Review Two: Graphic Novel

Citation:

Hale, Dean and Shannon.Calamity Jack. Illus. Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. Print.

Annotation:

This graphic novel is a version of Jack and The Beanstalk in which Jack, a former petty thief, tries to rescue his widowed mother from the hands of a giant, impress Rupunzel, and find his own way to the right path of life.

Justification for Nomination:

This visually stimulating and heart-warming story will keep the attention of even the smallest attention span of a teen.  Jack is a likeable and heroic character who conveys his thoughts in sarcastic side comments throughout the story.  While the story is a familiar one, the new additions such as the ant people who have taken over the city and Jack's fairy-friend Pru take the fairy tale to a new level that has never been attempted.  The story is fast-moving and the text is easily understood.  Some of the name-calling may cause some eye-rolling with their corniness, but they may also illict a chuckle or smirk.  The reader does not have to have any prior knowledge to Jack and the Beanstalk to follow the story though it does make it more interesting to compare the original with the Hales' interpretation. 

The illustrations in this novel were the best part by far.  They were vivid with color and action that moved the story along even if there weren't any text at all.  The characters were constistant and engaging.  It is evident that each panel was carefully constructed and drawn to aid the story in its overall message.  The brightness of the colors and the unusual look of the giant and Rupunzel gave this novel the push it needed to overcome the slight weakness in the text. 

The storyline was very "teen-friendly" with its concepts of love and growing up.  Also, the idea of rescuing Jack's mother and changing his thieving ways for Rupunzel's love speak to the teen crowd.  Jack has to come to terms with the knowledge that his girl may not like the real person he is and he has to decide if it would be better if she knew the truth or not.  Teens will enjoy the thought of Jack having to save the one adult in charge of him from a giant.

This graphic novel is easy to read and understand without much thought.  It would be the perfect book for someone who doesn't normally read a lot of graphic novels.  The thoughtful images and compelling story make this sweet tale a must-read for any teen looking for a light read.

Genre:

Graphic Novel/Romance/Coming-of-Age