Rapunzel's Revenge

Starred review from August 4, 2008
The popular author of Princess Academy
teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside—a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion. Mother G. banishes Rapunzel to a forest treehouse, checking annually for repentance, which never comes. Rapunzel uses her brick-red braids first to escape, then like Indiana Jones with his whip, to knock out the villains whom she and her new sidekick, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), encounter as they navigate hostile territory to free Rapunzel's mom from peril. Illustrator Hale's detailed, candy-colored artwork demands close viewing, as it carries the action—Rapunzel's many scrapes are nearly wordless. With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody. Ages 10–up.

Starred review from September 1, 2008
Gr 5 Up-This is the tale as youve 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. Dogged by both the witchs henchman and Jacks outlaw past, the heroes travel across the map as they right wrongs, help the oppressed, and generally try to stay alive. Rapunzel is no damsel in distressshe wields her long braids as both rope and weaponbut she happily accepts Jacks teamwork and friendship. While the witchs castle is straight out of a fairy tale, the nearby mining camps and rugged surrounding countryside are a throwback to the Wild West and make sense in the world that the authors and illustrator have crafted. 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."Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 21, 2010
In this graphic novel retelling of the familiar tale, Rapunzel is a Wild West heroine wielding a lasso braid. She is determined to free her birth mother from the wicked Gothel and is helped by Jack, who is traveling with one very special goose. Love-o-meter: Happily-ever-after. Hale's colorful picture book-style illustrations perfectly match the innocent tone of this ode to girl power. Jack is no knight in shining armor, but he does appreciate a girl with initiative, and Rapunzel's Revenge delivers that ably.-Angelina Benedetti, King Cty. Lib. Syst., WA

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2008
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. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mothers royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see whats on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mothers greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mothers cruel empire. Hales 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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)