Module 10: Calamity Jack

Bibliography: Hale, D. & Hale, S. (2010). Calamity Jack.  New York, NY: Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Summary: Jack is an incorrigible schemer always on the lookout for an easy mark.  Along with his partner Prudence the pixie, he enjoys swindling his marks and concocting new schemes.  He has a run of bad luck when burgling the tower of Blunderboar the giant and is forced to flee town while leaving Prudence behind and his mother’s bakery in shambles.  Jack eventually returns to his hometown with his new partner Rapunzel only to find it a run down wreck under Blunderboar’s control.  He and Rapunzel suspect that Blunderboar is working with an ant-people force to exert that control.  They team up with Jack’s old partner Prudence and newspaper owner Freddie Sparksmith to find the evidence they need to run Blunderboar out of town.  Working as a team, they successfully infiltrate Blunderboar’s tower and after a series of adventures manage to accomplish their goal.

Impressions:  The authors’ skill in constructing a fast paced action thriller that does not rely on blood and gore is astonishing.  I was also impressed with the way that the authors’ took classic characters like Jack and Rapunzel and gave them an edgy, modern feel that should appeal to the current generation of young adults.  The colorful illustrations are well done and successfully fill in the gaps left by the sparse dialogue.  Jack’s journey from petty criminal to hero is  a common theme in fiction but the authors’ do an excellent job of bringing it to fruition.  Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this book was the way the authors’ combined the steam punk and classic fairytale genres into a seamless whole.

Reviews:

“The stars of the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge (2008) move from the Old West to the big city, and this time the spotlight shines on Jack. After his success during his time on the run with Rapunzel, Jack returns to the city determined to prove to his mother (and to Rapunzel) that he is not the scheming delinquent she believes him to be. Instead, he finds the city controlled by an evil giant and under attack by a mysterious enemy. Jack must come up with his best scheme yet to defeat the enemy, save the city, and prove his worth to the women he cares about most. The urban setting suits this retelling of the familiar beanstalk tale; Nathan Hale’s art gives it a steampunk twist, and the addition of fairy-tale creatures like giants and pixies is natural and convincing. Shannon and Dean Hale have done an excellent job stretching the bones of the traditional fable into a high-action coming-of-age story that will keep young teen readers excited and engaged.” – Eva Volin (Booklist)

-          Volin, E. (2009). Calamity Jack Review. Booklist (Vol. 106, No. 3). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~Bw1RU8:1

“In Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale’s fractured fairy tale Rapunzel’s Revenge, readers were treated to an Old West version of the Rapunzel story where Rapunzel becomes a Western heroine who uses her long braids as whips and lassos. Now in Calamity Jack, the Hales turn their attention to Rapunzel’s sidekick Jack as they put their own spin on the Jack and the Beanstalk story. All the Western motifs remain as Jack, here a Native American small time thief, tries to help his mother by stealing a magic goose from crooked businessman giant Blunderboar. Unfortunately, when a magic bean makes the scheme go horribly wrong, Jack is forced to flee--and winds up meeting Rapunzel. Now hoping to right some old wrongs, Jack and Rapunzel return to his home city of Shyport, along with some golden eggs to settle his debts. But when Jack learns that the giants have taken over Shyport, he must use all of his cunning to uncover the giants’ scheme and free his own home from their rule--if the giants do not grind his bones into flour first! A fantastic story that keeps the fun tone of Rapunzel’s Revenge while also breaking new ground, Calamity Jack shows how good storytellers can pay homage to classic fairytales without being limited by familiar plots. While it is easy to see who Jack, Rapunzel, and Blunderboar are based on, each figure is also a unique character in their own right, with rich personal histories and motives that make them more than just imitations of their predecessors. As with Rapunzel’s Revenge, the Hales leave the door open for another sequel, and many readers will hope they follow through.” – Michael Jung (Children’s Literature)

-          Jung, M. (2010). Calamity Jack Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~Bw1RU8:1

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Read the classic tales Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapuzel to a group of children.  Ask each child to point out one difference and one similarity between the characters from the classic tales and the ones from the re-imagined story.