Rapunzel's Revenge

Hale, S., Hale, D., & Hale, N. (2008). Rapunzel's revenge. New York, NY: Bloomsbury. Rapnzel lives in a great castle with tall walls and every wish she could have catered to except one. She wants to see over the walls of her garden paradise. Her mothers says no, and as the years go by Rapunzel becomes more curious. Mother Goethe has the power to make things grow or shrivel up and die. On her 16th birthday she finally climbs to the top with the cowboy skills she learns from one of her well loved guards. Rapunzel learns that the outside world is a dry and barren landscape controlled by her witch mother. Outside of the walls she encounters her real mother and then remembers her past. Mother Gothel had stolen her from her actual mother years ago and now she orders Rapunzel to be encased in a magic tree tower. Everything grows magicall in the tree as well as Rapunzel's hair and nails. After 4 years Rapunzel escapes(with her miraculous hair) and then begins her quest to return to her old home and free her mother. Along the way she meets a new friend jack and gets out of various scrapes with the law and Mother Goethe's henchmen. Eventually, there is a big showdown at Mother Goethe's yearly ball. Rapunzel destroys her totem that she has been using to control the lands vegetation . Mother Goethe becomes encased in a tree and Rapunzel and Jack plan their next adventure: battling giants. The illustrations in this graphic novel reflect the old west while synthesizing the classic Rapunzel fairy tale. Rapunzel is courageous and stubborn; worthy traits in any teenager. Rapunzel's growth from a sheltered daughter into a braid whipping outlaw is believable reflects our modern expectations of what girls can do.