Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale

by Lynn Roberts-Maloney, David Roberts

Rapunzel visits the trendy '70s in this far-out retelling...

Rapunzel, like everyone else in the 1970s, has long hair. But only Rapunzel, from atop a penthouse in which she is imprisoned by her evil Aunt Esme, has hair so long that it sweeps the sidewalk in front of the building. The elevators don't work, so Aunt Esme uses Rapunzel's hair to come and go. And poor Rapunzel spends day after lonely day surrounded by orange-and-brown-patterned walls and shag carpeting, listening to her beloved LPs. Then, at last, a handsome stranger climbs up Rapunzel's hair...why, he's the glam-rock prince of her dreams!

David Roberts's funky 1970s illustrations give this Rapunzel an exciting new twist. Bellbottoms, disco balls, and long sideburns make this the funkiest fairy tale ever!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Storytime, Historical, Fractured Fairy Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

(oops, forgot to review when I had it; it's returned now...) I got a big kick out of the pictures, I remember, but iirc the story left out the twins and only made a brief nod to drama. Still, fun for fans of the story who want to explore all the different 'visions.'

[Teddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

what fun!! the story was a cute take on the fairy tale unlike any I'd read before, & the art accompanying it was soooo groovy!! (in multiple good ways, haha.) would thoroughly recommend!

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very groovy. And, every once in a while, a lovely sketch appears in the quirky illustrations.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for grades 1-3. The book gives a spin on the traditional Rapunzel story most children are used to. A young hipster girl who lives with her evil aunt in the city is secluded from the rest of the world. The aunt keeps Rapunzel occupied with records in her high rise city apartment while she works at the school as a lunch lady. Soon, Rapunzel meets a boy, whom is one of the students at the school. They spend time together and rock out with instruments. They plan an escape. You must have child read. The illustrations will have children interested in the 70's but still feel like they can relate to some modern things in the book.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rapunzel's evil lunch lady aunt locked her up until rock band Roger found a way up a skyscraper.

Not a strong retelling but you (or at least I) read the books for the illustrations. David Roberts works wonders again - this time setting the tale in the groovy 70s. Fun. The first page has Rapunzel dreamily overlooking the city with with massive amounts of hair and leg warmers. How can you not love it?

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cool rendition of Rapunzel! Takes out some of the violence of the older tale and replaces it with humor. A fun read. My daughter checked it out and suggested I read it!

"And what happened to Aunt Esme? Well, she no longer had Rapunzel's hair, and the elevator was, of course, out of order..."

[Zandra Cardenas · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this retelling story of Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale, Rapunzel lived with her aunt Esme and Roach the Crow on the top floor of an old apartment after her parents died. Her aunt promised to take her to the city when she grew older but that never happened. Here Rapunzel listened to music, read second-hand magazines, and occasionally watched television until a handsome boy discovered her while he stopped to fix his bike. He saw Aunt Esme asking Rapunzel to pull down her hair for her to climb to the top of the apartment. After she left to go to work, Roger came and climbed into the apartment the same way as her aunt did. They become good friends but Esme found that he visited Rapunzel in secret. Rapunzel was sent alone to the city, but later she found Roger again playing at a school concert. The story ended when Rapunzel made wigs out of her long red braid.
This new version of Rapunzel is different than the original. The book has small but vivid illustrations that tell the story very well. I would recommend this new version for children in kindergarten to fourth grade. I will use it for character traits and plot.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

A groovy Rapunzel and a hip Roger (a.k.a. Prince Charming) meet and fall in love. But how to leave the abandoned apartment tower without her wicked Aunt Esme knowing?

Ages: 5 - 9

Cleanliness: A picture shows a man and a woman dressed in somewhat gothic attire with various tattoos, piercings, mohawk hair and chains. Same illustration also shows a male mannequin in underwear.

**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.

[Sasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty much the only redeeming factor here was the John Travolta "Saturday Night Fever" poster on Rapunzel's wall. While I appreciated the originality of taking an overdone fairy tale and trying it in a 70s-era setting, several key details - including how creepy and disgusting Esme was, how strange everyone was drawn with their curves accentuated, and how drugged out Rapunzel looked when searching for Roger (while homeless in the city) - just really put me off. It didn't feel like a children's book. I'm glad Roberts eventually found his niche with the Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, Aaron Slater series. He truly shines there.

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale is the second installment in the fractured fairy tale series by brother and sister team, Lynn Roberts and David Roberts. In it, the familiar tale of the long-haired maiden is supplanted in--you guessed it--the 1970’s. The story follows the same pattern as other versions--with Rapunzel sequestered by her evil aunt, letting down her hair over an apartment railing at will. The ‘groovy’ flavor comes mostly from the vivid illustrations, and also the ‘prince’ who saves Rapunzel from her lonely existence is a budding rock star. This was cute, but I definitely got more chuckles from Little Red.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice twist on a classic fairytale, situating Rapunzel in the 1970s. This book could be used with a variety of ages and help inspire children to create their own versions of classic tales.

The illustrations will amuse children and adults alike. Adults will enjoy spotting the 70s pop culture references. I particularly like the David Bowie record and the Kate Bush poster on Rapunzel's wall!

[Jemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting to read about a semi-modern Rapunzel, set in the 1970s. I like how it stayed very true to the classic story, but updating it to make sense in the real world. Blindness was swapped for amnesia, and the tower for an apartment.

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and I liked that Rapunzel had red hair, I am just not sure how huge an appeal it would have to kids.
It was not a bad retelling of Rapunzel, it had a decent plot and decent artwork but it wasn't amazing. It is not a book I would immediately recommend to others.

[Taylor Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a cute twist on the tale of Rapunzel. This book was set in the 70's and has great illustrations. I like this book because it is a more modern twist to the classic tale, which I feel students would really enjoy. This book is suggested for children in grades K-2.

[Freddi Eastwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This retold story was really interesting, the plot was based in the 70s and the illustrations are really good! This version gave a pretty rad twist to the original story of Rapunzel

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been at least a decade and this book is still in my mind as I work on my MA. I love punk Rapunzel.

[Deidra Chamberlain · Rating 2 out of 5]

We were confused about the cat. Story and illustrations were competing with each other.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun retelling set in the 70s.

[Meandmy Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

My hair goals as a kid :)

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.

[Keely Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

David and Lynn Roberts are siblings who were born in Liverpool, England. David studied art before moving to Hong Kong where he worked as a fashion illustrator. Lynn Roberts has worked with children’s literature for years, as a specialist in bookshops and as a writer. Rapunzel a groovy fairy tale is a twist from the original Rapunzel story. Lynn Roberts incorporates humor and a setting that children can relate with, making it enjoyable for kids. The story takes place in the groovy 1970’s and is represented by the clothing they wear, and activities the characters are a part of. Rapunzel is a young girl who lives in the city and an apartment with her evil aunt. She has never been allowed to leave because the elevator is broken. Her aunt’s transportation out of the apartment is by Rapunzel’s long red hair. This allows her aunt to go to work as an evil lunch lady at an elementary school. One day a boy sees the evil aunt climb down a long chain of hair. Curiosity gets the best of him, and he climbs up to be greeted by a beautiful girl. They become good friends, until one day she blurts out her secret. She is kicked out of the apartment and has to survive on the streets. Meanwhile the boy not knowing what happened go to meet Rapunzel, unfortunately he is greeted by the evil aunt who pushes him out of the building. When he awakes he cannot remember anything, he is only left with a long chain of red hair. After a night passes Rapunzel finds the boy and he remembers her instantly. Overall I really enjoyed this book, I liked that it put a twist on the original fairytale. I also liked how the setting took place somewhere that you wouldn’t expect falls under the folklore genre.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully 'groovy' retelling of the story of Rapunzel, originally by Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm and Wilhelm Karl Grimm.

The story is entertaining and stays true to the original flow of the story, while incorporating the hipness and the far-out fashions and music of the seventies. The illustrations are very expressive and filled with interesting details. I enjoyed pointing out the popular items of the day: the record player, the lava lamp, the bell bottoms, and the platform shoes. I found it quite humorous that several of the items have made their way back into popularity today.

I love the tributes to some of the more popular musicians and icons of the time, including David Bowie, ABBA, Elton John, Debbie Harry, Joni Mitchell and John Travolta. I thought it was hilarious that when I named the individuals depicted on the posters and album covers, our oldest asked me, "How do you know who they are, Mama?" The main characters are terrific, too, oozing seventies charm, but still (mostly) sympathetic and appealing enough for today's generation of children.

Overall, this is a fantastic story and we really enjoyed reading it together. It's probably best appreciated by the 40-year-old set since we lived during the depicted times, but our girls really liked it too.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this version of Rapunzel it is about a girl with long orange hair who used it to climb her mean aunt in and out of their apartment. Her mean aunt doesn't let Rapunzel leave the apartment but will bring her 70's musics and occasionally let her watch t.v. One day a 70's rock god of Rapunzels dreams climbs up her hair, although she was never allowed to leave her apartment she realized the fun she could have with all of her 70's inspired attire and items. This a good spin off of the original Rapunzel and keeps the same theme of people climbing up her hair. I would recommend this to any experience readers because of the names of characters and the lengthy paragraphs in the book. The illustrations were great and really brought the story to life, so even if the readers could not read the book they could look at the pictures and have an idea of what is going on. I would use this in the classroom to help children write their own stories using certain fairy tale characters. I thought that the 70's theme might be difficult for young readers to understand. I liked this book but I do enjoy other spin offs of stories a little better only because they were easier to understand and interpret for younger readers. This was a great book however, and I did enjoy reading it but I think a different theme would have really tied the original story and this story together a little bit better.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the 70's at setting is a groovy concept, the bell bottoms drag on the disco floor in this adaptation of Rapunzel. Quirky watercolor illustrations add to the hairy tale; of note are the fabulous record cover representations, poster of John Travolta and a lava lamp. Geared in many ways for adults, this book may leave kids wondering why you picked the book for them.

CIP: In this updated version of the German fairy tale, Rapunzel has flaming red hair and is kept imprisoned by her Aunt Esme, a heartless school cafeteria worker, in a tenement apartment with a broken elevator.

"It is unlikely to stand the test of time as well as an ABBA tune" School Library Journal

"...it's good to see the classic tale stayin' alive, stayin' alive." Kirkus

[carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommeded Ages: K - 3 rd grade

Rapunzel, like everyone else in the 1970s, has long hair. But only Rapunzel, from atop a penthouse in which she is imprisoned by her evil Aunt Esme, has hair so long that it sweeps the sidewalk in front of the building. The elevators don't work, so Aunt Esme uses Rapunzel's hair to come and go. And poor Rapunzel spends day after lonely day surrounded by orange-and-brown-patterned walls and shag carpeting, listening to her beloved LPs. Then, at last, a handsome stranger climbs up Rapunzel's hair...why, he's the glam-rock prince of her dreams!

[Jacqilynn Castleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a little different than your average folktale. This book was a remake of Rapunzel and was made for a more recent audience. I am the type of person that enjoys old folktales and enjoys the original make. This version was changed in many ways like Rapunzel falling in love with a city boy and Rapunzel living with her aunt in the city. This would be a great story to read to the class to show them the different versions of folktales and how different they can be. Also students might enjoy this version more than the old folktales because it is easier for them to relate too.

[Jessica Wenninger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale because it is a classic fairy tale that I have always loved. This is set in modern day unlike the classical telling of Rapunzel, which is often set in woods and the building is a castle. I really like that the building was an apartment because children today can relate with an apartment much better than with a castle. It is great how the aunt is a lunch lady because children often stereotype lunch ladies as mean. Many schools today have the sweetest people on staff at lunch though.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A retelling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel. This version is set in the 70's, picture lots of bell bottoms and platform shoes. Rapunzel is kept locked up by her mean Aunt Esme who uses Rapunzel's long red braid to get up into her high rise apartment where the elevator is always broken. Eventually Rapunzel meets Roger, the singer in the school band, who tells Rapunzel about the outside world. The story ends with the two of them together and Rapunzel becomes a wig maker. This book is for students in Pre-S through grade 2.

[Alexandria Hiam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A retelling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel. This version is set in the 70's, picture lots of bell bottoms and platform shoes. Rapunzel is kept locked up by her mean Aunt Esme who uses Rapunzel's long red braid to get up into her high rise apartment where the elevator is always broken. Eventually Rapunzel meets Roger, the singer in the school band, who tells Rapunzel about the outside world. The story ends with the two of them together and Rapunzel becomes a wig maker. This book is for students in Pre-S through grade 2.

[Robert Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't so sure I would like this updated reimagining of the classic Grimm's tale. But I was surprised. I liked it, it was a lot of fun. The illustrations are indeed "groovy" with a real '70's vibe to them. They add a lot of fun to the story, which is altered considerably but still retains the fundamental plot.