RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE by Shannon and Dean Hale. Illustrated by Nathan Hale.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. 2008. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781599900704

PLOT SUMMARY

Plagued with a feeling of loneliness and curiosity, Rapunzel scales the villa wall on her twelfth birthday to see what is on the other side.  After an amazing revelation of her birth, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tree tower for four years before escaping with the help of her long, red hair.  What follows is a series of wild adventures that lead to freeing her birth mother from the slavery of Gothel.  Oh, and there is even a bit of romance.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

A fractured fairytale, Rapunzel’s Revenge is set in the Wild West.  Many settings are encountered as the plot winds its way but each location is given detail both in writing and in artwork to give the reader a clear vision of Rapunzel’s quest.  The protagonist, Rapunzel, is sixteen years old when the action-packed part of the story begins. The reader can relate to her as she is about the same age and deals with feelings of her place in the world, family, tragedy, love, and the need for adventure. 

The plot is a bit wild with weaponized hair and outlandish creatures.  It is constantly moving and involves frequent action.  The authors write with a modern style.  The story, previously written in a damsel in distress-prince saving version, is converted to a story of a powerful girl focused on being the hero herself.  She and her outlaw accomplice, Jack, must overcome much to overtake Gothel.  While the story itself is appealing, the artistic comic-like pictures are an amazing addition.  They move the story along and invigorate the eyes with bold colors and dramatic details. Illustrator Nathan Hale (no relation), spent over a year on the artwork and it is easy to see the hard work and dedication he put into the entire piece. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review – “With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.”

Kirkus Reviews – “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.”

CONNECTIONS

*Read the original version of Rapunzel, this version, and even another twisted version and compare the contrast the two or three versions.  What elements remain in each story?

*Have students choose fairy tales from the library and create a fractured version of the story.  Then, have students illustrate them in a way that is similar to this story.

*Divide the class into groups and assign each group and different section of the story.  Have the group analyze the elements of that part of the story.  Create a different setting for the story and have the group rewrite their part so that it fits the new setting.  For example, instead of Wild West, the new setting might be westward expansion/Oregon trail/pioneer type of era.