"Calamity Jack" a sequal worthy of its predicessor

Reviewer: Gretchen Schroeder Date: 1/31/2010
Title: Calamity Jack 
Author: Shannon & Dean Hale, Illustrated: Nathan Hale
Publisher: Bloomsury, 2010
This book is in the Woodlynde Library

1. Why I picked up this book.
I can't keep its predecessor, Rapunzel's Revenge on the shelf, and it seems to be a graphic novel that is equally popular with boys, girls and adults who love fantasy.

2. Why I finished this book.
This is a wonderful re-imagining of characters from traditional fantasy worlds. In this installment, Jack of beanstalk fame, joins with his friends to redeem himself and rescue his mother, after accidentally killing a giant and starting a war. Details like the giants sharing recipe tips while riding the elevator, made these re-imagined imaginary characters both believable and somehow human. The inclusion of some of my favorite characters, like the Jabberwok as the giant's guard dog and pixies as show girls makes this a fun and literate romp through fantasy land.

3. Who I would give this book to, and why. 
I would give this book to any reader of fantasy literature, middle school or higher, especially graphic novel readers. The high adventure in this story makes it appealing to many boys, and the strong female characters, especially Rapunzel, gives it solid girl appeal. Adults who love Marvel's Fables series will find this a youth appropriate introduction to the alternate fantasy universe.