Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Rapunzel’s Revenge. by Shannon and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury, 2008. 144 pages.

Plot: This is not your mother’s Rapunzel.  Yes, she is locked away in a high tree and yes, she has incredibly long hair, but that is about the end of the similarities.  This Rapunzel is set in the wild west.  Rapunzel has a privileged life living with her mother Gothel, in a grand villa with beautiful garden courtyards. Rapunzel has never seen beyond the extremely high wall that encircles her home and her curiosity of what lies beyond, although forbidden by her mother, is revealed as she escapes to the outside. There she finds a bleak landscape inhabited by slaves which turn out to be controlled by her mother, who she discovers is not her real mother after all.  So Gothel locks Rapunzel away in the top of a hollowed out tree to live alone as punishment. Rapunzel escapes and begins a quest to find her real mother, set her free and seek revenge on Gothel.  She meets Jack, who joins her in the journey. Together they encounter danger in the forms of bandits, sea monsters and wild animals. Rapunzel uses her long hair as a whip and lasso to save herself and Jack.  There is a beanstalk and a goose that lays a golden egg thrown into the mix.  Will good triumph over evil?  Will Rapunzel and Jack live happily ever after?

Review/Personal thoughts:  This is the first graphic novel I have read and I enjoyed it immensely.  In can see the appeal that a reluctant reader might experience in this genre.  Of course, much of the appeal of graphic novels has to be the illustrations and I don’t have a lot to compare, but the artwork in this book is brilliant.  The reader is swept up in a visual adventure that moves seamlessly between events evoking danger, heroics, suffering and on top of it all, some laugh out loud humor. Rapunzel is a strong feminine character who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and triumphs over life threatening challenges.  There is action, romance, injustice, mystery and more in what appears to be a comic book for tweens. Do yourself a favor and read this one for sheer enjoyment.

Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel

Reading Level: 3.7  Interest level: Ages 10 to 13.

Awards:  ALA 2009 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award 2011: Grades 7-9

Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominees 2011-2012: Grades 3-6

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Maniac Magee : a novel. by Jerry Spinelli. Little, Brown, 1990. 184 pages.

Plot: Jeffrey Lionel Magee was orphaned at age three when his parents died in a trolley accident. Then began eight years of living with an aunt and uncle in Pennsylvania. It was like living with zombies and Jeffrey couldn’t take it anymore. He stopped in the middle of a school performance jumped off the stage and ran.  He kept running and never came back.  This was the beginning of the legend of Maniac Magee. The legend grew as maniac performed unbelievable feats of courage and athleticism. He saves a boy from Finsterwald’s backyard, a place more dreaded than a graveyard at midnight. He hits home runs off of the biggest baddest little league pitcher who holds the record for strikeouts. He beats “Mars Bar” Thompson in a foot race -running backwards!  All the while, Maniac is moving between the white West end and black East end - two extremely racially segregated parts of town. He is homeless. He finds kindness and compassion among the people of both sides of town. He finds hatred and intolerance as well. Although Maniac is “color blind” when it comes to people, the characters he encounters are not so easily swayed - they see color first.  Maniac moves with grace through shelter in homes on both sides of town, at a zoo or in a park, but never having a home.  Is this the way it ends?

Review/Personal thoughts:  I became a fan of Jerry Spinelli after reading Stargirl.  I am still a fan after reading Maniac Magee.  He seems to be able , through his characters, to strike a chord in my emotions that ultimately has me always pulling for the triumph of the human spirit.  I was especially moved by the scene where old man Grayson has just read The Little Engine That Could after Maniac taught him to read.  To acknowledge this triumph, Maniac gives him a big hug. He settles in for sleep and understands that “The blanket was there, but it was the boy’s embrace that covered and warmed him.”  I was “covered and warmed” by this story... perhaps you could be as well.

Genre: Fiction

Reading Level: 5.0 Interest level: Ages 8 to 15.

Awards: Newbery Medal/Honor 1991

A Case of the Worries (Tween)

     It is no surprise that this article is published in Scholastic Parent & Child magazine because all parents of tweens should be aware of this topic.  The article is about anxiety  in tweens.  Although all tweens will likely experience natural anxiety, this age group is especially susceptible to anxiety that can spiral out of control. Some of the direct causes for this might be problems in the home, having to move, dealing with middle school, friendship issues, puberty or bullying. As has been pointed out in the article In Search of the Roots of Adolescent Aggression, there are profound biological changes that occur in this age group.  The one that stands out especially for this topic of anxiety is that children are shifting from concrete thinking to formal operations, the maturation of intelligence, which puts them in the position to be “able to think ahead more clearly and anticipate more problems than before.”

The author has astutely set out signs and symptoms for parents to be aware of which might indicate an unhealthy or unmanageable situation for the tween experiencing high levels of anxiety. When experiencing anxiety, tweens may feel insecure, uneasy and frightened. They “may act withdrawn, inattentive, clingy or aggressive.”  Difficulty sleeping, headache and stomach problems, loss of appetite and withdrawal from social activities are also possible indicators of an anxious tween. They may be unable to take their mind off their troubles and can even reach the point of throwing up. 

The author offers practical ideas for supporting tweens experiencing anxiety. Communication with the tween is vital. The need to feel safe to express their deepest feelings. They need to know they are not alone. They need to feel loved and supported. Coping tips include, taking small steps to help solve the problem and give opportunities for success to improve self-image.  

I am encouraged that this topic is brought to awareness.  I am concerned that not every parent has a subscription to this magazine or is seeking the information through library resources.  It seems that there is a great opportunity for librarians to take an active role in providing parents with the awareness/resources they need to help their tweens with anxiety through community outreach.

HARTLEY-BREWER, E. (2011). A Case of the Worries. Scholastic Parent & Child, 18(5), 68. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.