"Calamity Jack" by Shannon and Dean Hale, Illustrated by Nathan Hale

Image Courtesy of: http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/h2/h11061.jpg

Bibliographic Citation

Title: Calamity Jack

Author: Shannon & Dean Hale

Illustrator: Nathan Hale

Year of Publication: 2010

Publisher City: New York

Publisher: Bloomsbury

ISBN: 9781599900766

Author Website: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html &

http://www.dreadcrumbs.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.spacestationnathan.com/

Media Used for Artwork: Pencil, Ink

Copyright 2010/2011

Fiction Graphic Novel

Awards

·         Texas Library Association’s Maverick Graphic Novel List, 2011

·         Young Adult Library Services Association’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens, 2011

·         Nominated for a Cybils Award

·         Junior Library Guild Selection

·         School Library Journal’s Best Comic for Kids, 2011

Annotation

Rapunzel and Jack return in a sequel to “Rapunzel’s Revenge.”  The duo travels to the Jack’s home in the city where giants rule everyone.  It is up to the duo and their friends to free Jack’s mother and the city.

Personal Reaction

                This sequel to “Rapunzel’s Revenge” allows readers to learn about Jack’s history.  In the first novel readers know he has a history so it is nice to learn what that is.  This graphic novel was written for the male fans of the novel, but anyone will enjoy this read.  To attract female readers the sexual tension between Rapunzel and Jack is a major theme of the story.  The Hales do a wonderful job of reinventing fairytales once again.  This time “Jack and the Beanstalk” involves giants who are similar to mobsters, pixies that are vaudeville performers, and a city that was designed by someone who is clearly a steampunk fan.

                While Rapunzel’s story focused on style often seen in Westerns, this story is for the city slicker.  The vaudeville feeling is used in the illustrations as well.  When Jack first introduces his many schemes it is done with signs that could be seen at vaudeville performances.  This allows readers to know that a different narrator is telling this story.  Hale once again knows how to illustrate the novel effectively.  He shows the action when there are no words and keeping readers interest throughout the novel.