Rapunzel: The Graphic Novel (Graphic Spin) [Library Binding]

Stephanie (RTL) Peters (Author), Jeffrey Stewart Timmins (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2009 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Graphic Spin

Rapunzel is a Capstone Press publication.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

From the Graphic Spin series, which adapts classic fairy tales into graphic format, comes this retelling of the long-tressed girl locked into a tower by an evil witch. The text does an adequate job of leading readers through the tale, but it would behoove them to be familiar with the story (if, indeed, there are any who aren’t) before engaging in this bare-bones account. What will attract children to this offering is Timmins’ highly visceral artwork—equal parts frightening and exciting—which captures the original appeal of the Grimm Brothers’ tale. The hollow-eyed and lederhosen-attired characters look as if they have been lifted from an idyllic Bavarian scene and dropped into a nightmarish shadow world dominated by the witch’s evil intent. But the overall scariness is leavened by some dark visual humor and the ultimate happy ending. Although this is for a younger audience than Shannon Hale’s Rapunzel’s Revenge (2008), the two still make an interesting comparison of just how wildly different a story can become when draped in divergent atmospherics. Grades 2-4. --Ian Chipman

About the Author

Capstone Press is a publisher of children’s books and digital products. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Library Binding: 40 pages
• Publisher: Capstone Publishers (MN) (March 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434211940
• ISBN-13: 978-1434211941
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,271,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful artwork, May 9, 2010

By 

Mint910 (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Rapunzel: The Graphic Novel (Graphic Spin) (Library Binding)

Of the four children's graphic novels from Capstone I've read I think the books illustrated by Jeffrey Stewart Timmins are my favorite. What a beautiful mix of dark, haunting imagery created with the soft touch of watercolor. The way he creates his characters are so interesting, I especially liked the Witch in Rapunzel. The only thing I would have changed would have been to have the speech bubbles and text also handdone instead of computer generated, I feel like it took away from the magic of the illustration and sort of sticks out like a sore thumb.

The actual story was a great rendition of the fairy tale I remember. I just love that witch! And as with the other books from the Graphic Spin series you can find a glossary, history, discussions and writing prompts in the back of the book. The reading level of Rapunzel is 2.5 or L. This would be a great introduction to the fable for children.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Passable fairy tail with a little extra, February 10, 2009

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Rapunzel: The Graphic Novel (Graphic Spin (Quality Paper)) (Paperback)

The distinctive style of art attracted me at first. Then the enjoyable retelling of the fairy tail classic drew me along through this brief rendering. Kid-safe (except for a little fairy-tail violence, undone at the end), this advertises a reading level of 2.5 - I'm guessing that means second to third grade, but kids cover a wide range of abilities.

The things that struck me about this book came at the end: a little history of the story, blurbs about the author and illustrator, then sections I've only ever seen in books for adults. The author adds discussion questions, the kind suited to a second-grade audience, and some creative writing exercises to encourage a young reader to continue the story, fill in blanks, or come up with a different version. It's much too easy to believe that reading is becoming a lost art, to say nothing of sharing the enjoyment of reading. I'm very glad to see authors taking young readers seriously and working to develop good adult habits of thought, still keeping in mind the level at which a young reader will operate comfortably. Others might groan at the self-consciously "educational" aspect - I prefer to reserve judgment until I hear how this works with live kid-testing. At very least, it's an interesting variation.

-- wiredweird