Genre 6: Rapunzel's Revenge

Rapunzel's Revenge

Hale, Shannon and Dean. 2008. Rapunzel's Revenge. Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. ISBN 978-1-59990-288-3

Plot Summary

Rapunzel was raised by Mother Gothel, the woman Rapunzel had always thought was her mother. Rapunzel led a charmed life within the confines of The Villa but always questioned what lie on the other side of the large stone wall.

On her twelfth birthday, Rapunzel could stand it no longer and climbed over the wall. What she saw was shocking! Outside the Villa, every living thing was dried up and withered, including the people who had been enslaved by Mother Gothel. During her visit outside the Villa, Rapunzel meets her true mother, a slave of Mother Gothel's. When she confronts Mother Gothel, Rapunzel is taken away and locked in a magic tree house far above the forest floor.

Rapunzel lived in this tree house prison for four long years. During her imprisonment, her nails, hair, and a nearby tree grew with abandon. Rapunzel, using her hair as a rope, lassoed the nearby tree and swung herself out of her prison.

Meeting many interesting people along the way, teaming up with Jack, a boy on the run, and using her braids as lariats and whips, set off to release her enslaved mother and exact her revenge on Mother Gothel.

Critical Analysis

Using the old west as a setting, Shannon and Dean Hale have brought the story of Rapunzel to America in their graphic novel retelling of a classic fairytale. A clear sense of place is achieved using old west idioms, horses, and gunfights. The Hale's give Rapunzel's Revenge another twist by interweaving elements of another fairytale favorite, Jack and The Beanstalk.

In the beginning, Rapunzel's Revenge sticks fairly close to the original story. It, however, makes a sharp turn when we see our damsel in distress take matters into her own hands. Readers will appreciate this twist where, instead of waiting for her prince charming to rescue her, Rapunzel creates her own means of escape.

This graphic novel retelling also offers an obvious juxtaposition for readers as the story is told in three layers. We have the dialogue within the story, Rapunzel's narration of the events, and Nathan Hale's comic book illustrations. These layers add a level of humor and depth to the story that readers will find intriguing.

Nathan Hale, no relation to Shannon and Dean, is the illustrator for Rapunzel's Revenge. His pictures are an intricate part of the story as they sometimes tell the "true" story. For example, when Rapunzel escapes from the tree the text is, "And then at last I managed to lasso the tree, swing gracefully from my prison, climb down the trees branches, and land triumphantly on the forest floor." The picture shows a slightly different story; Rapunzel swinging from the tree with a look of terror, breaking branches as she falls through the trees, and splashing to a decidedly ungraceful stop in the swamp below.

Nathan Hale also helps with comprehension of the story as his illustrations keep the storyline clear for readers.The pictures aid in keeping the storyline clear. For example, he uses nearly transparent pictures to denote flashbacks and dreams; this keeps readers clear on what is happening at all times.

Review Excerpts

Booklist: "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."

Horn Book starred review: "The gutsy tale is particularly well suited to its format, with illustrations mixing the familiar and offbeat. High action, sensory thrills, and the wisecracking heroes are clearly conveyed through image cropping, text placement, and facial emotional cues."

Connections

Students can read Calamity Jack to find out what happens next to Jack and Rapunzel.

Students can compare the original story of Rapunzel with Rapunzel's Revenge using a Venn diagram or Double Bubble Thinking Map.

Related Books

Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale

Forest Born by Shannon Hale

Book cover from www.librarything.com

Genre 6: The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book

Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-06-053092-1

Plot Summary

While his family is being murdered by the man Jack, the fourth member of the family, a toddler, escapes from the house through the open door. The toddler makes his way outside and up the hill to the graveyard. Seeing the boy is in danger, and at the request of his now dead mother, the ghosts of the graveyard agree to take him in and protect him from those who mean him harm. Adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, the boy is given the name Nobody Owens, Bod for short. Bod is given the Freedom of the Graveyard, allowing him to live in the real world and that of his ghost friends. One inhabitant of the graveyard, Silas, is neither living nor dead. As he is the only one who can leave the graveyard, Silas agrees to be Bod's guardian and protect him until Bod can protect himself.

With the help of his new parents, his guardian Silas, and the many ghostly inhabitants of the graveyard, Bod learns his ABC's, how to Fade and Dreamwalk, and the history of the world. As he grows older, he yearns to be part of the living world, but somewhere out there lurks a killer who is determined to destroy him and leaving the graveyard could mean death for Bod.

At teh age of 14, Bod befriends a living girl who leads him to discover the circumstances of his familiy's murder. Unfortunately, the girl unknowingly leads the killer straight to Bod. Now Bod must use all the knowledge he has gained in the graveyard to outwit those who wish him harm.

Critical Analysis

While certain parts of this fantasy novel might be scary for younger children, middle school children and young adults will relate to Bod’s experiences of leaving the safety of home, attending school, encountering bullies, and learning the life-lessons that all adults are not worthy of trust and at some point you have to make your own way in the world.

Gaiman relies heavily on dialogue in this book which might prove tedious for reluctant readers, though he does paint a vivid picture of the graveyard and its endearing inhabitants – who are introduced by the inscription on their headstone. Gaimen uses these multi-generational ghosts to add levity to the story. The book also features black and white drawings by illustrator Dave McKean. Gaimen uses a series of puns on the name Jack portraying the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though it does not get in the way of the story.

The Graveyard Book, while dark with the themes of murder, ghosts, and deception also manages to be uplifting with the themes of love, friendship, family, and good triumphing over evil.

Review Excerpts

Booklist starred review: "This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages."

Horn Book: "Warmly rendered by the author, Bod's ghostly extended family is lovably anachronistic; their mundane, old-fashioned quirks add cheerful color to a genuinely creepy backdrop. McKean's occasional pages and spots of art enhance the otherworldly atmosphere with a flowing line, slightly skewed figures, and plenty of deep grays and blacks."

School Library Journal: "Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting."

Connections

As Gaimen states his inspiration for the story as Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, lessons could include a comparison of the two stories.

Related Books

Other books by Neil Gaiman:

Coraline

Interworld

M is for Magic

Book cover from www.librarything.com