Monday, March 14, 2011

Calamity Jack by Hale, Hale, and unrelated Hale

It's been a loooong time since I read Rapunzel's Revenge, written by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale, so I was hoping I could pick up Calamity Jack without needing to remember too much of the first book. And it was fine; Calamity Jack is a complete story with just enough background thrown in to remind you that Jack was Rapunzel's sidekick in the first book, and then it takes off on a new and unrelated adventure.

Jack is bringing Rapunzel back to his home in the city, hoping to show her a good time with his city manners and street know-how. But his past catches up with him quickly, and Rapunzel is bound to find out that he wasn't always the heroic fellow she knows today....

I will say, if you liked the first one, the writing is just as strong, there's a dash of humor, and it's fun to watch the relationship between Punzy and Jack bloom into something a little stronger and deeper. The artwork is colorful and gorgeous--whether or not you've delved into graphic novels, this pair is a good set to try, and you can pretty much start with either one (I'd recommend reading them in order, but if you can't get your hands on RR first, it doesn't hurt to start with the second one.)


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