RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. 2008. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York, NY: Bloomsbury. ISBN 1599902885

2. PLOT SUMMARY
When Rapunzel is 12 years old she finds out her mother, Mother Gothel, is not really her mother and is an evil ruler of their land. Her “mother” locks her in a tree for four years when Rapunzel escapes. She joins up with Jack to combat robbers and find a way to help her mother escape and the land to be free of Mother Gothel. In the end Rapunzel and Jack fight of Mother Gothel and reclaim the land as it once was.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Shannon and Dean Hale, along with illustrator Nathan Hale, have created a new twist on an old story. We find out that Rapunzel was locked in a tree by her evil “mother” and actually escapes on her own to join up with her new friend on a classic good versus evil battle. Rapunzel, or “Punzie,” and Jack travel the dark, desolate land and hatch a plot to stop the evil Mother Gothel. Nathan Hale’s illustrations depict a sad, barren land with unhappy citizens. The story continues, at times, in just pictures, which can be kind of confusing for first time graphic novel readers. Also, the location of some dialogue can be confusing, due to the bubbles’ close proximity to each other. Readers who like comic books as well as fairytales will love this adventure!

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred review in 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.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Readers may enjoy reading other versions of classic fairytales
*Readers can create their own versions of their favorite fairytales
*Other books by Shannon Hale:
Hale, Shannon. Book of a Thousand Days. ISBN 1599900513
Hale Shannon. River Secrets. ISBN 1599902931
Hale Shannon. The Goose Girl. ISBN 1582349908