthy, green self. Not only that, but Jack and Rapunzel realize their love for one another and kiss, which is apparently the moment the goose was waiting for to lay her golden egg.

Impressions:

Growing up, I have read my fair share of graphic novels, and so its almost hard to impress me with one. I enjoy reading them all the time, and I enjoyed reading this one just as much. Even better, I was really impressed! The plot was interesting, giving a twist to a classic tale. It was fun and fast paced, which lends a hand to the action packed storyline. I also enjoyed the fact that it has a strong female main character, a girl who can take care of herself and others. The illustrations were great, and they bring the story to life. I thought it was a very clever remake of a classic fairytale story, and everyone should read it.

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. "

Coleman, Tina. (September 01, 2008). American Library Association.  [Review of the book Rapunzel's Revenge.]. Booklist. Available from booksinprint.com

"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."

 Kinsey, Cara von Wrangel. (September 01, 2008). Library Journals LLC. [Review of the book Rapunzel's Revenge.]. School Library Journal. Available from booksinprint.com

Suggestions For Use:

I think this graphic novel would be great to introduce interesting reading material for struggling readers. With a fast paced story, as well as great illustrations, I believe struggling readers would find this book interesting and overcome their hesitations in order to read through it. I think graphic novels are a great first step for struggling readers, whether they are struggling because of their reading abilities (graphic novels include pictures that help tell the story just as much as the words), or if they struggle with motivation (graphic novels are a great way to get students reading).