Paula McMillen, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
The original fairytale about Rapunzel has her shut in a tower by a witch and rescued by a prince. This graphic novel version definitely twists the character and the storyline. This Rapunzel is no fainting flower. In fact, she takes the lead in a series of adventures, using her long braids to get herself out of all kinds of bad situations and to help others in the process. For example, she rescues herself from the tower by lassoing a nearby treetop to escape her prison. Then, she turns the tables on the conceited handsome cowboy who shows up thinking to take advantage of a naïve maiden in distress, even though he had no plans to actually rescue her. This version is set in the Wild West, where horse-thieving is a crime and seemingly no one can be trusted. The woman who put Rapunzel in the tower is a ruthless land baron who is holding the miners, ranchers and farmers hostage with her witching ability to make things grow or wither away. The artwork is engaging, as are the characters of the resourceful female protagonist and her sidekick, Jack--who carries around a goose and hoards a magic bean. This is a wonderful recasting of the traditional helpless female fairytale, and you will want to pass it along to all the girls you know. 2008, Bloomsbury, $14.99 and $18.99. Ages 10 to 14.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2009)
A spirited graphic novel twines characters from two traditional fairy tales into a fresh, funny new story. When Rapunzel discovers that her “mother,” Gothel, stole her as a baby, the girl rebels and is locked up in a tree that has grown to towering proportions by Gothel’s use of magic. Rapunzel’s hair grows copiously, too, fashioning the means of her escape. Swinging to freedom, she is determined to rescue her real mother from Gothel’s mines, where she has toiled for years. Rapunzel soon meets Jack, a young man with troubles of his own, whose only companion is a goose unwilling to lay eggs. After Rapunzel rescues Jack from a sticky situation with a rapid crack of her lariat braids, they become inseparable. Their clashing values (Jack is not above a little larceny for a good cause—the best cause being his own well-being) and droll exchanges can’t mask their growing fondness for each other. Likewise, their knack for stumbling into trouble is mitigated by their ever-growing finesse at getting out of it, often helping the citizens whom Mother Gothel has been terrorizing with her magic along the way. Shannon and Dean Hale establish the humor with Rapunzel’s self-deprecating storytelling and the lively exchanges between characters, while Nathan Hale’s full-color panel illustrations fulfill the possibilities of this witty tale full of long-haired heroism. CCBC Category: Fiction for Children. 2008, Bloomsbury, 144 pages, $18.99 and $14.99. Ages 10-15.

Karen Coats (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2008 (Vol. 62, No. 1))
In this oversized full-color graphic novel, Mother Gothel is using her growth magic to build an empire by limiting the areas where crops will grow, exacting excessive taxes, and consigning peasants to back-breaking labor in her mines. Her adopted daughter is oblivious to her mother’s cruelty until the day when she finally climbs the wall that surrounds her home and sees the wasteland that exists beyond and meets her real mother. Outraged at her disobedience, Mother Gothel locks her up in a special tree she has grown for the purpose. After five years, Rapunzel uses her growth-accelerated red hair to escape, and, determined to rescue her real mother, she eventually teams up with a colorful, harmless thief. Adventure after adventure reveals to her the extent of Mother Gothel’s cruel reach, and she decides she must set her to rights as well. Using her whippy, ropelike braids and a few athletic fighting tricks she has picked up along the way, she battles sea monsters, wild coyotes, bandits, and henchmen on her way to her righteous revenge. Shannon Hale’s comic wit and romantic sensibilities translate well to this new format, which blends fairy-tale revision, journey quest, Wild West shoot-’em-up, and action adventure into one wild ride. The easy-to-follow panel arrangements with their multicultural cast of characters guide even reluctant graphic-novel readers seamlessly through the fast-paced narrative. Readers with a high degree of empathy will appreciate the attention given to the small details of the way she manages her hair so as to never to pull it straight from her head when she’s using it to wrangle outlaws and varmints. The surprising character revelation at the end provides a perfect climactic pivot and slides elegantly into the light-hearted comedic structure of a romantic happily ever after for Rapunzel, her mother, and her man Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2008, Bloomsbury, 144p.; Reviewed from galleys, $18.99 and $14.99. Grades 4-7.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2009)
In this graphic novel, Rapunzel's a spunky, hair-whip-toting cowgirl. She joins with stolen-goose rapscallion Jack to rescue her mother and end her wicked stepmother's reign. The gutsy tale is particularly well suited to its format, with illustrations mixing the familiar and offbeat. High action, sensory thrills, and the wisecracking heroes are clearly conveyed through image cropping, text placement, and facial emotional cues. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2008, Bloomsbury, 144pp, 18.99, 14.99. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 1: Outstanding, noteworthy in style, content, and/or illustration.