Genre 6: Fiction, Fantasy, YA: Rapunzel's Revenge

Posted by Tamra S , Wednesday, August 4, 2010 3:49 PM

Bibliographic Data

Hale, Shannon and Hale, Dean. 2008. Rapunzel's Revenge. Illus. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury.

Summary and Analysis
Shannon and Dean Hale bring their wit and humor to this graphic novel rendering of Rapunzel getting revenge on the evil Gothel, whom Rapunzel grew up thinking was her mother. The comic-book like story contains familiar elements from the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel. The twist in this tale is the setting, elements of the plot, the representation of Rapunzel as a sassy, independent gal, and the intertwining of another famous fairy tale character, Jack. In this version, Rapunzel saves herself from the tree prison in which Gothel had Rapunzel confined. On her quest to seek revenge for her family, Rapunzel encounters Jack, who subsequently becomes her travel partner and accomplice. During their journey to Gothel's villa, Rapunzel and Jack find themselves in several dilemmas and must fight the dangers of the various bandits and beasts they cross paths with. Rapunzel also sees the extent of Gothel's damage to the land and the lives it has effected. This spurs her desire for revenge and to usurp Gothel's magical power. Using her long braids and Jack's knack for getting out of trouble, Rapunzel makes her way back to Gothel's villa to free her real mother and take down Gothel.

The clever, Old West style of the dialogue and clothing alters the setting from enchanted fairy tale land to a place much like the untamed Wild West. Nathan Hale's vibrant and detailed illustrations tell the story along with the text. At some points in the story, like when Rapunzel is fighting the coyotes, the pictures show the events in place of text. Readers in grades 4 and up that are familiar with the fairy tale will enjoy this graphic novel version of Rapunzel.

Awards and Reviews
*ALA 2009 Notable Children's Book
*School Library Journal Starred Review: This is the tale as you've never seen it before. After using her hair to free herself from her prison tower, this Rapunzel ignores the pompous prince and teams up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) in an attempt to free her birth mother and an entire kingdom from the evil witch who once moonlighted as her mother. The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. © Reed Business Information

*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. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.

Connections
*Compare/contrast this version to the original fairy tale of Rapunzel and any other versions
*View other graphic novel versions of classic fairy tales by Shannon and Dean Hale. Discuss their similarities in text and illustrations.
*Have students pick a classic fairy tale to place in a new setting. Brainstorm for the new setting: how the characters act, talk, dress; what do the buildings look like; what might you find in this setting (transportation, animals, etc . . .). Have students write how they would change the fairy tale using an alternate setting. Collaborate with the Language Arts teacher to have them write their new versions.

References

Hale, Shannon. n.d. Ideas for Using Rapunzel in the Classroom. Squeetus: The Official Site of Shannon Hale. Retrieved from http://www.squeetus.com/stage/rap_classroom.html


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Genre 6: Fiction, Fantasy, YA: Rules

Posted by Tamra S , Sunday, August 1, 2010 9:28 AM

Bibliographic Data

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York: Scholastic.

Summary and Analysis
"Follow the rules." The first chapter title of the book, with every subsequent chapter being a rule that Catherine has for her autistic brother, David, though a few are her own. Catherine is twelve and her family life seems to revolve around the high demand needs of David. She began keeping a list of rules for David to remember in order to avoid any potential embarrassing situations, like "A boy can take his shirt off to swim, but not his shorts" and "This is Catherine's room. David must knock!" Set on the coast in Maine, Catherine is hoping this summer will be different with a potential new friend moving in next door. She forms an unexpected friendship with Jason, a disabled young man, who communicates with picture cards, that goes to the same clinic as David. When Catherine is faced with being accepted by her neighbor or being true to Jason as a friend, she has to make a choice based on good conscience. Meanwhile, she struggles to be understood by her parents and have them realize that she needs them just as much as David. This poignant and quick-to-read novel will have readers sympathizing with Catherine and understanding a little bit more about how different life is with an autistic child.

Lord writes in an honest and fresh way. Told in the first person from Catherine's point of view, the reader gets a real sense of how Catherine's life is affected by having an autistic brother. Her love for her brother is unquestionable, but it's also easy to see where she can become frustrated and jealous. Lord depicts David in a true form of autism. Being a mother of an autistic child herself, she knows the behaviors and mannerisms of this disability, as well as the joys and struggles that come with it. This book is good for any intermediate grade child and up that either has this struggle or knows someone with autism, as it provides wonderful insight.

Awards and Reviews
*Newbery Honor Book
*Schneider Family Book Award
*School Library Journal: Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents . . . this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. © Reed Business Information
*Booklist: Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassments he brings, [Catherine] strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. . . The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships. © American Library Association

Connections
*Have students share rules they have to follow. How are their rules different from David's? Why?
*In what ways to do you get yourself out of a sticky situation? What rule might you write for that?
*Have you ever had to choose between two friends? What did you do and how did you decide what to do?
*If Catherine were to write a rule at the very end of the book, what do you think it would be?

References

Lord, Cynthia. n.d. Rules Discussion Guide. Retrieved from http://cynthialord.com/materials.html

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