Review: Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale



Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. 200. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books. ISBN 9781599902883

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Based on the traditional story, Rapunzel is being raised by her “mother” Gothel in a lush and enchanting castle surrounded by a huge wall. Rapunzel’s curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers she was stolen from her parents by Gothel as a baby, and that beyond the wall Gothel is making people work her mines and pay extreme taxes. Gothel is a witch and with the use of various spells is able to make things grow or wither as she chooses. Imprisoned in a tower by Gothel for her rebelliousness for years, Rapunzel makes her escape using her hair, which has grown magically long. She soon meets up with Jack, an outlaw with his own problems, and explains her desire to fight Gothel and free the slaves working in the mines. As they make their way across the land back to Gothel’s castle, Rapunzel and Jack use their skills to help many other townspeople affected by Gothel’s evil spells.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this graphic novel version of the fairy tale, Rapunzel does not wait idly for a prince to save her and defeat Mother Gothel. Instead, this version of Rapunzel is strong and brave, and clever enough to find solutions to problems. She manages to get herself and her unlikely companion Jack out of many difficult situations, winning the friendship and confidence of wary townspeople along the way. As always with traditional fairy tales, the main theme is good vs. evil and Rapunzel especially is an example of a protagonist with strong morals, as she continuously rejects Mother Gothel’s offer of wealth and power choosing instead to bring back prosperity and freedom to the town.

The authors use many clever methods of bringing together a fairytale and a western as Rapunzel uses her hair as a lasso on many occasions. However, the differences in the cover art and the inside illustrations may disappoint some readers as the inside illustrations are cartoonish rather than realistic, which is the opposite of the beautifully rendered cover.

Nathan Hale has created dynamic and colorful illustrations, which are one of the main draws of a graphic novel. He captures many of the stereotypical elements of a western town, including a desolate landscape and deadly desert creatures. Each page of Rapunzel’s Revenge is full of multiple panels full of action. The desolation of the mining town is especially detailed and well illustrated. He appears to have understood the themes and storyline quite well, and translated the dialogue faithfully into illustrations.


4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

ALA  Notable Children's Book 2009
YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens 2009

Texas Lone Star Nominee

Cybil Award winner

Eisner Award Nominee

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. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.”

Positive review in Booklist: “Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.”

Positive review in Kirkus: “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.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* Shannon Hale’s Reader’s guide for Rapunzel’s Revenge: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/Rapunzel_TG.pdf

* Shannon Hale’s Rapunzel paper dolls: http://spacestationnathan.com/rapunzelpaperdolls.pdf

* Shannon Hale’s reader’s theater script: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/rap_script-rt.html

* Other books by Shannon and Dean Hale:

Calamity Jack. ISBN 9781599903736

Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York: Harper Perennial. ISBN 9780062081551

2. PLOT SUMMARY

The story of Nobody Owens, or Bod to his friends, is a sad tale. The only survivor of a murder spree that eliminated his whole family, Bod finds himself in a cemetery, alone in the world and only a toddler. He is “adopted” by ghostly Mr. and Mrs. Owens, and is raised in the cemetery among the dead with the mysterious Silas as his guardian. Bod develops friendships with many of the ghosts and has supernatural adventures all while attempting to evade Jack, his family’s murderer.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

At first glance, The Graveyard Book may appear to be just like any other classic good vs. evil story, but upon further reflection it is a story about the love of family. In many ways, Bod is a typical child, with the typical problems that affect a young boy. However, as Bod grows up in the graveyard, he is tutored by the mystical Miss Lupescu, befriends a witch’s ghost, and must escape being kidnapped by ghouls. His most terrifying foe is Jack, the murderer of his human family, and the man desperate to get rid of Bod once and for all.

The majority of The Graveyard Book contains small snippets of Bod’s life in each chapter, but the specter of Jack hunting Bod casts an ominous cloud over every page. Gaiman’s descriptions of Jack are terrifying, but are tempered by the loving and fascinating characters that exist in Bod’s cemetery.

Dave McKean’s black and gray illustrations are sprinkled throughout The Graveyard Book and add just the right aura of mystery and intensity to each chapter. This edition also contains a brief interview with Neil Gaiman discussing his motives for writing The Graveyard Book, a question and answer section, and plot summaries for additional books written by Gaiman.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Medal Winner

ALA Notable Children’s Book

ALA Best Book for Young Adults

American Bookseller Association's "Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book"

IndieBound Award

Horn Book Honor

Hugo Award - "Best Novel"

Starred review in Kirkus: “Childhood fears take solid shape in the nursery-rhyme–inspired villains, while heroism is its own, often bitter, reward.”

Starred review in Booklist: “There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages.”

Positive review in School Library Journal: “This is not yet another silly little fantasy novel, but something with weight and depth. The fact that it just happens to be loads of fun to boot is simply a nice bonus.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* Neil Gaiman created a website exclusively for his young readers. It is located at http://www.mousecircus.com/default.aspx

* Other Young Adult/Children's books by Neil Gaiman:

Coraline. ISBN 9780380807345

Odd and the Frost Giants. ISBN 9780061671739

The Wolves in the Walls. ISBN 9780380810956

Blueberry Girl. ISBN 9780060838102

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak



The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Zusak, Markus. 2005. The Book Thief. New York: Albert A. Knopf. ISBN 9780375842207

2. PLOT SUMMARY

It is 1939 Nazi Germany, and Liesel Meminger moves in with Hans and Rosa Hubermann, at her mother’s insistence. Due to her brother’s death on the train ride to her new home, Liesel is alone and scared in this new place. It was at her brother’s gravesite that she stole her first book, and she continues her book thievery all while attending school, Hitler Youth meetings, and creating new friendships with neighborhood children. Hans uses the first stolen book to teach Liesel to read, and eventually Liesel writes the story of her life, called The Book Thief. Adding to the tense situations, Liesel and her family hide a Jewish man, Max, in their basement. Taking place during the beginning of Nazi Germany through World War 2, Liesel’s heartbreaking story is told in magnificent fashion by Death himself.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Book Thief was an incredibly emotional book to read, for a multitude of reasons, which makes it difficult for me to review. The setting was described almost too realistically, with Liesel’s sadness and despair coming through the pages. Descriptions of the environment of Nazi Germany and the appearance of the captured Jews being marched to a work camp were devastating in their realism. Liesel is a wonderful protagonist, and is a typical girl dealing with adult problems on top of the usual issues that affect pre-teens/teenagers. The addition of Death as the narrator of The Book Thief is an inspired choice. Death adds in his personal emotions and point of view on the war and persecution of Jewish people as he picks up their souls. “I am haunted by humans.”

There is a clear theme of coming of age for Liesel, but the whole book is centered on moral questions. Many of the Hubermann’s neighbors are fanatic Nazi supporters, but Liesel, her foster parents, and a few others are aware of the ugliness of Hitler’s message. They struggle with their own moral decisions, and whether to risk being labeled a traitor to the Nazi regime. Zusak stresses the importance of books and words, especially in times of crisis. It is during the most stressful times in Liesel’s life that she steals books, and she shares those books with her neighbors while they wait in a bomb shelter.

A reader’s guide is provided by Zusak in this edition of The Book Thief, with discussion questions, resources for further study of the Holocaust, and a personal interview about writing this book.


4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Michael Printz Honor Book 2007

ALA Best Books for Young Adults

Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year

Starred review in School Library Journal : “Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward.”

Starred review in Kirkus: “The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. Even at its length, it’s a work to read slowly and savor. Beautiful and important.”

Positive review in Booklist: “More than the overt message about the power of words, it’s Liesel’s confrontation with horrifying cruelty and her discovery of kindness in unexpected places that tell the heartbreaking truth.”

5. CONNECTIONS (This book is recommended for grades 9 and up).
* The Book Thief takes place in Nazi Germany, so it is ideal for a discussion on the Holocaust and World War 2.

* Mark Zusak’s Reader’s Guide for The Book Thief: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375831003.pdf

* Other books by Markus Zusak:

I Am the Messenger. ISBN 9780375836671

Underdogs. ISBN 9780545354424

Getting The Girl. ISBN 9780439389501

Fighting Ruben Wolfe. ISBN 9780439241878