BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Hale, Shannon and Dean. 2008. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Ill by Nathan Hale. New York, New York. Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books.
ISBN# 978-1-59990-288-3
PLOT SUMMARY:
The love of a girl for her mother is a strong bond. In this graphic novel by Shannon and Dean Hale, elements of the age old stories of Rapunzel and Jack in the Beanstalk are woven together with some very unexpected and unusual twists.
Mother Gothel, Rapunzel’s mother, spends more time with her business than with her daughter. When Rapunzel finds out that Gothel is not her mother and that she was stolen from her real mother, rebellion begins and Rapunzel is taken to a tall tree tower and left. What follows is the story of a girl anxious to save her real mother, to defeat the villain and the obstacles she faces in trying to do so.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
If readers are expecting a basic retelling of the classic story Rapunzel, they will be surprised. Readers will still be drawn to and identify with the new Rapunzel, who has been wronged and lied to for many years. As the story progresses, instead of feeling sorry for her, the reader will find themselves cheering Rapunzel on in her quest.
Rapunzel’s quest to free her mother from the mine camp begins after she frees herself from the tree tower. As in most fantasy novels, her journey back to Gothel’s villa is filled with adventures and obstacles to overcome. Along with her new friend Jack and his goose, every obstacle she overcomes such as fighting boars and large snakes to outwitting bounty hunters and Gothel’s henchmen, leads to another source of information as to how she can defeat Gothel and possibly take away her magic powers. Throughout the story, it is Rapunzel’s love for her real mother that gives her the power to defeat evil.
Nathan Hale’s illustrations help the reader visualize the setting much more clearly than the text does. Pictures of green forests and desolate wasteland give the reader a clear picture of the roads and lands that Rapunzel and Jack have to travel which are reminiscent of the Old West. Words and phrases such as “Don’t you cut a swell,” “cow-folk” and “outlaws” also add to the Old West feel of the story. In the end, good triumphs over evil and love has given Rapunzel a power of her own.
AWARDS:
REVIEWS:
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from
the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive.”
BOOKLIST: “Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that
will become a fast favorite of young readers.”
CONNECTIONS:
Students may wish to compare and contrast elements of Rapunzel’s Revenge with the fairy tale Rapunzel. This could also be done with the fairy tale of Jack In The Beanstalk.
With the Old West theme throughout the book, connections can be made as to how the story is true to the Old West era and how it is different. This may also lead to a study about the culture of the Old West.
No comments:
Post a Comment