Module 6- Book 3 Graphic Novel

1.Bibliography
Hale,Dean and Hale,Shannon. 2008.
Rapunzel's Revenge ill.by Nathan Hale.New York,NY:Bloomsbury.ISBN:9781599902883 (pbk.)

2.Plot Summary
A strong female heroine,Rapunzel spends her childhood in the golden cage of her guardian Mother Gothel's castle. As Rapunzel grows older, she becomes more inquisitive about her beginnings and shows signs of rebellion. Her guardian, the evil Mother Gothel, then punishes Rapunzel by locking her in a magic tree house for four years. Rapunzel eventually escapes and teams up with her new friend Jack to find her real family and travel through the fairy tale wild west as she uses her hair,now grown into long braids, as a fearsome lasso.

3.Critical Analysis

The background characters and story are interesting,the plot is fast-paced and entertaining,and the setting is an intriguing twist on the old west,but what really makes this graphic novel stand out is the main character of Rapunzel. She is no wan and helpless fairytale princess, who believes that "someday my prince will come." Instead, she is a resourceful, feisty and self-reliant action heroine, who is " wanted dead or alive for horse thieving,kidnapping,jail breaking and using her hair in a manner other than nature intended." With Rapunzel,the Hales have created an unforgettable and likeable character.

The writers are sometimes less succesful at creating interesting dialogue, because the banter between Rapunzel and her sidekick Jack can come across as stale as standard dialogue from a predictable old "buddy" movie.

The superior artwork compensates for this flaw as the artist Nathan Hale succeeds in laying out the story panels in an uncluttered way with some very dramatic panoramic scenes taking up an entire page. Hale's cinematic style is perfect suited for conveying movement in the fast paced action scenes where Rapunzel whips out her long hair and uses it as a weapon.Hale also skillfully uses a varied palette of lush greens to portray the emerald green treehouse where Rapunzel is imprisoned as well as a dull range of brownish yellows to mimick the colors of the western desert.

4.Review Excerpts

School Library Journal
"The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive."

Horn Book
"Newbies may not realize how particularly well-matched the Hales' gutsy tale is to its format, but this introduction -- with its high action quotient, immediate sensory thrills, and wisecracking heroes -- should win many converts."

5.Connections

Readers who enjoy reimagined fairy tales with gutsy heroines will want to read these books:
Levine,Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted ISBN:0060275103
Minters,Frances.Sleepless Beauty ISBN:0670870331