From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3AAnother traditional tale rendered in raplike rhyme and rhythm. This format, very successful in Yo, Hungry Wolf (Doubleday, 1993), is less so in RAPunzel. Funny illustrations depict the witch as a gray dog with purplish hair and Rapunzel as a poodle with long, curly golden tresses. Rap becomes a demanding teen, and Witch tires of providing for her: "Witch spent all her time pleasing Rap./All Rap wanted, the witch would just zap!/She zapped braces for Rap's crooked molars./When Rap wanted curls, Zap! appeared rollers./But Rapunzel soon wanted 'More! More!'/Whining and whining from noon to four." Fine Prince, a local dog (with a green mohawk) wants to visit, but Rap is busy filing her nails and washing her hair. Finally, Rap becomes a hairdresser, marries Fine Prince, has two kids, and, in a trendsetting move, cuts off all her hair. Bright, cartoon illustrations add action and appeal, and are far superior to the overly long text. The uninspired rhyming seems forced, and the book as a whole falls flat.ALisa Falk, Los Angeles Public Library.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Ages 4^-7. Like Vozar and Lewin's
M. C. Turtle and the Hip Hop Hare (1996), this happenin' rap gives an old story an urban setting, a rhythmic beat, and a contemporary silliness that kids will love. Everything takes place in the hood, where spoiled Rapunzel whines for the newest designer wear, the prince gives her split ends when he climbs her hair, and the witch zaps him into the wilderness of downtown. Lewin's wild, scribbled cartoons, with thick lines and neon colors, pick up the nonsense in word and action. Great to read aloud, this would be fun to pair with Zelinsky's sumptuous traditional
Rapunzel (1997) to increase kids' pleasure in both the parody and the original fairy tale.
Hazel Rochman
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
