Rapunzel

Reading level: Ages 7 and up Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books Hardcover: 17.99 Language: English ISBN: 0-525-45607-4 Paul O. Zelinsky is an American Author and illustrator. He was born in 1953 in Evanston Illinois. He has been a Caldecott Honor medalist three times in his career. He has also been a Boston Globe-Hom book Honor award recipient and has been featured on the New York Times “Ten Best Illustrated Books” list. His take on “Rapunzel” won the Caldecott award in 1997. He has authored and illustrated many books, his most famous being “The Wheels on The Bus”. “Rapunzel” is a fantasy story about a little girl that is taken by a witch when she is born as retribution for her parents stealing Rapunzel plants from the witch’s garden. When Rapunzel, the taken girl, is old enough the witch locks her in a tower that has no doors. The witch can enter the tower by climbing Rapunzel’s amazingly long hair. Sometime later a prince is traveling through the forest and hears Rapunzel singing and after meeting her falls in love with her and marries her. Once the witch finds out that the prince is visiting Rapunzel she cuts Rapunzel’s hair off and banishes her to a faraway land. When the prince comes to see his bride later that night the witch surprises him and he becomes blind. After wandering through the wilderness for two years the prince and Rapunzel are reunited and the prince can once again and they live happily ever after. “Rapunzel” by Paul O. Zelinsky is an engaging retelling of a classic fairy tale. The story is told in a way that students will be able to understand and connect to. It also helps to teach the lesson that stealing is wrong and the idea that true love will find a way. I would recommend this book to teachers that want to start a unit on mythology or fantasy. As this book is a Caldecott winner the illustrations are beautiful and help readers connect to the story. It also helps the reader really see what the author intended them to see. This also causes reader’s to be engaged and pay attention to the text. Another literary element that is prevalent in the text is Fantasy. This story is clearly a fantasy and integrates magic throughout the story. This literary element allows the reader to expand their imagination.
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