Fantasy Audiobook
1. Bibliography
Hale, Shannon. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York: Full Cast Audio, 2007. ISBN 1933322772.
2. Plot Summary
Prejudice, empowerment through education, and finding one’s place in the world are some of the numerous themes in this fantasy story. Motherless Miri lives in a village known for mining and selling of linder rock. She dreams of working in the quarry with her father and sister, mainly because she needs to feel necessary and appreciated in the family unit. Miri, like most other girls in this story, feels the strong inward nudge to prove herself. One day it is announced that all village girls must go to the Princess Academy to be educated and trained in a manner that befits a princess; it has been ordained that the prince will choose one of them for a wife. The villagers have their qualms about this, but it is decided that they must comply with the wishes of those of greater power than themselves. The academy tests the girls’ very spirits, and they find their tutor, Olana, to be strict, even harsh, in her dealings with them. Olana often makes remarks expressing her prejudices toward their humble mountain origins and their probable lack of intellect. Miri regrets leaving behind her (male) childhood friend, Peder, and deals with her conflicting emotions about the possibility of marrying the Prince. The girls are met by tests and disasters and tough decisions, and in the end make important discoveries about themselves.
3. Critical Analysis
The descriptive language and the names of people in the story might make one think of the Alps or some such northern, cold and snowy place. The idea of linder rock, which is an integral part of the trade for Miri’s village on Mount Eskel, is also an integral part of the story. The girls in this story are trying to figure out who they are, and make choices about their lives, which is a universal occupation for most young people of either gender. The interactions of these girls with one another seems fairly typical of girls of that age, although the excessive use of similes and metaphors in their thoughts and speech is a bit distracting. Some characters are not terribly likable in the beginning but become likeable or at least more likeable as they learn and change. The characters have many adventures, and in the beginning this is engaging, but seems to run on somewhat longer than necessary. The intent of the book at many points seems to be to empower girls, but at the same time doling out the standard idea of a prince choosing one of them to be worthy of being his wife, and the competition among the girls to be the chosen one. That could be considered a bit contradictory to a nobler message, especially when considering that many of the girls see this possibility as the potential opportunity to make something of themselves. The audio book is well-done. It utilizes multiple voices for the characters rather than providing one person reading an entire story. In this case, the multiple voices make it seem much livelier, and make approximately eight hours on eight CDs go by without the monotone effect possible from a single voice.
4. Awards and Excerpt(s)
2006 Newbery Honor Book
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“…Princess training is not all it's cracked up to be for spunky Miri in the isolated school overseen by cruel Tutor Olana. But through education-and the realization that she has the common mountain power to communicate wordlessly via magical "quarry-speech"-Miri and the girls eventually gain confidence and knowledge that helps transform their village. Unfortunately, Hale's lighthearted premise and underlying romantic plot bog down in overlong passages about commerce and class, a surprise hostage situation and the specifics of "quarry-speech." The prince's final princess selection hastily and patly wraps things up.”
Hornbook Audio review:
“When Miri spends a year in princess training, she learns surprising things about herself, her family, and her quarry-working community. Miri not only wins the title of academy princess but also transforms her mountain village's entire economy, vanquishes a horde of murderous bandits, and wins the heart of the boy she loves. This full-cast recording of Hale's 2006 Newbery honor book reflects care, with an accomplished narrator and snatches of song that introduce each chapter...“
KLIATT (Audio) review:
“...Although 14-year-old Miri wants to be princess to help her family, she is torn by her growing love for her lifelong friend Peder. Tensions rise when the prince fails to make a selection after the ball, and the princess training extends into a second year. Laura Credidio and the Full Cast family present a successful blend of masculine and feminine voices, lending great variety to the characters. For fans of clever, feisty female heroines and those who relish a touch of fantasy and suspense suitable for family listening.“
5. Connections
This story could be used to discuss the fantasy genre.
This story could be used to discuss the idea of mixing genres such as “fairy tale meets fantasy.”
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Book Review -- Rapunzel's Revenge (Module 6)
Graphic Novel
1. Bibliography
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. New York: Bloomsbury, 2008. ISBN 159990070X.
2. Plot Summary
In Shannon and Dean Hale’s Old West meets Graphic Novel version of Rapunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel realizes as a teen that the woman she has believed to be her mother is actually not her mother, and that this woman is capable of diabolical acts. Rapunzel discovers the identity of her true mother as well as the wickedness enacted upon her by her imposter mother, the politically powerful and money-grubbing “Mother Gothel.” Her reaction to this knowledge leads to her placement in a tower by the enraged Mother Gothel. Reuniting with her real mother and avenging Mother Gothel become her two missions in life. In order to fulfill these quests, Rapunzel must escape from a high tower with the use of her long, roped hair put to use as a ladder, which she continues to use as a tool to survive many of her adventures along the way, such as a rope or a whip. She soon allies herself with a fumbling sidekick, Jack, and together they face danger after danger on their way back to avenge Mother Gothel and set innocent people free from her power.
3. Critical Analysis
The medieval context of Rapunzel transported into the Old West is an adjustment readers must make to enjoy this novel. Those disparate settings do not easily merge. Readers expecting gentle, sophisticated language typical of fairy tales will find a Rapunzel who makes such observations as “It was half a day’s ride to the ranch house, and I was hungry enough to eat a horse…and chase the rider with a fork.” The characters are fun, but it is difficult to sustain belief in the characterizations and story line. The witch of traditional Rapunzel stories is replaced with a crazed, power-and-money-hungry middle-aged woman who happens to have a specific magical talent. Most people Rapunzel and Jack encounter are hostile and suspicious, and this can be a bit wearing and predictable. This story is told as one adventure after another, in which Rapunzel usually saves the day. It also employs a budding romance between Rapunzel and her sidekick, Jack, and is therefore possibly more likely to appeal to female readers. Although enacted in a fairly incredible and unlikely style, there are scenes, hints, and references to violent behavior.
4. Review Excerpt(s)
Booklist Review:
“This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower…Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside—a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion...With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.”
5. Connections
This graphic novel could be used for a creative writing exercise, in which a classic character from another time has his or her story retold in the present day or another time. It could be used as a compare and contrast with the traditional Rapunzel.
1. Bibliography
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. New York: Bloomsbury, 2008. ISBN 159990070X.
2. Plot Summary
In Shannon and Dean Hale’s Old West meets Graphic Novel version of Rapunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel realizes as a teen that the woman she has believed to be her mother is actually not her mother, and that this woman is capable of diabolical acts. Rapunzel discovers the identity of her true mother as well as the wickedness enacted upon her by her imposter mother, the politically powerful and money-grubbing “Mother Gothel.” Her reaction to this knowledge leads to her placement in a tower by the enraged Mother Gothel. Reuniting with her real mother and avenging Mother Gothel become her two missions in life. In order to fulfill these quests, Rapunzel must escape from a high tower with the use of her long, roped hair put to use as a ladder, which she continues to use as a tool to survive many of her adventures along the way, such as a rope or a whip. She soon allies herself with a fumbling sidekick, Jack, and together they face danger after danger on their way back to avenge Mother Gothel and set innocent people free from her power.
3. Critical Analysis
The medieval context of Rapunzel transported into the Old West is an adjustment readers must make to enjoy this novel. Those disparate settings do not easily merge. Readers expecting gentle, sophisticated language typical of fairy tales will find a Rapunzel who makes such observations as “It was half a day’s ride to the ranch house, and I was hungry enough to eat a horse…and chase the rider with a fork.” The characters are fun, but it is difficult to sustain belief in the characterizations and story line. The witch of traditional Rapunzel stories is replaced with a crazed, power-and-money-hungry middle-aged woman who happens to have a specific magical talent. Most people Rapunzel and Jack encounter are hostile and suspicious, and this can be a bit wearing and predictable. This story is told as one adventure after another, in which Rapunzel usually saves the day. It also employs a budding romance between Rapunzel and her sidekick, Jack, and is therefore possibly more likely to appeal to female readers. Although enacted in a fairly incredible and unlikely style, there are scenes, hints, and references to violent behavior.
4. Review Excerpt(s)
Booklist Review:
“This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower…Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside—a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion...With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.”
5. Connections
This graphic novel could be used for a creative writing exercise, in which a classic character from another time has his or her story retold in the present day or another time. It could be used as a compare and contrast with the traditional Rapunzel.
Book Review -- The First Part Last (Module 6)
Contemporary Realistic Fiction
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0689849222.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Angela Johnson’s book concerns unplanned teenage pregnancy and its effect on all involved. It is told in flashbacks of “then” and “now” through the experience of the main character, Bobby.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Johnson has been honored with one Coretta Scott King Honor Award and two Coretta Scott King Awards. In this story, Bobby, the protagonist, is dealing with a crisis in his sixteen-year-old life. He has fathered a child with his teenage girlfriend, and struggles with both the idea and the responsibility of fatherhood so young. In flashbacks and current slices of “then” and “now” Bobby candidly describes his feelings toward his girlfriend, Nia, his new role as a father, and his new baby. It is refreshing to read a novel of this subject matter told through a male voice. Details of his life in New York and time spent with his girlfriend before, during, and after the baby’s birth set up the poignancy throughout, and an unexpected twist tests Bobby’s maturity to its core.
4. Review Excerpt(s) and Awards
School Library Journal review:
“…[The twist in the story], which explains why Bobby is raising Feather on his own against the advice of both families, seems melodramatic. So does a chapter in which Bobby snaps from the pressure and spends an entire day spray painting a picture on a brick wall, only to be arrested for vandalism. However, any flaws in the plot are overshadowed by the beautiful writing. Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for his daughter are breathtaking…”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“A 16-year-old tells the story of how he became a single dad. In a starred review of this companion to Heaven, PW said, "The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be suitable for discussing the need for responsibility and doing what must be done regardless of age when the worst has already happened. It addresses making wise choices, and how some choices can have life-long, irreversible effects. The subject matter is a story of crisis met. It could be beneficial for showing that youth does not necessarily negate adult-level problems.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Johnson, Angela. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0689849222.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Angela Johnson’s book concerns unplanned teenage pregnancy and its effect on all involved. It is told in flashbacks of “then” and “now” through the experience of the main character, Bobby.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Johnson has been honored with one Coretta Scott King Honor Award and two Coretta Scott King Awards. In this story, Bobby, the protagonist, is dealing with a crisis in his sixteen-year-old life. He has fathered a child with his teenage girlfriend, and struggles with both the idea and the responsibility of fatherhood so young. In flashbacks and current slices of “then” and “now” Bobby candidly describes his feelings toward his girlfriend, Nia, his new role as a father, and his new baby. It is refreshing to read a novel of this subject matter told through a male voice. Details of his life in New York and time spent with his girlfriend before, during, and after the baby’s birth set up the poignancy throughout, and an unexpected twist tests Bobby’s maturity to its core.
4. Review Excerpt(s) and Awards
School Library Journal review:
“…[The twist in the story], which explains why Bobby is raising Feather on his own against the advice of both families, seems melodramatic. So does a chapter in which Bobby snaps from the pressure and spends an entire day spray painting a picture on a brick wall, only to be arrested for vandalism. However, any flaws in the plot are overshadowed by the beautiful writing. Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for his daughter are breathtaking…”
Publisher’s Weekly review:
“A 16-year-old tells the story of how he became a single dad. In a starred review of this companion to Heaven, PW said, "The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book would be suitable for discussing the need for responsibility and doing what must be done regardless of age when the worst has already happened. It addresses making wise choices, and how some choices can have life-long, irreversible effects. The subject matter is a story of crisis met. It could be beneficial for showing that youth does not necessarily negate adult-level problems.
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