Book Review: Rapunzel

Module 2

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zelinsky, Paul. Rapunzel. New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 1997. ISBN 0-525-45607-4

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This story begins with a couple who is expecting a child. The mother’s insatiable cravings for Rapunzel lead her husband to steal the herb from a sorcerous. When the sorcerous discovers the thievery, the baby is taken as retribution. The sorcerous names the child Rapunzel and locks her in a high tower. Every day, the sorcerous comes to the tower and Rapunzel lets her long hair down so that the sorcerous can climb up the tower. One day, a prince hears Rapunzel singing and climbs up the tower. He and Rapunzel secretly wed and when their secret is discovered, the sorcerous cuts Rapunzel’s hair and banishes her to the country. When the prince goes to visit Rapunzel the next time, the he falls from the tower in grief and loses his eyesight. He wanders the wilderness until he stumbles upon Rapunzel and their twins. Rapunzel’s tears heal his eyesight and they live happily ever after in his kingdom.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Zelinsky puts his own interpretation of a well-known tale in the retelling of Rapunzel by including elements from various versions. French, German, and Neapolitan versions took part in influencing Zelinsky’s adaptation. The beginning is very similar to previous versions in that a pregnant woman craves an herb. In other versions it is parsley, but in this tale, it is Rapunzel. Similarities among the versions include the maiden being locked in a high tower, marrying a prince, becoming pregnant, and healing the prince’s blindness with her tears. Although the story begins with difficult trials, the Prince and Rapunzel make it through the wilderness and have the “happily ever after” that readers have come to expect from these timeless traditional tales.

The illustrations are painted in an Italian Renaissance style and capture the landscape, architecture, and culture of the time period. Through the illustrations, the reader can see the characters’ rage, fear, love, despair, and happiness. Although never mentioned in the text, the illustrations reveal that from the beginning to the end, Rapunzel is never alone. A cat, her only companion in the tower, is there from when she was a baby and is with the prince as he wanders the wilderness until he stumbles upon Rapunzel.

4. AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS

*The Caldecott Medal

*Booklist: “Children--and adults--will pore over the intricate detail and glowing colors; they will also be moved by the mysterious tale of nurture and passion and terror.”

*Kirkus Reviews: “Exquisite paintings in late Italian Renaissance style illumine this hybrid version of a classic tale.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*Other Caldecott Award Winners by Paul Zelinsky

Lesser, Rita. HANSEL AND GRETEL. ISBN 978-0525461524

Isaacs, Anne. SWAMP ANGEL. ISBN 978-0525452713

Zelinsky, Paul. RUMPELSTILTSKIN. ISBN 978-0140558647

*Compare and contrast the book Rapunzel with the movie Tangled. Use a Venn Diagram for documentation.

*Read an older version of Rapunzel. Identify how the culture was a major factor in the telling of the story.